# data[].attributes.body
Chronic Idiopathic Urticaria, otherwise known as CIU, is a chronic autoimmune disease that causes random outbreaks of hives nearly everyday for at least 6 weeks. The causes are unknown, and CIU can last for decades.

# data[].attributes.body
Hives were first described in "The Yellow Emperor's Inner Classic", which was a Chinese book made around 1000-200 BC. In this, hives were described as a red, wind-type concealed rash. Hives were then further explained in 460-377 BC by Hippokrates, who found a connection between elevated itching lesions and nettles. The word urticaria was first introduced in 1769 by William Cullen in his book "Synopsia Nosalogiae Methodica", which is a mix of two Latin words, urere, which means burning, and urtica, which means nettle. CIU was never specifically described in text until the 1940s, but we know that it is something that has always been around.

# data[].attributes.body
CIU has a wide and vast list of symptoms, here are just a few...

intense and painful itching

weight gain

painful and swollen joints

sleep deprivation

depression

lack of energy

anxiety

social isolation

emotional upset

lack of self confidence

symptoms from medication(s)

# data[].attributes.body
The environment has great impacts on CIU, as hives are caused by an allergic reaction to something in the environment. Anything can cause or worsen hives, such as sun exposure, exposure to cold/hot temperatures, chlorine, pet hair, gluten, food allergens, smoking, drinking, and even just bumping into something (very short list).

# data[].attributes.body
CIU is diagnosed by an allergist or dermatologist after it is determined that a persons hives have no known cause. This is usually after extensive allergy and blood tests.

# data[].attributes.body
There are no commercialized treatments for CIU, as there are no known medications that can simply cure it. One of the most widely known treatments, Xoliar, is a monthly shot that acts as an antihistamine treatment, used to control histamine receptors. There are also steroids and antihistamine pills that can lesson symptoms, but cannot cure it, as well as hive creams that can make itching less intense and painful.

# data[].attributes.body
The most common age that people develop CIU is at around age 20 - 40 years old. Women are twice as likely to get chronic idiopathic urticaria than men .

# data[].attributes.body
With people suffering from CIU, daily life is both hard and challenging. A typical day usually starts off with sleep deprivation, and of course lots of itching. Chronic idiopathic urticaria consists of hives that have about a 24 hour life span, and they go away, but as they do, new ones start to form in place of old ones. Throughout the rest of the day, a person usually experiences many mood swings, as well as anxiety and other complications caused directly from hives. At night, it is extremely hard for the person to fall asleep, as the itching of hives intensifies greatly.

# data[].attributes.body
There are few research programs specifically researching CIU, but the main ones are specifically looking at how CIU and low functioning thyroids are related. They have recently made a breakthrough while treating a patient with CIU and thyroid autoimmunity, and they were able to cure their CIU.

# data[].attributes.body
CIU can cost anywhere from hundreds of dollars to hundreds of thousands of dollars, depending on how you seek medication. One month supply of Xoliar can cost anywhere between $541 and $2,706, depending on the dosage, plus add on doctor visits ($100-200 per visit), over the counter hive cream ($15 per container), hospital trips ($100-500 per visit) and psychologist visits ($100 per visit).

# data[].attributes.body
Genetic factors play a crucial role in the pathogenesis(the manner of development of a disease) of many autoimmune disorders. Recent studies have demonstrated that chronic idiopathic urticaria is an autoimmune disease that is more common if family members have also had the disease, but official family studies have not yet been conducted.

# data[].attributes.body
Q: What is it like to live with a person with CIU?
A: It's frustrating to feel helpless when they are sick. All of the doctor's appointments that we sat through and not get any conclusive answers was really hard. Watching them go through their bouts with hives and offering to purchase medications that help alleviate the situation is about all that I can do.

Q: What changes did you see this person exhibit?
A: Whenever they are sick you have break outs which then increase your anxiety. Also, when they are really anxious and sick they have break outs which I know makes a challenging situation even worse. They were always brave though and didn't let the condition stop them from going to school. I have always been impressed and very proud of them for handling this condition so well.

Q: Was there anything that this person had to miss out on due to CIU?
A: I personally believe that it affects their joints as well and therefore they are not always as strong or as good at sports as they could be if they didn't have the condition.  Sometimes they have chosen to not do stuff because of CIU, or it has affected their playing ability on the volleyball court.

Q: What did you learn while dealing with this disease?
A: To have patience. To try to not be frustrated when my suggestions were not used. But it's their right to refuse medication if they feel like it isn't working or is making things worse.

Q: How did CIU impact your life?
A: It makes life challenging for them which makes me feel guilty.

# data[].attributes.body
I was diagnosed with CIU over 2 years ago. It was after I had chronic hives for over two months, and had gone to the hospital 3 times, the first time because I was having an asthma attack caused by hives, the second because I was having an allergic reaction, which I had to get a shot of adrenaline and received an epipen, and the third because I was completely covered in hives. The third time was when I received a steroid called prednisone, and got referred to a dermatologist. Once I met with him, I had to get multiple blood tests done, and I was tested for thyroid cancer. It was confirmed that I had CIU. After that, we explored possible treatments, one of which was Xolair. I had to be removed from prednisone after being on it for over 6 months because I was becoming dependent on it, and I was moved onto a combination of different antihistamine medications. I also was moved to a pet-free house for a week to see if I was possibly allergic to my dogs, and I was put on a gluten-free diet for a month. I was also referred to a psychologist because i was experiencing anxiety and depression. Nothing that we tried worked, so I just had to stick it out. I still have CIU, but it is not as severe as it used to be.

# data[].attributes.body
I chose to do research on CIU because I wanted to help inform classmates about this disease, which I had no idea it even existed until I got it. It really opened my eyes to how hard living can be.