Why nettle burns: features, useful and interesting facts. Why do nettles sting Nettles sting

“Oh, oh!” - the son, burnt with nettles, screams, tearing up. And I calm him down in the same way that my mother once calmed me in childhood: “Nothing, dear, it’s useful!”.

And one day I thought, maybe this is really useful? After all, my mother is not just a loving, caring woman, but also a smart and rational person.

And as soon as I started asking this question to the search engine, I realized that not only me was comforted by such a phrase. Unfortunately, there were very few intelligible answers to my request, mainly on forums where people expressed their personal opinion, not supported by an information base. On this I, of course, decided to dig deeper.

And here's what I found out. It turns out that there really is a benefit from nettle burn! After all, at the moment of a nettle “bite”, blood instantly rushes to the upper layers of the skin, the work of capillaries increases, thereby stimulating general blood circulation.

Believe it or not, there are even special treatment methods based on nettle burns. They are aimed at combating such diseases as rheumatism, arthritis, atherosclerosis, varicose veins. And the method consists precisely in numerous nettle burns that improve blood flow to a certain area of the body.

And with a “bite” of nettle, formic acid, known for its analgesic properties, enters our body. You ask how it gets inside, because the nettle just burns? But no, she just bites. Now I'll tell you everything.

How the nettle "bites".

A nettle sting is very similar to a mosquito bite. And according to the mechanism of action and the final result (“buns” on the skin that itch). The entire “body” of the nettle is covered with fine hairs (you probably noticed that both the stem and leaves of the nettle are soft and velvety). But these soft hairs are not as safe as they seem at first glance. Inside, they contain the very substances that cause a burn: choline, histamine, and the formic acid mentioned above. Like the proboscis of a mosquito, the hairs pierce the skin almost imperceptibly to us and release their useful "poison". However, it's not useful for everyone.

Harm of nettle burns.

There is good news - in our area there are no such types of nettles that can cause a reaction that is dangerous to human life. Except in cases of severe allergy to substances contained in this plant. However, these are indeed very rare cases. Luckily.

Therefore, the main harm is painful discomfort in the burn area, redness, slight swelling.

How to get rid of discomfort with a nettle burn.

What to do with nettle burns? Do not panic. Even if a small child is burned. After all, it will pass quickly and besides ... it is useful! As we found out above. The main thing is to drink an antihistamine just in case: suprastin, loratadine, diazolin or others (after all, we already know that only severe allergic reactions are dangerous). This would be the end, but after all, there is still discomfort and redness and I would like to get rid of them. Here's what you can do:

- hold the burn site under a stream of ice water or lower the limb that was burned into ice water;

- alcohol (or vodka) lotions also help a lot;

- dilute the soda to the state of slurry, thickly apply the slurry to the burn site.

What else is good about nettles.

In general, nettle is useful not only when it “bites”. Basically, it's useful. The plant is very rich in vitamins and minerals.

When eaten, it helps us to be strong, healthy and beautiful, tones, gives strength, helps immunity. Put young nettle leaves in the salad or cook nettle soup. Tasty and healthy!

Nettle is also used in cosmetology. A decoction of this plant regularly wash the face in the presence of inflammation, acne, boils. Nettle-based masks add shine to the hair, the hair is strengthened and grows quite quickly.

And physicians, herbalists, homeopaths and just connoisseurs of well-being are well aware of nettle as a medicinal plant. We have collected the best recipes for health in a small video block:

Good luck and health!

Nettle is a plant that has been known for a long time, a kind of “cutting dog” among the biological kingdom of plants. Few people have not experienced her burning tingling and itching on the skin, after accidental contact with her. Even rubber gloves and thin layers of clothing are not afraid of this sultry grass.

Why does nettle sting?

In fact, such an effect of nettle on an external stimulus is a way of self-defense from herbivores. The latter, knowing about this ability of nettles, bypass the bushes of the plant. The stem and leaves of the nettle are entangled on top with thin, barely visible to the eye, and very sharp villi, which easily pierce the skin membrane of a person and animal, and, breaking, remain in it. The villi contain juice.

