I decided to viciously attack some weeds in my garden today (yay for increased energy!). I reached down to grab an innocuous looking weed, wrapped my hand around it, and found myself shrieking in pain.
I have never experienced stinging nettles before. I had no idea what I had gotten into, but I kept going with my weeding/harvesting for about ten more minutes (Irene is coming through here tomorrow, so I had to keep going). When I came in, I washed my hand, hopped on line to figure out what I had encountered, and found my answer.
It felt like I had stuck my fingers into a fire ant nest. I tried a paste of baking soda and water, which gave temporary relief.
The question is this: how long will this stinging go on? It has progressed to a pins and needles feeling in my fingers if I even move them, much less use them. Any other suggestions for how to knock down this discomfort?
Between the tick and this, I may be hiring out my gardening next year!
Thank you all, and good luck to those of you in the storm's path!
Posted by Razzle (Member # 30398) on :
It can take a day or two to go away. Aloe vera gel may help. Appling baking soda mixed with water into a paste may help neutralize the chemical in the nettles that causes the rash. Or you can try Benadryl cream.
Posted by James1979 (Member # 31926) on :
Oh, don't be wuss. it's actually healthy to touch stinging nettles. Its a natural remedy for arthritis and other inflammatory disorders. There really are no lasting negative effects.
Posted by feelfit (Member # 12770) on :
I encountered stinging nettles, also in my garden, for the first time ever about a week ago- yes to the pain- it felt like a thousand bee stings at once. I also blistered from it.
like you, I went online and found that ALOE seemed to have worked best for folks. It worked well for me. By the next morning, the blisters were still there, but not the stinging.
LOL at James1979- the rest of my sx felt BETTER after the nettle sting- and I said the same thing after reading about nettles healing properties.
Posted by momintexas (Member # 23391) on :
If you rub your hands with dirt it takes the sting away.
Posted by rera2528 (Member # 29886) on :
Thank you, everyone! James--I have seen that on several websites, which makes me realize just how much someone must hurt to resort to using nettles! And if it is non-Lyme, I will definitely play up my wussiness! We all have to be brave/strong all the time with Lyme & co, so I will use other opportunities to be a wimp .
Because carpal tunnel-esque symptoms have been part of my Lyme journey, I get freaked whenever I get pins and needles feelings like this.
Someday, we will need to compile all of the information on here and print a "Lymie's Guide to Health and Humor."
Posted by James1979 (Member # 31926) on :
I'm actually the biggest wuss when it comes to stinging nettles. I was just pretending to be macho in the earlier post.
I have a phobia of cleaning the weeds from the garden because I'm always afraid of accidentally touching that nettle. The worst is when you accidentally grab an entire fistful of it - thinking that you're pulling up some other kind of weed.
It's pretty amazing how old people can use that for arthritis. Imagine an old lady rubbing it on the back of an old man, and the man says: "Oh yeah, baby! Right there! That's the spot. Ahhhhhh!"
You are correct, rera, that they must be going through an excruciating amount of pain to find relief in such masochism.
Did you guys know that it's very healthy to ingest stinging nettles? I actually take nettle pills every day. They work as very powerful natural antihistamines. They can easily replace any synthetic antihistamines that most people are taking. I use them for seasonal allergies, and they work just as fine as Allegra.
They're also good as diuretics, and they're good for the kidneys.
In Middle-Eastern countries they are eaten in soups.
Posted by gambler (Member # 8441) on :
6 weeks ago I walked into stinging nettle and developed a rash on my leg, which than turned into a circular rash with a clearing in the middle and blanching on the outside. I went to the Dr. because the last time I ignored a circular rash I ruined my life.
I didn't write down my health history (sometimes I just want to pretend and I thought it was ringworm) and the Dr. (new and not an LLMD) said it was Lyme related and very weird and I should go on abx right away. I freaked out. I faxed a picture to my LLMD and he has never gotten back to me.
I still have the rash and now the nerves running down into my foot from the rash are so irritated I have trouble sleeping.
I'm pretty sure it didn't heal me.
Posted by rera2528 (Member # 29886) on :
Gambler, that stinks! My tingling was gone after 24 hours, but it sure felt terrible along the way. We could see the spots where the needles entered my thumb and fingers, but it didn't develop into a circular rash like that. They looked like little stab holes.
Call the LLMD, in my opinion.
Posted by susank (Member # 22150) on :
I read somewhere that "in nature the remedy is always nearby". I had just read that and within days a girl at the barn got in nettle and was screaming. I pointed out the (hopeful antidote) weed and said crush it and apply to the stinging spots and she said it helped. Now I remember the name: Curly Dock.
Google stinging nettle and curly dock for more info.
Posted by rera2528 (Member # 29886) on :
Stinging nettles 2, me 0. I can't believe I got them again today. I was watching carefully, but I apparently brushed up against one with the back of my finger, through gloves. At least this time I was prepared to wash immediately, which helped a lot.
Still have no idea how people willingly do this for pain.
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
it's actually healthy to touch stinging nettles. Its a natural remedy for arthritis and other inflammatory disorders. There really are no lasting negative effects.