Recurring raised, itchy welts or hives on the skin lasting six weeks or longer.
The evidence that matters most for this condition is documentation showing which treatments have been tried and why. For a 10% rating, medical records showing a prescription or ongoing use of antihistamines to keep hives under control are central. For a 30% rating, records should show that antihistamines were not enough and that a provider moved to a second line treatment such as corticosteroids or a leukotriene inhibitor.
For a 60% rating, records need to show that both first and second line treatments failed and that a third line treatment — such as immunosuppressives, immunotherapy, or plasmapheresis — was required. Treatment notes, prescriptions, and specialist records documenting the progression through treatment steps are all relevant here.
Because the definition requires hives at least twice per week off treatment for six weeks or more, records or statements that document the frequency and duration of outbreaks matter as well. A personal statement describing how often hives occur and how they affect your daily activities can help show that the definition is met and that ongoing treatment is necessary for control.
Conditions that are often caused or made worse by this one. If you have any of these, they may be claimable as secondary service connection.
