Urticaria - a skin reaction as a result of which there is an extensive rash of red itchy blisters Convex different sizes. In most cases the rash is harmless and does not leave behind a trace; Treatment is rarely required and is usually quite short reception antihistamines.

Symptoms of hives

• Clusters of red blisters on various parts of the body, white spots in the mouth
• The rash can "move" from place to place (that is, at first it may appear, for example, on the chest, then disappear and appear on the neck, and so on)
• Itching, sometimes very strong
• In rare cases, a burning sensation and tingling in the affected areas

Hives can be acute or chronic. Episodes of acute hives last from a few hours to six weeks. Chronic hives can last for several months or even years.

What causes hives?

Approximately 90% of the hives occur for no apparent reason. In other cases, it is usually an allergic reaction Allergic reactions: how to understand why you tickle in the throat . It triggers may include:

• Certain foods (most of all - eggs, nuts, strawberries and seafood)
• Exposure to pollen or fungal spores
• Medications most often - nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, antibiotics Antibiotics - whether they will help you in the foreseeable future?   ACE inhibitors
• Insect bites
• Infections caused by viruses, bacteria and parasites
• Contact with plants, such as nettle
• Contact with some animals, such as certain species of jellyfish
• Physical stimuli such as high and low temperature, sunlight, water, perspiration, pressure
• Some substances, such as perfumes, preservatives, dyes, nickel and resin

During an allergic reaction of the skin cells release a substance called histamine. Forcing blood vessels to expand, histamine causes blisters, which are localized accumulations of excessive amounts of fluid under the skin, or slight swelling. In severe cases, swelling may appear parts of the body. A condition in which the swollen skin around the eyes, lips, tongue, throat, hands and genitals, called angioedema Prevention and treatment of edema - it is important to understand the root cause .

• Urticaria usually begins with a reddish itchy patches on the skin
• Within a few minutes after the skin are accumulated reddish wheals of different sizes
• Usually a few hours rash disappears and appears elsewhere

Acute urticaria

Symptoms of acute urticaria appear within hours after exposure to an allergen, so often, you can easily understand what caused it. Usually, the symptoms appear every time you contact with certain allergens. In most cases, acute urticaria extends no more than 24-48 hours and never lasted more than six weeks.

Aid the physician in acute urticaria is usually not required; patients cope with home remedies, or do without treatment. In rare severe cases may require specialist advice.

Children and young people are particularly susceptible to repeated attacks of hives.

The rash of acute urticaria can be allergic or non-allergic. In both cases there is an immunological reaction.

Chronic urticaria

Chronic cases are, by definition, difficult to treat, and treatment, as a rule, must be continuous. In chronic urticaria (if the rash persists for more than six weeks) should speak to your doctor or dermatologist.

Fortunately, chronic urticaria is relatively rare. In 90% of cases the causes are unclear - a condition called idiopathic urticaria. The remaining 10% of the allergic reaction often occurs as a result of exposure to any substance. It is rare, but it happens that the rash is associated with a more serious underlying disease.

If, after careful examination failed to identify a trigger of chronic urticaria, do not worry. Chronic urticaria can be cured; more than half of all cases it disappears by itself within six months, and only very rarely, it can not be cured and can persist for years.

Tavegil - a first-generation antihistamine, histamine H1-receptor. It has anti-allergic effect, relieves swelling and itching. Appoint tavegil with allergic rhinitis, seasonal allergies caused by pollen (hay fever), urticaria, skin diseases accompanied by itching and so on.

The mechanism of action Tavegilum

Tavegil (active substance - clemastine) - is an antihistamine blocker of H1-histamine receptors, which produces the Swiss pharmaceutical Novartis Consumer Health SA. Tavegilum available as tablets for oral administration and 1 mg syrup for oral administration in bottles of 100 ml (5 ml syrup contains 500 mg clemastine) and a solution for injection in ampoules of 2 ml (1 ml solution containing 1 mg clemastine). Other pharmaceutical companies clemastine sold under the name bravegil, clemastine and rivtagil.

The mechanism of action is based on inhibition of Tavegilum their action of histamine - the main active ingredient of all allergic reactions. It histamine causes swelling, itching and the formation of precipitates (exudation) in allergic reactions. H1-histamine receptors are found in all human organs and tissues.

By suppressing the action of histamine in the outbreak of an allergic reaction, tavegil removes caused by histamine spasms of smooth muscles of internal organs, reduces the permeability of small blood vessels (capillaries), prevents the development of edema, inhibits the ability of histamine dramatically lower blood pressure, prevents the development and makes it easier for allergies, reduces the toxic effect histamine on the body. It also slows down the nerve impulses along nerve fibers, inhibiting the action of acetylcholine - a neurotransmitter, through which nerve impulses are conducted. This leads to a decrease in tissue sensitivity. Action tavegila begins in 30-60 minutes after oral administration and lasts for 12 hours.

However, in tavegila as all blockers of histamine H1-receptor of the first generation has a number of side effects which are mainly due to the fact that it easily enters the central nervous system (CNS). This has a calming effect, causing drowsiness that sometimes prevents the use Tavegilum on an outpatient basis, when carrying out the treatment is combined with the continuation of the work.

Indications and contraindications

Indications for use Tavegilum are:

• seasonal allergies as allergic rhinitis and conjunctivitis caused by pollen - pollinosis or hay fever;
• perennial allergic rhinitis and conjunctivitis;
• urticaria (krupnopyatnistaya or papular, towering above the skin surface rapidly spreading and quickly disappearing rash) of any origin;
• any skin diseases accompanied by itching;
• allergic skin diseases - atopic dermatitis, eczema, atopic dermatitis, allergic contact dermatitis;
• insect bites.

Tavegil contraindicated:

• if you are hypersensitive to the components of the drug by the body of the patient;
• in diseases of the lower airways, including bronchial asthma;
• while feeding the baby Breastfeeding - a personal choice   breast - tavegil excreted in breast milk;
• simultaneously with certain antidepressants (belonging to the group of the enzyme monoamine oxidase inhibitors - MAOIs);
• Age restrictions: syrup, injectable solution can not be applied to children up to one year, a tablet - up to 6 years.

With caution and only on prescription tavegil can be used during pregnancy. Also, use caution tavegil with stenosis (narrowing due to sharp changes in tissues) pylorus, gastric ulcer in violation of patency in the transition region of the stomach into the duodenum. Caution is required in the application Tavegilum at elevated intraocular pressure (angle-closure glaucoma), violation of patency of the bladder neck Urinary bladder - structure and function , Tissue growth (hypertrophy) of the prostate gland with urinary retention, increased thyroid function The thyroid gland - is responsible for your hormones , Diseases of the circulatory system, including the persistent increase in blood pressure.

Side effects

Tavegil, like all drugs of this series is the first generation, has significant side effects:

• the central nervous system - fatigue, drowsiness, dizziness; but sometimes there is an atypical effect on the central nervous system in the form of agitation, irritability Irritability - you try to control my temper , Trembling limbs - this effect is common in children;
• other organs - poor appetite, dry mouth, nausea, vomiting, constipation or diarrhea, stomach pain, frequent urge to urinate, difficulty urinating, the appearance of a viscous sputum in the bronchi, a sense of compression in the thorax, lower blood pressure (especially in elderly patients), tachycardia, cardiac arrhythmias;
• allergic reactions.

Galina Romanenko