Can Stress Cause Hives And What’s The Connection?

With so many triggers for hives, many people are now wondering, can stress cause hives? Yes, even stress alone can result in various conditions, including hives. Hives are basically the result of a release of histamine in mast cells. Common causes of the skin condition include food allergens, contact with animal dander, exposure to temperature extremes, inhalation of pollen or dust, and stress.

In order to answer the question, can stress cause hives, it is important to have an understanding of the body’s typical reaction to stress. Stress is any stimulus that obstructs or upsets the usual physiological equilibrium of the body. What stress does is attack homeostasis, which results in the body responding to the possible danger by heightening the release of the hormones cortisol and adrenaline by the sympathetic nervous system. Stress can be a means for physical changes, either supporting or weakening the immune system. Added stress can weaken the body’s resistance.

If a patient complains about chronic or recurring hives breakouts, his or her doctor will often suspect stress as the root cause of the physical response. Studies over the past several years have indicated that there is definitely a link between stress and the skin condition. When the body recognizes stress, the sympathetic nervous system becomes activated, which in turn drives the body’s defenses through an ‘adrenaline rush.’

So can stress cause hives? The answer is yes. When one has an adrenaline rush, the blood vessels immediately open and this causes the redness on the skin typical of hives.