What are the main facts that must be known about Chronic Urticaria?

You might wonder what chronic utricaria is. Basically, it is a type of allergic reaction. Just like other types of allergy, there are certain triggers or stimulating factors that would set it off. The reaction could be triggered by the simple foods you eat. What might be a common food item to you, might be allergic one to another person. For instance, you might eat nuts daily. However, other people may be allergic to it. Dendritic cells, mast cells, T cells and other types of immune cells can be found in the body. In response to the various agents and antigens that invade the body, antibodies are produced to combat them. Allergies, such as chronic urticaria, could be the result of this response by the body. This will be characterized by swelling, itchy feeling, red colored wheal formation and so on. It might affect the entire layer of skin and even the mouth and lips.

The main agent that is involved in the pathogenesis process of this disease is the mast cell. Histamines are released when stimulation is provided by an external source or agent. Along with these histamines, prostaglandins that are formed at that time will also be released.

Vasodilatation subsequently takes place the moment these are released from the cytoplasmic granules. This will then be followed by erythema. Wheal formation is quite a complicated process and it requires many mediators. Just as an example, many chemo attractants will be produced by the neutrophils. Itching is a natural reaction. That means you cannot expect to use antihistamines for this condition. It would not have any effect since there are different causative agents, such as in wheal formation.

There are two main types of chronic urticaria. One of the two is auto immune chronic urticaria. This is a condition that affects 45 per cent of the population who has chronic urticaria. But when you observe 55 percent of people with chronic urticaria, they will be suffering from idiopathic type. In both cases, many types of antibodies are produced in the body. Immunoglobulin G auto antibodies are going to be pitted against the Fc receptor of IgE. It will be produced against the alpha subunit in the Fc receptor of IgE. The Fc receptors of the auto antibodies known as anti IgE can also be what these will be pitted against.

When such reactions or attacks occur in the body, it will lead to the release of histamines from immune cells called basophile. Likewise, this reaction will also develop through the blood's complement system. C5a will be produced in these reactions. The activation of the mast cells will also be spurred along. It also serves like a chemo attractant. Thus it will attract the neutrophils and eosinophils. The person will then find skin lesions appearing on different parts of his body as a result of the immune cells clumping together and being concentrated in one spot. Swelling and some other allergic skin reactions are also bound to appear as the dermal mast cells produce more histamine.