Treatment, diagnosis, and cure for hives
Dealing with and managing hives

You might notice hives in the form of an allergic reaction after eating common foods such as shellfish, strawberries, or peanuts. These might show up as reddish welts, blotches, or bumps on your skin. Hives usually itch, but they also can burn or sting.
Hives may occur anywhere on the body and vary in size and shape. They range in size, shape, and color—they can be small like a mosquito bite or big as dinner plates. Hives may show up on a person’s face and go away abruptly only to show up later on the person's arms. Hives also might look like rings or groups of rings joined together. They may appear in clusters and might change locations in a matter of hours.
Hives are fairly common, with ten to twenty five percent of the population contracting them at least once in their lives. Although they are usually harmless, though they may occasionally be a sign of a serious allergic reaction.
If someone is exposed to substances that cause hives, certain cells of the immune system release chemicals such as histamine in the body. This causes fluid to leak from the small blood vessels under the skin. As this fluid collects under the skin, it forms the blotches commonly known as hives
Reasons for hives
Hives can be caused by a variety of different things; sometimes the cause is not known. Hives are commonly caused by an allergic reaction to certain foods such as milk, shellfish, berries and nuts, antibiotic medications, and insect stings or bites. Other causes of hives not related to allergies include exercise, sun exposure, nervousness, virus-caused infections, and exposure to the cold.
Hives may last for a few minutes, or a few hours, or even a few days.
Diagnosing and treating hives
Doctors are usually able diagnose hives just by looking at you and asking questions about how the eruption came about. The doctor will try to help assess what might be causing the hives, although the cause might remain a mystery. If the reaction was serious, the doctor might refer you to an allergy specialist.
Doctors may also suggest taking a type of medication called an antihistamine. This medication helps relieve the allergic reactions caused by hives. Hives may clear up on their own without medication or doctor visits.
Hives can also be a sign of a more serious allergic reaction that can affect breathing and other body functions. People with special allergies usually carry around a special medicine to use in an emergency. This medicine, known as epinephrine, is used as a shot.
Preventing hives
The best way to prevent hives is to avoid known allergens. For example, if you know you are allergic to strawberries, just avoid them and take care not to eat food that has come in contact with them.