Acute Spontaneous Urticaria 

The wheals appear suddenly and may persist for several days or weeks. Often no cause can be found. If a trigger is known, it would be good to avoid it if possible – as with all other types. If an infection is the trigger, one can only take care to stay away from all sneezing and coughing people if possible. This also includes not staying indoors with sick people for any length of time. With this form of urticaria, one should also think about medications (e.g. aspirin) that one had always tolerated well in the past. Systemic reactions can also occur with this form of urticaria, and it is essential to treat them.  

If an episode is particularly severe, you may develop a fever. Severe headache or diarrhea, difficulty breathing or swallowing. Joint pain or, as described above for urticaria in general, a feeling of illness or exhaustion can also occur. Also the already described swellings of the hands, palms or the feet and soles can occur. The wheals can have all facets. From severe itching to burning and severe pain on the skin.  

If this urticaria has been triggered by an infection, it usually disappears again on its own. If there is a suspicion of an allergy, one should consult an allergist who can prove it. In rare cases – we have several such cases in our association – urticaria is a symptom of another serious underlying disease. The urticaria then usually disappears with treatment of the actual disease.     

Medications known to be triggers:

• Antipyretic pain relievers: ace, diclofenac, ibuprofen
• Antibiotics (sulfonamides, penicilin, cephalosporins)
• Heart or blood pressure medications (ACE inhibitors, beta blockers, diuretics)