Stinging Nettles.

[Tilly2]

How did I manage to get stung, on my hands, when digging up some stinging nettles, today? I was wearing thick rubber gardening gloves!

Oh, it is sore....:-(

[Psybbo]

I hope you had dock leaves to hand

[Tilly2]

No, Sibs. I couldn't find a dock leaf, just more nettles.

[mazie]

Baking soda Tilly made into a paste should help x

[Tilly2]

I'll try that Mazie, thank you. How did it happen though? Can a nettle sting pierce a thick garden glove?

[Barmaid]

Yep baking soda is the answer. But you also need a bottle of Pinot.

Do as Mazie says with the baking soda. Drink the Pinot. If the baking soda doesnt work, you wont give a stuff after an hour.......

[Prudie]

I think they can especially now when they are at their newest and strongest. Like fine needles,little blighters

[Tilly2]

Does it have to be Pinot, Barmaid? I have only Chardonnay :-(

[Barmaid]

A perfectly good medicinal substitute.

[Tilly2]

Is that what it is, Prudie? I should have left growing them until they were old and feeble?

[Tilly2]

Right, Barmaid. Chardonnay it is. Now, where's the baking soda???????

[gingejbee]

The paste needs to be applied very soon after the stinging....it won't help now. Sorry!

[Tilly2]

I have just applied the baking soda paste, after breaking a nail, trying to open the flippin' tub. It is stinging like billy-o but it's a different sort of pain.
My right hand knuckles now look like an aerial view of Greenland.

[RATTER15]

The effect of dock leaves on stinging nettles is purely placebo I believe.
I have certainly never got any relief from a dock leaf.

[Tilly2]

This baking soda paste seems to be working. It's just itching a bit now. The pain has subsided.

Ratter, there must be some truth in the old 'rub it with a dock leaf' tale, surely.

[tonyav]

Apparently washing the stung area with cool water and a mild soap helps, Yilly.

[melv16]

An hour of housework should take the pain away:-)

[Chipchopper]

The mistake a lot of people make is rubbing the dock leaf on the affected area, this will chafe the skin and cause even more irritation.

The correct method is to fold a large dock leaf into the palm of your hand, then squeeze hard until juice runs from the lower side of your fist.
Gently apply the juice, this should sooth it.

[Strawberry5]

I hope your hands are better soon, Tilly2.

[Tilly2]

It's fine now, thank you. The paste helped, I think.

Melv....are you implying that I live in a midden!?

[Tilly2]

Chip, I don't have any dock leaves. My garden is dock leaf free.

Yont, washing my hands was no help....sorry but thanks anyway.