Natural Remedies For Hives

It is very common to get hives which has the appearance of red, nasty bumps on your skin. It is usually caused by an allergic reaction to drugs or food. Your body releases chemicals that make your skin swell up in hives.

Hives usually go away on their own. However, if it turns severe, most people turn commercially available preparations, prescription medications or even allergy shots. The medications tend to contain antihistamines and cortisone, which makes them work work well for controlling hives. However, they usually have a lot of side effects with them too, such as making you drowsy. Cortisone is rather potent and potentially dangerous if taken on a regular basis. You may be one of those who are prone to getting hives on a regular basis. If so, natural remedies for hives may be something for you too look into.

Herbalists actually recommend that what you should do first is figure out what is causing you hives before you even begin to treat the condition. That way, you can eliminate your exposure to the allergen. In the meantime, for treatment, here are some natural remedies for hives:

1. Quercetin. This is a plant pigment that is found in leafy green vegetables, onions, apples, and other natural foods. Quercetin acts as a natural antihistamine, which can help reduce or even completely eliminate hives in a lot of people. You should take 500 milligrams of this twice a day. It may be the best natural remedy for controlling hives.

2. Sandalwood essential oil. This natural remedy is especially used in Native American medicine wherein it is believed that hives are a fiery condition. This essential oil is well known for its calming and cooling effects. As such, some herbalists call Sandalwood a sedative for the skin. Simply add several drops of this essential oil to a cotton ball and then apply it to the infected area every three hours.

3. Mint. Mint is a natural remedy that has a cooling effect. Mint oil can be used to soothe the irritating symptoms of hives. The best way to do this is by creating mint ice cubes that you can place directly onto your skin. Seep 2 teaspoons of freshly crushed mint leaves in boiling water for about 5 minutes. Next, strain this "tea" and pour it into an ice cube tray and place it in your freezer. When the ice cubes are formed, apply them onto your inflamed and irritated hives. You can save the remaining ice cubes into a labeled plastic freezer bag for future use.