How to Distinguish Between Papular Urticaria and Urticaria

Written by Qu Jing
Dermatology
Updated on September 16, 2024
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Papular urticaria, also known as insect bite dermatitis, is a different disease from urticaria. Urticaria, also known as wheals, is called yinzhen in traditional Chinese medicine, and it is a localized edema of the skin and mucous membranes due to temporary increased vascular permeability. For most patients with urticaria, the exact cause cannot be identified. Common causes include foods, such as animal proteins and certain food additives that induce urticaria. Urticaria can also be triggered by certain infections as allergens, as well as by certain medications such as penicillin, serum products, various vaccines, sulfonamides, etc. Additionally, common inhalants such as pollen, animal dander, dust, fungal spores, dust mites, and volatile chemicals can also trigger urticaria. Papular urticaria is characterized by a small blister in the center of a reddish area, often resulting from bites or stings of various insects like mosquitoes, mites, bees, etc., or from irritation by toxic sap on the skin. Improvement can be seen once removed from the allergenic environment.

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Written by Huang Kun Mei
Pediatrics
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Symptoms of urticaria in children

The symptoms of urticaria in children generally include the appearance of erythema and patches of varying sizes on the skin. Some patches may be bright red and then look more obvious. Systemic symptoms can occur, and some children may experience nausea, vomiting, etc. At this time, it may be considered to be caused by allergic factors, and it is necessary to come to the hospital as soon as possible to ascertain the cause in the child. Avoid contact with allergens and then conduct anti-allergy treatment according to the child's condition. If the child's skin scratch test is positive, it can confirm that the child has urticaria. Generally, urticaria subsides quite quickly, and it is considered a specific type of disease.

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Written by Zhu Zhu
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Is acute urticaria contagious?

Acute urticaria is not contagious. Clinically referred to as wheals, acute urticaria is an allergic reaction-related disease associated with the immune system. Its causes may be related to allergies, microbial infections, stimuli from extreme temperatures, psychogenetic factors, endocrine factors, etc. Acute urticaria is not infectious but is curable and can recur. After contracting acute urticaria, it is crucial to actively identify the triggering factors to timely prevent the recurrence of urticaria.

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Written by Huang Ling Juan
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How to treat chronic urticaria?

Chronic urticaria often utilizes antihistamine medications to control symptoms, combined with Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and differential diagnosis and treatment. Treating chronic urticaria generally requires long-term use of antihistamines, sometimes for two or three months, or even up to six months, a year, or more. Typically, treatment involves the combination of two or more types of antihistamines. For cases of chronic urticaria where antihistamines are ineffective, immunosuppressants may be used to adjust the body’s immune state, thus controlling the outbreaks of chronic urticaria. Chronic urticaria is a long-term, slow process that cannot be resolved quickly, so it is important to try to identify the triggering factors of chronic urticaria, or to identify specific allergens. However, finding the allergen is usually challenging because many patients with chronic urticaria have conditions that are also related to their own immune status.

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Is measles urticaria?

Measles is not urticaria, and there is quite a significant difference between them. Measles is a skin disease caused by a viral infection and is contagious, with the virus being the measles virus. In contrast, urticaria is an allergic condition that can be triggered by many different causes, varying widely depending on what different individuals are allergic to. Furthermore, the treatment for measles typically involves antiviral and symptomatic approaches, whereas the treatment for urticaria generally entails the use of anti-allergy methods.

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Urticaria should be seen in which department?

Once urticaria occurs, it is advised to promptly consult a dermatologist, as urticaria is a type of skin disease related to allergies and belongs to the field of dermatology. Urticaria causes many symptoms, such as wheals, erythema, and papules on the skin, accompanied by severe itching. Therefore, it is essential to treat the symptoms in a timely manner. First, identify the allergen and avoid further contact with it. Moreover, use some anti-allergy medications for treatment and generally enhance your own resistance.