Urticaria & hives — online & Mumbai clinic
Itchy wheals that appear from nowhere, move around the body and fade within hours — only to return the next evening — are exhausting to live with. When hives keep coming back for weeks, the trigger is often hard to pin down. Dr. Nidhi Kataria, MD (Hom), takes a detailed history of your pattern and builds an individual homeopathic plan that runs alongside the antihistamines or other treatment you already use.
Care by Dr. Nidhi Kataria, MD (Homoeopathy) — read her full profile and qualifications
Hives that appear on most days for more than six weeks (chronic urticaria); wheals brought on by pressure, scratching, cold, heat, sweating or sunlight; flare-ups after particular foods or painkillers; itching that peaks in the evening or at night; and swelling of the lips or eyelids along with the rash.
Each wheal usually fades within a day, so the history matters more than what the skin shows during the appointment. Dr. Nidhi asks when the hives appear, how long each one lasts, what the itch feels like and what eases or worsens it, and about food, medicines, infections, stress, sleep, digestion and any allergy or thyroid history. Photos taken during a flare are very useful.
Chronic urticaria waxes and wanes, so progress is judged over weeks to months — typically three to six months for a long-standing pattern — not by one good week. The markers are fewer hive days, milder itching, shorter flares and less need for rescue antihistamines. If nothing has shifted by the agreed review point, the case is re-taken.
Continue the antihistamines or other medicines your dermatologist or physician has prescribed; homeopathic medicines are taken alongside them. If your hives settle, any reduction in regular medicine is gradual and decided with the doctor who prescribed it. Do not stop abruptly on your own, because hives often return when medicine is withdrawn suddenly.
Dated photos of the rash, a list of every medicine and supplement you take (painkillers included), any allergy tests, blood counts or thyroid reports you already have, and a one-week diary of when hives appeared and what you ate, did or felt beforehand. No tests are needed before you book.
Swelling of the tongue or throat, difficulty breathing or swallowing, a hoarse voice, dizziness or fainting along with hives is an emergency — go to the nearest hospital immediately. Swelling of the lips, face or eyelids should be seen by a doctor the same day. Hives with fever or joint pain, or wheals that last longer than a day or two or leave bruise-like marks, should be examined by a dermatologist or physician.
Short answers before you book.
Many patients consult homeopathy for hives that keep returning despite antihistamines. Treatment is individualised to your pattern and aims at fewer and milder episodes over time. It is supportive care with realistic review points — not a promise that hives will never come back.
No. Continue them exactly as prescribed and share the details in the consultation. Homeopathic medicines are taken alongside. If your hives become less frequent, any step-down is gradual and agreed with the doctor who prescribed the antihistamine.
No. Many people with long-running hives never find a single identifiable allergen, and tests are not required to book. Share any reports you already have. If your history suggests that tests would help, Dr. Nidhi will ask you to arrange them locally with your physician.
Yes. Hives come and go, so the consultation relies on your history and on photos taken during a flare, which you can share on WhatsApp. Urticaria is commonly handled by video consultation, with medicines couriered where possible. Online consultation is Rs. 500 through the website.
It depends on how long you have had hives and what drives them. A recent episode may settle within weeks; a pattern that has run for months or years is usually reviewed over three to six months. You will get an honest, individual assessment in the first consultation rather than a fixed date.
Only the ones that reliably trigger your own hives. A short food-and-symptom diary is more useful than a long blanket ban, and it stops you cutting out foods unnecessarily. If a food has ever caused lip or throat swelling or breathing difficulty, avoid it and discuss it with your physician.
Book your online consultation directly — the clinic confirms your exact slot on WhatsApp. Have a question first? Send it on WhatsApp, it's free to ask.