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Image <\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n Text\/Dialogue <\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n Holly and her husband are in their bedroom, getting dressed for an evening out. Holly stands in front of the mirror in a dress, frowning. Her arms are covered in red blotches.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Holly: I wish we didn\u2019t have to go tonight. I feel so self conscious with these hives all over my body, and it\u2019s getting harder to hide them.<\/p>\n Husband: Maybe you should see a doctor. It\u2019s been more than six weeks, and they don\u2019t seem to be going away. You\u2019re not sleeping well, you\u2019re constantly itching \u2026 .<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n Holly is turned toward her husband, talking<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Holly: You\u2019re right, they\u2019re really starting to get to me. I can\u2019t focus at work and my self-esteem has never been lower. I\u2019ll make an appointment with Dr. Chavez.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n Heloise in a doctor\u2019s office, talking to her doctor (female, Latina)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Holly: Thanks for seeing me, Dr. Chavez. These hives just came out of nowhere. I thought they\u2019d go away on their own, but they\u2019re really starting to affect my quality of life.<\/p>\n Dr. Chavez: It sounds like you\u2019re dealing with chronic spontaneous urticaria, also known as chronic hives.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n Dr. Chavez talking<\/p>\n Graphic:<\/p>\n Chronic = lasts more than 6 weeks<\/p>\n Spontaneous = has no clear cause<\/p>\n Urticaria = medical term for hives<\/p>\n<\/td>\n With CSU, hives seem to come out of nowhere, last six weeks or longer and come back again and again. They can be intensely itchy, cause painful facial swelling, and generally make a person miserable.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n Holly and Dr. Chavez talking<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Holly: That\u2019s for sure! What causes them?<\/p>\n Dr. Chavez: We don\u2019t know for sure, but it\u2019s linked to type 2 inflammation, an overactive immune response that causes swelling.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n Dr. Chavez talking<\/p>\n<\/td>\n The good news is that both CSU and type 2 inflammation are treatable.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n Holly and Dr. Chavez talking<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Heloise: That is good news. What are the treatment options?<\/p>\n Dr. Chavez: We\u2019ll start by trying medicines like antihistamines to help with the itching and swelling.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n Close up of Dr. Chavez talking<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Dr. Chavez: If those don\u2019t work, I may refer you to an allergist. They may suggest drugs called biologics or immunosuppressants to help keep your body from attacking itself.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n Holly and doctor talking<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Holly: How long before I start to feel better?<\/p>\n Dr. Chavez: It can take time to find the right medicines and for them to start working. It may be only a few weeks, or a while longer.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n Doctor handing a prescription to a smiling Holly<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Dr. Chavez: You\u2019ve already taken a big step by coming to see me. The sooner you start treatment, the sooner you can get back to your normal life.<\/p>\n Holly: Thank you so much!<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n Holly and her husband are out on a date, dancing. She\u2019s wearing a sleeveless dress and her skin is clear.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Holly: I finally feel comfortable in my skin again. I\u2019m so glad I went to the doctor instead of toughing it out.<\/p>\n Husband: Me too! Now let\u2019s take another spin around the dance floor.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n For more information, please visit HealthyWomen.org\/CSU<\/p>\n<\/td>\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n