Delayed pressure urticaria, called physical urticaria, is a type of chronic hives. Physical urticaria is a stimulus on the body caused by sustained pressure on the skin. With approximately 37% of urticaria sufferers, suffering from delayed pressure urticaria, it is considered somewhat uncommon but not rare. The average age range for delayed pressure urticaria is between 20′s and 30′s.

In comparison to other urticarias, these lesions are quite severe and can impair the patient’s quality of life. Hives formed from delayed pressure are deeper and a great deal more painful than hives cause by other stimuli. The hives will start forming between 2 — 6 hours after pressure is applied and last from 8 to 72 hours. Many patients experience a low grade fever, fatigue, chills, headaches and muscle aches.

Delayed pressure urticaria’s pathogenesis is not clearly defined and can therefore be under diagnosed, making treatment very difficult. Because this disease is chronic, on average, it can last for 9 years.

Preventative Methods:

Avoid sitting or stand on hard surfaces for long periods of time and refrain from wearing tight fitting clothing, including socks and shoes. When working with tools, do not apply constant pressure to your hands and wear gloves that can reduce the stimulus causing severe lesions to erupt.

Diagnosis is based on the appearance of the rash in areas where pressure has been applied to the skin. Many times delayed pressure urticaria is mis-diagnosed as other forms of urticaria, due to a lack of knowledge as to its cause. This form of hives is caused by constant pressure being applied to the skin.

This includes, but is not limited to:

• Under the waistband of tight clothing
• The buttocks area after sitting on a hard surface too long
• Soles of feet
• Tight fitting shoes
• Under the elastic area of socks
• Palms after using various
•  The severity of DPU on a patient’s quality of life has been documented in comparison to someone who suffers chronic ordinary urticaria. In general, patients suffering from delayed pressure urticaria experience significant restrictions of mobility and types of the clothing they can wear. During an outbreak, a patient’s work performance can suffer greatly as well. DPU is considered significantly more painful and debilitating then other forms of urticaria and most difficult treat successfully
• Clinical testing for Physicians.
• Clinical testing information for physicians teating Urticaria

Rambling

Sleep has not been on my agenda this week. This week in particular I feel I am two steps away from snapping on someone and it’s not going to be pretty. A person can only take so much. I wonder how much long it will be before I have to quit my job. My feet absolute kill me every night, and most of the time after lunch I just want to scream. If I wasn’t such a strong-willed individual I probably would have had a nervous breakdown by now. I have huge hives on the heels of both feet which makes me feel like I am walking on rocks.  My feet itched so bad last night as I went to sleep. I need my feet to cooperate, my job means I stand and walk all day.

FYI

I realized that I haven’t discussed a factor that causes my hives to itch more. The factor is cold. Especially in the winter. it appears to irritates my skin. However, My body seems like it’s always on fire; this past winter I found myself leaving the house in 30 degree weather without a coat on. Even though I know the cold makes it worse. There are times I feel like someone placed me in an oven.

I am ok in the sun or tanning bed, and have not noticed my condition worsening from the sun or heat. In fact I believe heat and summer makes it better.

!!

Recently I was going through some old
pictures and realized that just two years ago my DUP (delayed pressure
urticaria) was not as prevalent in my life. Flashback to December 2008; My
wedding day I wore a lovely silk gown and heels
all night. As I flipped through pictures I noticed how happy I was. There were
no signs of discomfort or pain in any of the pictures. How did I do it? Now, if
I wore heels for an hour I would not be able to walk at all the next day or so.
So what has happen within the past few years that I have gone from a cat
walking diva to a cane driven grandma?
I have gain a few pounds since then so could the extra
weight on my body be too much for my feet? It sounds crazy but I have no other
explanation. I am so sensitive now that I can’t sit on hard surfaces for too
long or I will get hives on my butt. Perhaps I need to pull out some more
photos and reminisce to the good ole days where I could dance in heels all
night.It’s so easy to feel sorry for yourself and
down about life. Nothing comes easy and life is a huge struggle but I learned a
very valuable lesson the other day. I was reminded that we have to count our

                                                                                                              blessings, good or bad.

Birthday

When my alarm clock goes off I feel my lip a little tight. I run to the bathroom to look in the mirror it has some swelling but it’s not too noticeable.  Whew, I thought but will it get bigger throughout the day?

My day was not ruined by hives, I had a beautiful day with my loved ones. Any day of mild hives is a day you have to be thankful.  Today was a very good day.

OutLOOK

DPU (delayed pressure urticaria).   Any time I apply the minimum pressure to any part of my body, a hive or swelling occurs.  Hives appear on my feet when I wear heels ,dance ,or on my thighs/butt when I ride a bike.   Exercising can also be a problem when dealing with DPU.  Lifting weights and push-ups are out of the question.  They are guaranteed hive developers. Sometimes I become a hostage in my own home because I am afraid I will cause hives by pressure from an activity or my appearance may be less attractive due to a big fat lip or swollen eyes.  This is extreme  isolation.

Although it’s hard not to complain about my hives and swelling; I am trying my best to be grateful and to consider it a blessing. Blessings are not always advantageous but they also come in forms that are unfavorable. All in all we must take the good with the bad and be grateful for both. I can’t allow this one thing to determine my happiness and outlook on life. Sometimes we have to take things in our life that appear negative and transpose them to be beneficial. So my goal is to not use my hives as a crunch or plague but something that I thank GOD for along with my many countless blessings.

Fat Girl

Last night I made a trip to the gym with my husband , Justin and his mom. I spent an hour doing cardio on machines like the bike and elliptical.  It felt good leaving the gym and it was something I hadn’t done in a while.  I have gone in the last two years from being a very fit person who exercised 3-5 days a week to not exercising at all.  My lack of activity is contributed to getting hives anytime I do anything excessive or with weights.  This has instilled a fear in me. I should have skip weights because by the end of the night my right hand was 3 times its size. I thought it was going to bust open. Not to mention that the pain was out of this world.

Not to forget the next morning My knee is so swollen that I can’t extend it straight. How will I make it today?  All day long I walked as if I had broken my foot. So what does this mean for me.  No work outs?  Being a fat girl is not an option and trust me that I have gained at least 25 lbs within the past two years; mainly contributed to no exercise.  If I walk I can’t walk too long because I will get hives on my feet and they will swell.  What to do?  I am so desperate and tired of fighting this battle.  I just want to be normal that’s all; well a skinny normal.