How to reduce inflammation in the body and tackle hives?

Question

Hello! Thank you so much for providing this service! I was diagnosed with chronic idiopathic urticaria in 2012. My next flare was in 2019, and it was controlled with prednisone 20 mg, and antihistamines Allegra 24-hour, Famotidine, Montelukast, and Hydroxyzine.

I know my triggers are stress, heat, and cold, and I usually pre-treat with Allegra if I know if going hiking for example. I am currently in another flare right now. It started at the beginning of November, progressively worsened, and is improving now.

My course of action has been in order of time:
- 15 day course of prednisone 40 mg with taper, and antihistamines Allegra 24-hour, Famotidine, Montelukast, and Hydroxyzine. 
- I had blood work done and all labs are normal including thyroid. I have low Vitamin D (I live in Minnesota) and am supplementing it.
- Homeopathy. My grandma is a homeopathy practitioner and I grew up using homeopathy. It is what cured my last flare in 2019. But it hasn't helped as much this time around as I tried multiple medications. I am currently on Rhustox 30 twice a day and it has reduced my hives.
- Acupuncture (one session): Didn't make as much of a difference, but I only tried one session.
- Wet cupping (one session): This made a huge difference in my hives and reduced it greatly.

I can feel the inflammation in my arms and legs. As I press on my arms and legs, there is pitting and a longer capillary refill time. This time around, the hives have an "eye" in the middle that is soft and sloughs off when I scratch it, leaving behind a scar. When I scratch it, blood comes rushing out and is dark in color (which is also what the wet cupping practitioner said).

I am a medical student and do not want to continue taking antihistamines unless needed. My goal as a future doctor is to combine allopathic and integrative medicines to treat my patients holistically.

I have done some research on various herbs, and I wanted to ask how to best combine them into a routine to decrease my inflammation, and other herbs that I should add and remove.

1. I make a concentrate of lemon, ginger, bay leaf, hibiscus tea, spearmint tea, and a blend of green tea, matcha, and turmeric (this is all in one tea bag). I add a little bit to a mug of water. I started doing this at the beginning of 2024 to help with a viral cold, and continued it as an immune system boost.

2. At night (about 5 times a week), I make tea with star anise, lemon balm tea, bay leaf, and clove. (Since doing this, I've removed adding bay leaf to #1). I started this at the beginning of January 2025, and this has improved my hives.

I have researched milk thistle and dandelion root (in one supplement), halim seeds, moringa powder, and manjistha powder and their properties to decrease inflammation, boost immune system function, and cleanse the liver.

Are these all safe to use together? What are the best ways to reduce systemic inflammation?

Thank You!

Best regards,
Anam

Dr Sujal Patil · Accepted Answer

It’s impressive that you’re approaching your chronic idiopathic urticaria (CIU) holistically while blending allopathic and integrative treatments! You’ve already made thoughtful adjustments with your teas and therapies, and it seems like you’re on the right track. Here’s how you can refine your approach with these herbs and supplements to best support inflammation reduction and immune system balance:

Key Areas of Focus for CIU
Inflammation Control: Managing systemic inflammation to reduce the intensity and frequency of hives.
Immune System Regulation: Supporting a balanced immune response to avoid overactivity.
Liver Detoxification: Ensuring optimal liver function to clear potential inflammatory toxins.
Gut Health: Maintaining a healthy gut, which is tied to immune regulation and inflammation.
Your Current Routine (Adjustments & Suggestions)
1. Morning Tea Blend

Lemon, ginger, bay leaf, hibiscus, spearmint, green tea, matcha, turmeric
Benefits: These are anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and liver-supporting herbs.
Adjustments:
Turmeric: Keep this for its strong anti-inflammatory effects. To improve bioavailability, consume with a pinch of black pepper or alongside healthy fats.
Hibiscus: High in antioxidants, great for circulation and inflammation. Continue.
Green Tea & Matcha: Green tea is rich in catechins and supports liver detox and inflammation reduction. Matcha can be stimulating—monitor for sensitivity.
Spearmint: Helpful for inflammation but can be cooling. If you’re prone to cold sensitivity, consider reducing this slightly.
Bay Leaf: Known for liver detox and digestive support—use in either blend, as you prefer.
Optional Addition: Manjistha powder (½ tsp) can be added to help lymphatic drainage and inflammation, supporting clearer skin.
2. Evening Tea

