Hives

Hives on skin are raised, itchy welts that appear fast and fade within hours. Most cases are harmless and easy to treat. Hives with lip swelling or trouble breathing are an emergency.

What Is It

Hives, also called urticaria, happen when your body releases histamine into the skin. Common triggers include foods, medicines, insect stings, and viral infections. Heat, cold, pressure, and stress can set them off too. In kids, a recent upper respiratory infection is the most common cause. Often no trigger is ever found.

Symptoms

Raised pink or red welts with sharp edges
Itching, sometimes intense
Welts that turn pale when you press on them
Single welts that fade within a day as new ones appear
Swelling of the lips, eyelids, hands, or feet

Not sure it’s hives? A red patch that hurts, feels warm, and keeps growing is more likely cellulitis.

Treatment

At your visit: A provider looks for the likely trigger and checks for signs of a serious reaction. Most hives clear with daily non drowsy antihistamines. Widespread or stubborn hives may need a short course of steroids.

At home:

Take the antihistamine daily until the welts stop coming back
Use cool compresses and lukewarm showers
Wear loose, soft clothing
Avoid the trigger if you know what it is

Most cases clear within a few days to a few weeks.

When to Get Care for Hives

Watch at Home

A few welts that fade within a day
Itching eased by an antihistamine
You know the trigger and can avoid it

Come to Urgent Care Today

Hives covering large areas of the body
No improvement with antihistamines
First time hives with no clear cause
Hives with a fever or after a new medicine

Go to the Emergency Department

Swelling of the lips, tongue, or throat
Trouble breathing or wheezing
Dizziness, fainting, or vomiting
Known severe allergy: use your epinephrine auto injector, then call 911

FAQ

What causes hives?

Hives are caused by the body releasing histamine into the skin. Common triggers include foods, medicines, insect stings, viral infections, heat, cold, pressure, and stress. In many cases no single cause is found.

Are hives contagious?

Hives are not contagious, because they are a skin reaction and not an infection. If a virus triggered the hives, the virus itself can still spread to others.

How long do hives last?

A single hive usually fades within 24 hours, while new ones may appear elsewhere. Most cases of acute hives clear within a few days to a few weeks. Hives that last longer than 6 weeks are called chronic hives.

When are hives an emergency?

Hives are an emergency when they come with swelling of the lips, tongue, or throat, trouble breathing, wheezing, dizziness, or vomiting. Use an epinephrine auto injector if you have one, then call 911.

Can urgent care treat hives?

Yes, urgent care can treat most hives. At Vitality Urgent Care, a provider can check for signs of a serious reaction and help find the trigger.

Should I go to urgent care for hives all over my body?

Yes, hives covering large areas of the body, or hives that do not ease with antihistamines, should be checked at urgent care. Call 911 instead if hives come with throat swelling or trouble breathing.

Last reviewed October 2026