Hives and Swelling (Urticaria and Angioedema)
Hives are itchy raised weals that move around the body and usually fade within 24 hours in any one spot. Angioedema is deeper swelling, typically of the lips and eyelids. Antihistamines are the treatment. Swelling of the tongue or throat, or any difficulty breathing or swallowing, is an emergency — call 112.
What it is
Urticaria is an itchy rash of raised weals, pink or white, that can appear anywhere and characteristically move: a patch fades in a few hours and another appears elsewhere. Angioedema is the same process in deeper tissue, producing puffy swelling rather than a rash, most often around the eyes and lips.
Triggers include infections, foods, medicines (aspirin and anti-inflammatories are common culprits), insect stings, heat, pressure on the skin and sunlight. In roughly half of cases no trigger is ever identified, which is unsatisfying but not dangerous.
Symptoms
- Raised, itchy weals that come and go, each fading within about 24 hours
- Rash that changes shape and location
- Puffy swelling of the lips, eyelids, hands or feet
- Burning or tightness rather than itch, where there is deep swelling
- Warning signs: swelling of the tongue or throat, hoarseness, difficulty breathing or swallowing
Clinic hours: 09:00–19:00, seven days a week
House calls: 24/7
What helps
- A non-drowsy antihistamine is the mainstay. In stubborn cases doctors sometimes increase the dose above the packet recommendation — that is a medical decision, not one to make yourself.
- Cool compresses and a cool shower reduce itching.
- Avoid heat, alcohol, aspirin and anti-inflammatory painkillers while the rash is active; all of them make it worse.
- Loose cotton clothing, and no scratching.
- Keep a note of what you ate, took and did in the six hours before it started.
When to call a doctor
- Swelling of the tongue, throat or inside the mouth — call 112
- Any difficulty breathing, swallowing or speaking — call 112
- Dizziness or faintness with the rash — call 112
- Hives with fever, joint pain, or feeling generally unwell
- Individual spots lasting more than 24 hours, or leaving bruising
- Hives after starting a new medicine
- Symptoms not controlled by antihistamines
- Hives lasting more than six weeks — this needs proper investigation
112 is the emergency number in Turkey — free from any phone, answered in English.
Prevention
How to avoid it
- Note and avoid identified triggers
- Avoid aspirin and anti-inflammatories during an episode
- Keep cool; heat and hot showers provoke the rash
- Carry an antihistamine if you are prone to it
What we do
Getting seen in Alanya
Oguzhan Care sees this at the clinic in Oba and on house calls to hotels and apartments across Alanya, 24 hours a day. The doctor examines you, treats what can be treated on the spot, and writes the report your insurer will want.
FAQ
Hives & Angioedema: common questions
No. It is a reaction in your own skin and cannot be passed to anyone.
Acute urticaria usually settles within days to a few weeks. Lasting more than six weeks it is called chronic and needs investigation.
No. Infections, heat, pressure and exercise all cause it, and in about half of cases no trigger is found.
When it involves the tongue, throat or airway, or comes with breathing difficulty, dizziness or collapse. That is anaphylaxis: adrenaline and 112, immediately.
Read next
Related pages
Medical disclaimer. This page is general health information, not a diagnosis and not a substitute for a consultation. If someone is unconscious, struggling to breathe, bleeding heavily or having chest pain, call 112 — the Turkish emergency number — immediately.
Written and medically reviewed by Dr. Oğuzhan Özkan, physician, Alanya. Last reviewed: 11 August 2026.
Feeling ill in Alanya right now?
A doctor can be at your hotel within the hour. Call or message — we answer 24/7.