Article: Cause of persistent hives often never found

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I am frantic for some information on hives. I've had them for about five months now, and they're driving me up the wall.

At night I can't sleep because of itching. I have tried taking an antihistamine, but it didn't work for me. Aside from the hives, I feel fine and consider myself to be in good health. Please tell me what to do and what works for them. - K.B.

ANSWER: Hives lasting less than six weeks are called acute hives, and the list of causes for them is long. Allergies (food, drugs, insect bites, infections and on and on) are big causes, and antihistamines often control the itching until the hives go away on their own.

Your hives are something else. They've lasted ...

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