I must have been stung by nettles 5,000 times as a child – why am I not immune? (2024)

FAQs

I must have been stung by nettles 5,000 times as a child – why am I not immune? ›

Repetition doesn't create immunity, it's not like a disease. Quite often the opposite happens. The more you're stung the more you react, whether the sting is from a plant or an insect.

Not immunity but you can build up a tolerance if you get stung enough. You still get stung and you will probably still get a rash but it feels tingly instead of pain.

In some cases, stinging nettles may cause a severe allergic reaction, and a person will require immediate medical attention. However, people will be able to treat most cases of stinging nettle rash with home treatments, which can usually relieve the symptoms within a few hours.

Occasional side effects include mild stomach upset, fluid retention, sweating, diarrhea, and hives or rash (mainly from topical use). It is important to be careful when handling the nettle plant because touching it can cause an allergic rash.

Stinging nettles are easily distinguished plants with a memorable sting. This plant, which can easily reach 6 feet in height, has fine hairs on the stems and leaves. Each hair is like a hollow needle filled with formic acid, the same chemical in ant saliva that causes pain to humans when bitten.

When taken by mouth: Stinging nettle is possibly safe when used for up to 1 year. It might cause diarrhea, constipation, and upset stomach in some people. When applied to the skin: Stinging nettle is possibly safe. Touching the stinging nettle plant can cause skin irritation.

Their swollen bases are filled with formic acid, the same stuff that causes the pain of ant and bee stings. Even accidentally brushing against the plant is enough to inflict stings, and the pain could last a whole day.

The nettle family is full of stinging plants, but none is quite as aggressive as the gympie gympie (Dendrocnide moroides). One of six stinging trees native to Australia (because of course) and also found in Indonesia, the gympie gympie is one of the most dangerous plants in the world.

Anti-inflammatory activity. Nettles are useful for a variety of inflammatory conditions such as arthritis and chronic myalgia. Nettle tea or herbal supplements have been shown to effectively treat gout, relieve muscle aches and minimize the symptoms of arthritis.

If the irritation is severe, cooling the skin with a damp cloth or ice pac (a pack of frozen vegetables wrapped in a tea towel) may be useful. A pharmacist will be able to advise regarding the use of antihistamines and creams to relieve the irritation.

Is stinging nettle bad for your liver? ›

Stinging nettle extracts are generally well tolerated and have not been implicated in instances of serum aminotransferase elevations or cases of clinically apparent liver injury.

This nutrient-dense herb has a wide-array of uses, but today we want to take a closer look specifically at how it's been used to treat issues of women's health. From treating UTIs and painful menstruation, to mitigating and preventing osteoporosis, the nettle plant is an ally not to be overlooked.

Urtica dioica is thought to bind to sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) via its polar extracts and cause elevated serum estrogen levels. The local estrogen bioactivity in breast tissue may subsequently lead to gynecomastia or galactorrhea [2].

A 'sting' is when the nettle's acid filled barb penetrates the skin, and breaks off, releasing the acid that causes the pain. You can't become immune to this kind of injury any more that becoming immune to the pain of a cut.

A very common plant, the stinging nettle can be found growing in gardens, hedgerows, fields, woodlands and many other habitats. Its preference for damp, fertile and disturbed ground makes it a good coloniser of places enriched by human activities, such as agriculture and development.

Stinging nettle can be eaten on its own or as an ingredient in foods. Nettle leaves must first be cooked or steamed to destroy the hairs on them, which contain a number of irritating chemicals. Most medicinal uses of stinging nettle use more of the plant than you would typically eat.

Do all stinging nettles sting? No, there is a stinging nettle subspecies (sometimes considered as a separate species) called the stingless nettle or fen nettle (Urtica dioica galeopsifolia). It lacks, or has very few of, the stinging hairs – and has stingless hairs instead.

Top Tip. Wear gloves and cover skin when handling stinging nettles to avoid irritation from stinging hairs.

In rare cases, some people may have an allergic reaction to stinging nettles. In these cases, medical attention should be sought immediately as this can be life-threatening. The symptoms of a severe allergic reaction to stinging nettles are: tightness in the chest or throat.