Urticaria and Angioedema

Urticaria (hives) and Angioedema (swelling)

Urticaria (commonly called hives) and angioedema are skin reactions caused by the release of histamine and other chemicals from immune cells in the skin. Urticaria appears as raised, itchy, red welts, while angioedema causes deeper swelling around areas such as the eyes, lips, hands, or feet. These conditions can occur together or separately.

Episodes may last minutes to hours and sometimes recur over days or weeks. In many people, urticaria is triggered by infections, foods, medications, insect stings, or contact allergens. When symptoms persist for more than six weeks without an identifiable cause, the condition is called Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria (CSU).

CSU can significantly affect sleep, concentration, and quality of life. Routine investigations may include allergy testing or screening for underlying autoimmune or thyroid conditions.

Treatment usually begins with non-drowsy antihistamines, which can be safely increased in dose if advised by your doctor For those who do not respond, specialist treatments are available. Allergy and immunology specialists may prescribe omalizumab (Xolair®) – a targeted monoclonal antibody that blocks IgE, the key antibody involved in allergic inflammation. Xolair is given as a monthly injection and has been shown to provide excellent symptom control for many patients with CSU.

In more severe or resistant cases, additional immunomodulatory medications may be considered and tailored to the individual.

With our appropriate specialist assessment and modern therapies, most people with urticaria and angioedema can achieve good symptom control and lead normal, active lives.

Food Challenges

Questions? We got you.

How do I book an appointment?

The first step in booking an appointment is to obtain a referral from your GP or another specialist. While a referral is not required, having one enables you to claim applicable Medicare rebates and helps our team appropriately triage your condition for review. Once you have your referral, you can schedule an appointment by booking online or contacting our practice directly and uploading your referral – our team will be in touch to schedule an appointment

Please bring a valid referral letter, Medicare card, and any recent investigation results, previous skin prick or patch testing reports, and relevant medical correspondence. For children, bringing their red book with recent growth measurements is also helpful.

Avoid antihistamines for 3–5 days before your appointment, as they can affect skin testing. You may continue nose sprays, asthma medications, antibiotics, and steroid creams. Do not apply moisturisers or topical steroids on areas likely to be tested (for example forearms, legs, back).

If you are suffering from a condition that you need to take oral anti histamines or steroids to control to manage your symptoms, continue to take those medications. Our doctors can arrange other forms of testing if required after the consultation.

Initial appointments approximately take around an hour, which may include skin prick testing if required. Follow-up appointments are typically shorter.

We prefer face-to-face appointments but we also offer telehealth consultations for selected patients or circumstances.

Harmony Allergy & Immunology Clinic is conveniently accessible by public transport, including Translink bus services. The Sunnybank clinic offers free onsite parking and street parking is also available around the Sunnybank hospital.

Skin prick testing applies a small amount of allergen (commercial extract or fresh food) to the skin which is then gently pricked to check for a reaction. The test takes 1–2 minutes, with results read after 15–20 minutes. Your doctor will determine if it’s appropriate for you.

Allergy testing is done by trained staff in a fully equipped medical setting. Reactions are rare, usually limited to mild itchiness at the test site, and can be promptly treated if needed.

Ensure you are well and avoid antihistamines 3–5 days before the test. Bring entertainment (toys, books, iPad, laptops) and for children, their favourite foods. You may need to bring the food or drug being tested which the staff will advise. We do not recommend bringing siblings; if necessary, bring an extra support person.

Ensure you are well before your appointment. You will be monitored by a health practitioner for at least 30 minutes after your immunotherapy dose. If taking your medication or vaccine home, please bring a small cooler with ice pack.

Are you ready to request an appointment?

Schedule a consultation with our experts to discuss your allergy needs.