While the hives usually disappear within 24 hours, the condition itself may take longer to treat.

Urticaria is often accompanied with swelling under the skin known as angio-oedema. This usually affects the soft parts of the body like the lips, eyelids, or inside the mouth.

Unlike hives, these swellings take longer to disappear and are more painful than itchy.

If angio-oedema appears without weals, it could be a hereditary condition called hereditary angio-oedema. In cases like this, it is not connected to urticaria and requires different treatment and blood tests for diagnosis.

Depending on how long it lasts, urticaria can be categorized into: