#163 - Understanding Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria: Hives Demystified

Join Kortney and Dr. Payel Gupta as they unpack chronic spontaneous urticaria. Together, they define what hives actually are, explain how CSU is different from an allergic reaction and other types of hives, and walk through what is happening under your skin to cause all that itching. This episode was originally published June 6, 2024. We re-released it on June 25, 2026 with a new intro as the perfect foundation before our episode on the new chronic urticaria guidelines. Do you get hives and have no idea why? Then this episode is for you. What we cover in this episode about chronic hives: What hives really are. Urticaria is the medical word for hives, and the two signs are that it itches and it comes and goes. CSU versus other hives. How CSU differs from inducible hives (CINDU) and from an allergic reaction. Histamine and the itch. Why histamine drives the swelling and itch, and why scratching feels so good. What makes hives flare. CSU has no true trigger, but stress and other culprits can set off your mast cells. The Itch Podcast Hives Episodes Explore our full catalog of hives episodes Diagnosis and the basics Ep. 76 Diagnosing Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria Ep. 128 Is Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria an Autoimmune Disease? Ep. 90 Challenges in Diagnosis and Treatment of Chronic Urticaria in Skin of Color Treatment Ep. 78 Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria Treatments Ep. 131 What Is a BTK Inhibitor? Ep. 147 The REMIX Trial: Remibrutinib for Chronic Hives   Ep. 116 Why Fexofenadine Is Considered a Truly Non-Sedating Antihistamine Living with chronic hives Ep. 148 How Do You Know Your Chronic Hives Are Under Control?  Ep. 122 Mortality in adult patients with chronic spontaneous urticaria: A real-world cohort study  Ep. 80 Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria Myths and Misconceptions Ep. 79 Living with Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria: A patient story Ep. 91 A Patient's Experience with Chronic Urticaria and Skin of Color Ep. 107 Hives in the Latinx Community ______ This podcast is made in partnership with Allergy and Asthma Network.  We thank Novartis for originally sponsoring this episode. This podcast is for informational purposes only and does not substitute professional medical advice. Any mention of brands is also informational and not an endorsement. Always consult with your healthcare provider for any medical questions or concerns.