Urticaria (hives) and itch are symptoms everyone will experience at some point in their lives. For many people, these symptoms are transient and resolve on their own or with standard treatments. But for some patients, hives and/or itch can become a chronic issue that is difficult to control and leads to distress and greatly diminished quality of life. If you are suffering from chronic hives and/or itch, our board-certified allergists and immunologists are here to help you find answers to why you have these symptoms and how you can treat them. While many patients are referred by another physician, some are seeking our care after finding us through their own search for relief from their itch and hives symptoms.
What can you expect during your visit?
Together, we will extensively review your history and perform a physical exam. Your first visit might include allergy skin testing to identify possible triggers as well as various blood tests to help determine the cause of your itching. Since hives and/or itch can be a manifestation of many different illnesses, other tests including skin biopsies, X-rays, and CT scans may also be performed. If needed, referrals to additional specialists may also be made.
We will work together to find the right treatment to relive your hives and/or itch. Treatments may include topical and systemic immune suppressants or biologic injections that target the parts of the immune system that cause allergic inflammation. As allergists and immunologists, we might also offer allergy immunotherapy.
Aaron Ver Heul, MD, PhD, currently sees patients with chronic urticaria and itch on Monday mornings every week at our Highlands and West County clinic locations.