ABOUT FIVE DAYS AGO I STARTED TO ITCH ON MY LOWER BACK, LUMBAR REGION TO BE SPECIFIC WHERE I HAVE HERNIATED AND DECOMPRESSED DISC L3 TO S1 AND DEGENERATIVE DISC DISEASE DIAGNOSED BY MOST RECENT MRI FIVE MONTHS AGO. THE ITCH FELT LIKE MISQUITO BITES AND EVENTUALLY TURNED TO HIVES. MY HUSBAND STARTED PUTTING CALAMINE LOTION, THEN TRIED BENADRYL WHEN THE HIVES GREW AND ITS NOW THE ENTIRE AREA BELOW MY WAISTLINE. I WENT TO A NURSE PRACTICIONER AT MY UNIVERSITY TODAY AND SHE SAID IT LOOKS LIKE AN ALLERGIC REAVTION TO A BITE, GAVE ME A STEROID SHOT THAT INCLUDED AN EXTENDED RELEASE FOR UP TO 5 DAYS AND STEROID CREAM 2-4 X DAILY FOR ITCHING. TONIGHT MY HUSBAMD SAID IT LOOKS LARGER. I HAVE NOT USED ANY DIFFERENT PRODUCTS OR TAKEN ANY NEW MEDS. I TAKE MANY FOR MIGRAINE, PTSD, ARTHRITIS IN MY JOINTS AND LUMBAR DISCS, CARPAL TUNNEL, GASTRO, RESTLESS LEG, INABILITY TO FALL ASLEEP AND USE AN INHALER AS NEEDED FOR REACTIONS TO AIRBORNE SUBSTANCES. ALL MEDS HAVE BEEN USED FOR ALMOST A YEAR NOW. SOME ARE AS NEEDED, OTHERS ARE MAINTENANCE. THE RASH/HIVES BURN AND ITCH, ARE RAISED AND SOMETIMES PAINFUL TO TOUCH WHEN I FIRST SCRATCH, BUT I TRY TO CONTROL FROM SCRATCHING. COULD THIS JUST BE AN ALLERGIC REACTION TO A BITE?