Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 3: Cleaning the area
• Part 2 of 3: Using remedies to relieve pain and itching
• Part 3 of 3: Knowing when to seek medical attention
• Tips

The nettle is a plant that can be found almost everywhere in the world. It is a herbaceous perennial plant that has the properties of an herb and occurs in the same places every year. The leaves and stems of the plant are covered with fragile, hollow, silky stinging hairs. When you brush your skin against these stinging hairs, they function in almost the same way as an injection needle.Chemicals are released through the hollow hairs and cause a strong burning or stinging sensation, as well as a rash. A nettle sting is painful, as is the rash it causes. Fortunately, you can handle this.

To step

Part 1 of 3: Cleaning the area

1. Don't touch the spot at first. If possible, do not touch or rub the affected area for ten minutes. Pour fresh water over the area without touching it. The pain can be very strong for the first few minutes, but not touching or rubbing the area will prevent the pain from persisting for days.
   • The plant's chemical irritants can dry on the skin's surface and wash them away with soap and water. By not touching or rubbing the area, the chemicals are not pushed further into the skin. If it does, the painful reaction lasts longer, possibly even several days.
   • Nettle releases the chemicals acetylcholine, histamine, serotonin, moroidine, leukotrienes, and possibly formic acid, among other things.
2. Use soap and water. With soap and water, you clean the affected areas on your skin and remove the chemicals released by the plant. These substances cause the pain, swelling, redness and itching. When you have washed the area, in many cases the pain disappears completely or largely.
3. Use a clean cloth. If soap and water are not available, use a clean cloth to gently remove mud and plant debris from the area until you can clean it more thoroughly.
4. Apply masking tape. Gently apply strong masking tape such as duct tape to the area and then remove it. This can help remove any residual stinging hairs that may still be trapped in your skin.
5. Try depilatory wax. If the tape hasn't removed all of the unwanted plant matter from your skin, try using depilatory wax.
   • Apply a layer of depilatory wax, let it dry for about five minutes, then gently peel it off to pull the plant debris away.

Part 2 of 3: Using remedies to relieve pain and itching

1. Know what to expect. The pain and the stinging, burning and itchy feeling are quite intense. How long the symptoms persist varies from person to person and depends on the first steps taken to clean the area as described above.
   • The rash resembles hives, with thickened patches of whitish blisters. The entire area may look swollen and inflamed, and the affected area will be reddish in color.
2. Use the leaves of other plants. It may help to apply the juice from the sorrel or rapeseed leaves to the area. These plants often grow in the same place as nettles. Find one of these plants and crush some of the leaves to get the juice out. Place the crushed leaves on the affected area.
   • There is limited scientific explanation for the use of plants to treat this skin reaction. Yet these plants have been used to treat nettle stings for centuries.
   • Sorrel usually grows in about the same places as nettles. The plant can reach a height of 50 to 130 centimeters and the leaves grow to about 40 centimeters long. The leaves are very large, oval in shape, have rounded tips and wavy edges. The lower leaves have stems of a reddish color.
   • Spring seed is also known under the name impatiens. These plants also naturally grow in the same places where you can encounter nettles. The chemicals in the sap of the leaves and stems of the plant are said to be effective in counteracting the pain and itching caused by a nettle sting.
3. Do not scratch the spot. The area can be quite itchy, but try not to scratch it. Scratching can make the area even more irritated. You may also be able to scratch your skin, which can cause symptoms to persist.
   • Young children can wear soft gloves or mittens on their hands to prevent scratching. Also keep their nails short.
4. Use cold compresses. Keep the area covered with cold compresses to help soothe the stinging sensation. The cold can help reduce the redness and some of the discomfort.
5. Apply a paste of baking soda and water. Make a paste of only baking soda and water and apply it to the rash. Use cold water to make the paste. The paste can help soothe the itching, inflammation and burning sensation in part.
   • Gently apply all the agents to the area by dabbing them on. This will prevent further irritation.
6. Use aloe vera. Apply the juice from a leaf of a real aloe vera plant, or use a specially formulated product that contains a high amount of aloe vera. Aloe vera can help control the red and inflamed areas and reduce the burning sensation.
7. Avoid heat. When taking a bath or shower, use cooler water, and do not apply warm agents to the affected area. Cooler temperatures have a soothing effect and help reduce redness and inflammation.
8. Use over-the-counter remedies. A topical cream, ointment, or lotion with hydrocortisone can help reduce the redness and get rid of itching.
   • Apply an over-the-counter topical hydrocortisone to treat the rash. Follow the directions on the packaging and in the package insert. Rashes associated with redness, itching and inflammation may persist because the skin has been damaged by direct contact with the nettle.
   • Calamine shake and other zinc oxide agents can be soothing and help reduce itching and burning.
   • Over-the-counter oral antihistamines can also help counteract the reaction that takes place in your body. The available agents have active ingredients such as cetirizine (Zyrtec®), loratadine (Claritine®) or clemastine (Tavegyl®).
   • Apply an antibiotic cream or ointment to the area. Over-the-counter products are available that contain various anti-infective agents. Apply the antibiotic cream or ointment directly to the affected areas. The cooling effect of the product will help relieve pain and itching, and its active ingredients can help prevent infections.
   • You can also take an anti-inflammatory pain reliever such as ibuprofen or aspirin for the pain, unless you are not allowed to take these drugs for certain reasons.

Part 3 of 3: Knowing when to seek medical attention

1. Get medical help right away if you have an allergic reaction. In rare cases, someone may be allergic to nettles or one of the chemicals released by the plant. Allergic reactions can be life-threatening. It is necessary to seek immediate medical attention.
2. Learn to recognize an allergic reaction. Call 911 immediately or go to the emergency room at the nearest hospital if you notice any of the following symptoms of an allergic reaction:
   • Difficulty breathing, wheezing or whistling, or feeling like your throat is being tightened.
   • A feeling of pressure in the chest that makes you have difficulty breathing.
   • Swelling near your mouth, including your lips or tongue.
   • Skin rash that spreads to other areas and can be all over the body.
   • Upset stomach, stomach cramps, vomiting or diarrhea. These symptoms can sometimes indicate an allergic reaction.
3. If it concerns a young child, please contact your doctor. Your doctor can help you by prescribing topical medications or offering advice on how to treat the specific symptoms in young children.
4. Contact your doctor if your symptoms are severe. If large areas of your skin have come into contact with the nettle or if the symptoms do not improve after 24 hours, contact your doctor. Your doctor may prescribe strong topical agents to treat the affected areas or stronger oral medicines to combat the reaction from within.
5. Get medical attention if the areas appear to be infected. If you have scratched the area and the skin is broken, an infection could potentially develop.
   • If the damaged areas of your skin feel warm, pus comes out, or are more inflamed than the surrounding areas, an infection may be developing. Call your doctor right away if you have these symptoms or if you have a fever. Your doctor can prescribe a topical antibiotic cream or ointment or an oral course of antibiotics.

Tips

• Try not to scratch the painful area. This can make skin irritation worse.
• Clean and treat the area immediately. Keep applying until the pain and itching are gone.
• The stinging and burning sensation can last from half an hour to several days, depending on how sensitive your skin is.
• If one home remedy doesn't work, try another.
• Contact your doctor if your symptoms are severe, change, or worsen, or if you have a rash on much of your body. Don't ignore the valuable help that medical professionals can provide, especially when it comes to children.
• You can apply vinegar to the affected areas by dabbing it on with a clean cloth.