Star anise, lemon balm tea, bay leaf, clove
Benefits:
Star Anise: Antiviral and anti-inflammatory. Great for calming evening inflammation.
Lemon Balm: Calms the nervous system and may reduce stress-triggered hives. Excellent choice.
Clove: Anti-inflammatory and antioxidant-rich. Keep it for its circulation-boosting benefits.
Adjustment: No major changes here—this blend is soothing and supportive for CIU.
Herbs/Supplements You’re Researching
Milk Thistle & Dandelion Root
Why It Works:
Milk Thistle: Protects and regenerates the liver, supporting detox and inflammation reduction.
Dandelion Root: Stimulates bile production and helps with toxin elimination.
Suggestion: Take as a supplement or tea form (e.g., 1 cup of dandelion root tea a few times a week) for ongoing liver support. This is safe to integrate into your routine.
Halim Seeds (Garden Cress Seeds)
Why It Works: Rich in iron, calcium, and antioxidants, halim seeds support overall immune health and reduce inflammation.
How to Use: Soak 1 tsp of halim seeds in water overnight and drink the water in the morning. Or mix with lemon water for better absorption.
Moringa Powder
Why It Works: Moringa is nutrient-dense with anti-inflammatory and immune-balancing properties.
How to Use: Start with ½ tsp in smoothies or warm water daily. Monitor for any gastrointestinal effects, as it’s potent.
Manjistha (Rubia cordifolia)
Why It Works: A powerful Ayurvedic herb for lymphatic cleansing and cooling inflammation. This is a great choice for chronic hives and skin issues.
How to Use: Take ½ tsp powder in warm water or tea once daily. You can also apply it as a paste (mixed with rose water) to soothe inflamed skin.
Lifestyle Suggestions
Anti-Inflammatory Diet:
Include turmeric, ginger, flaxseeds, chia seeds, leafy greens, and berries.
Avoid common inflammatory triggers like processed foods, sugar, and excessive dairy.
Stress Reduction: Since stress is a known trigger, daily breathing exercises or meditation can help regulate your nervous system.
Hydration: Stay hydrated to support lymphatic and liver detoxification.
Gentle Movement: Incorporate yoga or stretching to improve circulation and help lymphatic flow.
Monitoring & Progress
You should see gradual improvements in your inflammation and skin over the next 3-6 weeks with these additions.
If hives persist or worsen, consider seeing an Ayurvedic practitioner for a more tailored protocol (they may suggest dosha-specific herbs or dietary adjustments).

Dr. Ayush Varma · Answer

Hey Anam! That's quite a journey you've been on with those hives, sounds like you’ve been trying a lot of different approaches already. Alright, let's dive into how Ayurveda might help you tackle this.

First, since you're feeling inflammation, it's key to look at what's happening with your doshas, especially Pitta, which usually flares up with heat, stress, and inflammation. You're on the right track with things like turmeric and ginger, as they have anti-inflammatory properties that can calm down Pitta. But, lemme tell you, moderation is crucial coz too much of anything is, well, probably not great.

Your tea mix sounds pretty legit. Green tea, matcha, and turmeric are fabulous for inflammation. Hibiscus, though, can be cooling, which might be good for your hot flashes but use it cautiously if you’re feeling cold sensitivity. Same with spearmint, gentle cooling effect, check with how your body vibes with it.

At night, star anise and clove provide warmth, great for balancing Kapha during colder months, but since you mentioned cold triggers your hives, keep the anise on the down-low. Lemon balm is calming, a solid choice for stress. Avoid clashing with your other teas by spacing them out, so your body isn't overwhelmed.

About those herbs you researched: milk thistle and dandelion are nice for liver support, which is crucial coz a clean liver can help reduce systemic inflammation. Moringa is nutrient-dense, sure, but cuz it can heat the body, keep it balanced with cooler herbs. Manjistha is ace for skin issues and blood detox but stick to it long-term for best results.

As you're aware, individual reactions vary. Herbs can interact differently so start low and slow, stay alert on reactions & check if your body says yes or hey, not so fast. Lastly, stress management is big on my list, consider meditation or yoga, it's like oil for the machine that is your immune system.

And accessing an Ayurvedic practitioner for personalized advice, coz your body is its own universe and who knows it better than well... it, might be a wise move. Any need for immediate relief, medical intervention's your best bet. I think you’re already doing a fantastic job combining methods, so keep listening to your body and adjusting as needed.

Take care, you got this!

How to reduce inflammation in the body and tackle hives? - #14803

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