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Herbal Remedies for Nettle Sting
The stinging nettle is a herb and is a flowering plant, and is native to Europe, northern Africa, Asia, and North America. This plant has stinging trichomes, or spiny hairs. When touched the tip goes off, transforming the spiny hair into a needle injecting a cocktail of poisons that includes 5-HT, acetylcholine, histamine, and formic acid.
This poisonous cocktail causes a paresthesia or sting which gives the species its name. There are medications readily available for the treatment of nettle stings that are quite effective. They are usually in the cream or ointment form and contain antihistaminics or hydrocortisone.
There are a number of home remedies available but most are quite ineffective. There are a few that are worth a try but for treatment of this condition over the counter medication remain most desirable.
Rubbing the juice extract from crushed leaf of dock into the affected area is believed to help relieve the symptoms. Similarly rubbing the juice extract of both species of jewelweed may also help. Fern leaves contain their spore or sori on the underside and rubbing this on the affected area is believed o help quite effectively. You can also smear the infected region with a paste made from Baking Soda and water. Leave it on for a few minutes after which you can rinse it off.
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