The composition of the juice is formic acid, histamine and vitamin B4. When the villi enter the skin, the juice flows out under the skin and causes a burning sensation at the punctured area. Juice acts as a kind of poison, but for a person this dose does not pose a particular danger. On the contrary, from such an injection, blood circulation in the body increases and the blood begins to pump faster through the vessels, removing excess toxins, toxins and other debris that is harmful to humans from the body. It is not for nothing that in the bath one of the most popular brooms for bath procedures is from nettle. For 7-10 visits to the steam room with such a broom, the blood becomes clean, like that of a healthy small child.

Why does nettle sting?

Nettle leaves are a whole pantry of vitamins. There is 4 times more ascorbic acid than in lemon, and more vitamin K than in spinach and cabbage. The mineral composition of nettle is also rich: it contains many proteins, organic acids, tannins, essential oils, sugars and other biologically active substances.

According to the recommendations of traditional medicine, nettles are consumed in the form of fresh juice, infusion or decoction. Juice can be obtained using a juicer. He is prescribed 20 drops per quarter cup of warm water or milk 15-30 minutes before meals 3 times a day.

The infusion is made as follows: 10–20 dry nettle leaves are poured into a glass of boiling water in a thermos and kept for an hour, then filtered. If the same amount of leaves and water is brought to a boil, hold under the lid for 2-3 minutes on fire, then insist and strain, a decoction is obtained. Both infusion and decoction drink 2-3 tbsp. spoons 20 minutes before meals 3-5 times a day.

In the old days they drank nettle juice and rubbed it in the bath. During the "nadzad" they whipped in the bath with steamed stalks of nettle on the lower back. Nettle infusion was given to scrofulous children inside and at the same time nettle baths were made. A decoction of the root was drunk against venereal diseases and fever.

For severe hemorrhoidal pain, you can use a mixture of nettle leaves and buckthorn bark: pour 8 g of each plant with 1 liter of boiling water, keep on low heat for 15 minutes, then filter and consume 0.5 cup before meals in a warm form 3 times a day. When bleeding, you can combine nettle juice with yarrow juice.

Juice, infusion and decoction of nettle are also used externally for the treatment of wounds, trophic ulcers, burns. Mashed nettle leaves are applied to the wound (before that they must be washed with boiled water) or a piece of gauze moistened with nettle juice. For the treatment of rheumatic polyarthritis, the sore joints are rubbed with fresh nettle juice. The same is done for gout, radiculitis, myositis.

Nettle root boiled with sugar or seeds (1-2 g per serving) ground in water help with kidney and gallbladder stones. In chronic skin diseases, an infusion of nettle flowers can be used externally.

Nettle is well known in cosmetology. Extracts from it are part of many creams and lotions. For aging facial skin, young nettle masks are good: the leaves are washed and passed through a meat grinder or juicer, the skin is wiped with the resulting juice or gauze is moistened and applied to the face.

To strengthen and enhance hair growth, as well as against dandruff, rub fresh nettle juice or infusion into the skin: 1 tbsp. a spoonful of nettle leaves is brewed with a glass of boiling water, insisted for an hour in a thermos, and then, after washing the hair, rubbed into the roots. This can be done once a week for 1-3 months.

Spring and summer are the best time to harvest nettle leaves for future use. They are torn with gloves or cut off the upper parts of the stems, and the leaves are plucked after a few days, when they wither and stop stinging.

Nettles are dried in an attic or under a canopy with good ventilation, spreading a thin layer of 2–4 cm on a grid, fabric or paper. But you can’t dry nettles in the sun: the leaves lose valuable substances. It is also not recommended to overdry the leaves too much: they become brittle, turn into powder. Nettles are dried when the veins and petioles begin to break. You can store nettle leaves for up to 2 years in dry, well-ventilated areas.

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Nettle is a plant found almost all over the world. This plant is, generally speaking, a herbaceous perennial, which means that the nettle has all the properties of herbs and grows in the same places year after year. Nettle leaves and stems are covered in brittle, hollow "hairs" that act like intradermal needles when touched. Plant chemicals pass through these hollow tubes and cause an unpleasant burning sensation and rash on the skin. The sting caused by nettles is quite painful, but it can be cured.

Steps

How to clean the affected area

For starters, do not touch the burned area. If possible, do not touch or rub the affected area for 10 minutes. Pour the nettle-burned area with clean water and do not touch it. Even if the pain or itching increases during the first few minutes, try not to rub or touch the affected area, otherwise the pain or discomfort may linger for several days.

Use water and soap. Wash the burnt area with soap and water - this will help remove plant chemicals that can cause pain, swelling, redness, and itching. Very often, after washing the affected area, redness and pain disappear completely or decrease significantly.

Use a clean cloth. If you don't have soap and water on hand, then take a clean piece of cloth (it could be a piece of clothing or a handkerchief) and gently remove the dirt and plant elements so that the skin is completely clean.

Use tape. Use sticky tape or tape to gently dab the affected area to remove any remaining fibers that irritate the skin.

Try using wax for epilation. If tape does not completely remove all elements of the plant from the skin, then you can try to remove them with hair removal wax.

Avoid exposure to high temperatures. Take a bath or shower with cooler water. Try to avoid exposing the area to the nettle burn with heat. Cooler temperatures soothe the skin better and help reduce redness and inflammation.

Take advantage of over-the-counter drugs. Creams, ointments, or lotions containing hydrocortisone can help reduce redness and stop itching.

When to See a Doctor

Seek immediate medical attention if allergy symptoms worsen. In rare cases, nettles can cause a severe allergic reaction, especially if a person is allergic to any of the chemicals found in nettles. Allergic reactions can be life-threatening, so in such cases, immediate medical attention is needed.

Recognize an allergic reaction. Call 103 (mobile) or 03 (landline) for an ambulance immediately, or go to the hospital if you or someone else has the following symptoms of an allergic reaction after being burned by nettles:

difficulty breathing, wheezing, or tightness in the throat;
feeling of tightness in the chest, which makes it difficult to breathe;
swelling in the mouth, including swelling of the lips or tongue;
rash that extends beyond the nettle burn - sometimes the rash can appear all over the body;
upset stomach, cramps, vomiting, or diarrhea can sometimes also be signs of an allergic reaction.

Contact your pediatrician if a small child has been burned by nettles. The doctor may prescribe creams or ointments, talk about the treatment of symptoms after a nettle burn, characteristic only for young children.

Call a doctor if symptoms are severe. If a sufficiently large area of skin has been exposed to nettles, or if symptoms do not improve within 24 hours, consult a doctor. A doctor may prescribe strong creams, ointments, or oral medications to help the body fight the body's response to stinging nettles.
Seek medical attention if the affected area looks infected. If the area affected by the nettle was scratched or scratched, or if it simply had some kind of damage to the skin, then there is a high probability of infection.
- If an area with broken skin is warm to the touch, if pus comes out of the wound, or if it looks more inflamed than other areas, then an infection is likely to develop. Call your doctor right away if you have any of these symptoms or if you have a fever. The doctor may prescribe creams or ointments to be applied to the inflamed area, as well as a course of antibiotics.

Do not scratch the affected area as this may aggravate irritation.
Treat the affected area of skin as soon as possible. The longer you wait, the more itching and burning will be.
The burning sensation can last from half an hour to several days, depending on the sensitivity of your skin.
If one of the remedies does not help, then try another.
Seek medical attention if symptoms become severe, spread over too large an area, change, or worsen. Do not neglect the help of a specialist, especially when it comes to a child.
You can apply vinegar to the affected area. Apply it with light dabbing movements with a clean cloth, cotton pad or piece of cloth.
You can soak the affected area in a container of salt and a tea bag - this will reduce the pain.
When itching becomes severe, try to think of something pleasant so that you do not scratch the affected area and that it heals faster.
Nettle is often found near rivers and in wet areas. If you are burned by nettles and there is a river nearby, enter it, take mud from the bottom and rub it into the affected areas two or three times.
Cold compresses really help. Try not to touch anything with the affected area, otherwise the painful sensations from the stuck "hairs" of the nettle will only intensify.

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