Notes in nutrition and taboos for people with chronic urticaria

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Dermatological diseases such as chronic urticaria not only adversely affect the patient's health and daily activities, but also negatively affect aesthetics. Changing the patient's diet and living habits is decisive for the effectiveness of the treatment.

1. Overview of urticaria disease

Urticaria is a fairly common skin disease, most common in young children and women between the ages of 20 and 40. Urticaria is a condition in which the skin reacts to allergens from inside or outside the body. body. The first sign of this condition is the appearance of pink or red nodules like mosquito bites. Urticaria can appear everywhere on the body, especially in areas where the skin is often tight such as the back of pants, belly band,...
Urticaria often causes itching, swelling, discomfort. The more the patient scratches, the more the nodules spread, which can lead to skin abrasions and infection. The disease can also be accompanied by systemic symptoms such as joint pain, high fever, abdominal pain, gastrointestinal disturbances, vomiting, difficulty breathing, headache or even cardiovascular collapse (anaphylaxis).
Urticaria includes acute urticaria (lasting less than 6 weeks) and chronic urticaria (lasting more than 6 weeks). According to experts, the most common causes of hives are: seasonal allergies, genetics, trauma, wearing clothes that are too tight, allergies to foods like seafood or irritants like alcohol, .. In addition, the condition of itchy papules, urticaria is also caused by bacteria, viruses, and parasites existing in the body; is a reaction after taking sedatives, aspirin, penicillin; have lupus erythematosus , hyperthyroidism, malignancy or due to psychological stress,...

2. Urticaria should abstain from what?

Urticaria is not a very dangerous disease, but it can cause many negative impacts on the patient's health and daily activities. Besides, urticaria floating in conspicuous places such as the face, neck, chest, ... also affects the aesthetics and psychology of the patient. To get rid of this condition, the patient needs to follow the necessary taboo instructions below:
2.1 Avoid scratching The typical symptom of urticaria is uncomfortable itching. When it comes to itching, the patient's instinctive response is to scratch. But scratching does not relieve the itch at all, on the contrary, it makes the itch worse. In addition, if the patient scratches a lot, it can scratch the skin, easily infect bacteria, making the urticaria more serious. Therefore, patients need to abstain from scratching when they have itchy papules, urticaria.
2.2 Do not use cosmetics Cosmetics can be an allergy trigger, urticaria when the body reacts to the ingredients in it. Even in people with sensitive skin, exposure to cosmetics with mild ingredients can cause allergic reactions. Therefore, when there are symptoms of urticaria, patients should avoid using cosmetics until the exact cause of this condition is found.
2.3 Do not use stimulants The stimulants found in alcohol, beer, tobacco,... can weaken the body's immune system. If the person with urticaria continues to use these stimulants, the treatment will be more difficult, and the cure will take longer.

2.4 Avoid the wind Is the urticaria abstain from the wind is a question many patients ask. Accordingly, leprosy (wind) infection is one of the causes of urticaria. When infected with leprosy, the body's immune system will react to the environment, producing substances that can cause allergies, itchy papules. Besides, when the urticaria is on, the patient's skin has been damaged, easily infected if exposed to wind and dust outside. Therefore, the sick person should avoid the wind. However, abstinence from the wind does not mean that the patient must be completely in a closed room, separate from the outside environment. If you want to go out, you need to cover your skin carefully, avoid exposure to wind and sunlight.
2.5 Be careful when bathing According to folklore, people with urticaria must abstain from water. But in fact this is a misconception. The reason is because when having urticaria, especially in the summer, the body sweats and accumulates many dead cells on the skin. If you don't take a clean shower, sebum secretes a lot, combined with bacteria on the skin can infect the urticaria. Therefore, if the patient does not bathe, the disease will become more serious.
When the body is having urticaria, the skin becomes sensitive and vulnerable, so when bathing, the patient should pay attention to the following issues to improve uncomfortable itching:
Bath with warm water: When If you have urticaria, the patient should bathe with warm water with an appropriate temperature, not too hot or too cold to avoid irritating the skin. If you take a hot bath, the skin will lose moisture and natural pH, dry, increase the feeling of itching and burning skin. Also, cold water baths can cause heat stroke patients, adversely affecting health; Do not rub too hard: People with urticaria when bathing should avoid rubbing too hard so as not to make the skin worse, reduce the risk of scratching, infection or leaving scars on the skin; Do not bathe for too long: Patients with urticaria should only bathe once a day, each time bathing for no more than 10 minutes. The reason is because bathing for too long causes the skin to lose its natural moisture, becoming drier and prone to itching; Be careful when using skin care products: When choosing skin care products such as shower gel, exfoliating gel, etc., patients should prioritize products that have been used or cosmetic chemicals that contain chemicals. Ingredients extracted from nature, do not cause skin irritation. People with sensitive skin need to be especially careful because using the wrong product will make the skin more itchy and worse.

3. Nutrition for people with urticaria

3.1 Foods to avoid During the acute phase of urticaria: The patient needs to reduce the intake of sugar and salt. The reason is because high blood sugar will cause allergies, and too much salt will irritate the peripheral nerves. In addition, patients need to abstain from stimulants such as alcohol, coffee, tea, tobacco, pepper, chili,... In case of edema, patients should limit their intake of watery foods such as soups and soups. , drink some water. At the same time, people with urticaria should abstain from foods with a lot of protein such as shrimp, crab, fish, chicken, beef, canned food, eggs, milk, etc. Children with chronic urticaria should eat a low-sugar diet. eat egg whites, condensed cow's milk,...; Foods rich in protein: Shrimp, crab, beef, sea fish, ... are foods with high protein content, which are allergens, especially for people with sensitive terrain. In addition, when suffering from urticaria, the body's immune system is weakened, so it will be difficult to receive and metabolize these foods, which can cause irritation; Foods high in sugar and salt: It will stimulate the peripheral nervous system, making the urticaria more severe. In addition, these foods also affect the immune system, making it difficult for skin rashes to heal and increase the recurrence rate; Hot spicy foods: Including fried food, pepper, chili, ... because when consuming them, the organs in the body have to work harder, causing heat in the body, creating a feeling of restlessness and discomfort. . Besides, hot spicy food also dries the skin, making it easy to peel. 3.2 Foods that should be added to the diet To support the effective treatment of chronic urticaria, in addition to abstaining from the above foods, the patient also needs a diet rich in vitamins A, B, C, easy-to-digest food, anti-constipation,... That's eating a lot of fruits and vegetables to supplement vitamins and fiber, helping to strengthen the body's resistance. Foods such as sweet potatoes, bitter melon, oranges, etc. are very good for patients. However, to bring the best effect, the patient should actively seek the advice of a doctor in choosing foods to eat every day.
According to experts, in order to reduce the risk of chronic urticaria for a long time, with continuous recurrence, patients should avoid abusing cosmetic chemicals and stimulants, and at the same time need to keep a comfortable, positive and active mentality. suitable body. In addition, when there are manifestations of itchy papules, urticaria, patients should soon go to a major hospital for timely diagnosis and treatment.
Vinmec Times City International General Hospital is a prestigious address in the examination and treatment of chronic urticaria and many other dermatological diseases for patients. With a team of experienced and highly qualified medical experts with the help of modern equipment, Vinmec Times City is committed to providing the best support to customers in diagnosing and treating urticaria, contributing optimal protection for your health.

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