What is urticaria?
Urticaria, also knows as hives, are raised, red itchy bumps of varying sizes in the shallow layers of the skin. They are caused by a chemical in the body called histamine which is released from certain cells. Hives are a particularly vexing problem-the intensity of the itch can completely disrupt normal activities.
What is angioedema?
Angioedema is a deep swelling of the skin, similar to urticaria, but occurs in deeper skin layers. Angioedema often involves the face, tongue, extremities or genitalia.