My husband woke up with these raised pale red welts spreading across his neck and arms. We are hours from urgent care right now. What can we do?

When raised, pale red welts show up suddenly and start spreading, it is hard not to panic. I would too, especially if I were hours from urgent care and trying to decide whether this is something to watch at home or something that needs immediate action. The good news is that welts like this are very often hives, also called urticaria, and many cases can be managed safely at home while you monitor closely.

I am going to walk you through what I would do step by step: how to tell whether this sounds like hives, what warning signs mean “do not wait,” which medicines are commonly used, what to avoid, and how to keep him comfortable until you can reach medical care if needed. Since distance changes the equation, I am going to be practical and specific.

1. What hives usually look like