After the end of the cold winter, all people want a warm and long-awaited holiday among greenery in nature - in the forest, in the country, in the countryside. In this case, do not forget that in addition to positive emotions and health effects, while staying in nature, there may be some dangers. First of all, they include burns by plants, the juice of which has an irritant effect on the skin.
One of these is nettle. About 50 species of this plant are known, but on the territory of our country there are only two: nettle and nettle burning stinging, which has a stronger irritating effect. Among people there are different opinions about whether it brings a nettle burn benefit or harm. In practice, it has been established that, in the absence of an allergic reaction, the resulting trauma to the skin is not a serious hazard. Knowing what to do with nettle burn, you can quickly eliminate discomfort and completely eliminate its effects.
Causes of nett burn
Why nettles burn? In this way, it protects itself from eating herbivores. On the surface of its stem and leaves, there are many burning hairs, having a pointed shape and a sac at the base. At the slightest impact, the tip of the hair pierces the skin of a person or animal, and the contents of the bag penetrate inside, causing burns in the contact zone. The structure of the cellular juice of burning hairs includes the following components that have an irritant effect:
- histamine is a mediator of inflammatory reactions;
- formic acid;
- choline;
- serotonin.
These substances lead to the appearance of nettle burn, which manifests itself in the form of very unpleasant sensations on the skin. For this reason, the plant has received more names in the people, such as jaluga, zhugka, etc.
Effects of nettle on skin
After direct contact with nettle, the reaction to the skin develops instantly. First, there is severe pain, which usually goes away by itself for 5-10 minutes, then the affected area increases temperature, there is redness, small swelling, itching and characteristic blisters are formed. In the absence of complications, these symptoms pass for the next day without any consequences for the body.
How the nettle burn burns on the skin shows the photo below:
Recommendation: The nettle burn causes severe itching. In no case can you comb the site of inflammation, as this is fraught with infection under the skin and even greater discomfort.
In some people, and especially in children, a nettle burn can provoke a severe allergic reaction, which manifests itself in the form:
- increase in body temperature;
- general weakness;
- appearance of swelling of the skin;
- increased heart rate;
- the appearance of dyspnea.
In this case, it is necessary to immediately seek help from a doctor, since the commonly used folk remedies can not eliminate the symptoms. The specialist will prescribe the use of anti-inflammatory and antihistamines of local or systemic action. The earlier the treatment is administered, the less likely will be the development of allergy complications.
Important: If painful symptoms with nettle burn do not go away after 24 hours, you need to seek help from a medical facility. How useful are nettle burns? Nettle has a wide range of therapeutic effects and is used as an auxiliary method in the therapy of many diseases. However, in doing so, it is mainly consumed inward in the form of tinctures, broths, teas, soups, salads, etc. Nettle burn benefits from local improvement in blood supply and anesthetic action. This method of treatment for a long time, some people use for rheumatism, radiculitis and other diseases of the joints.
Methods for treating a burn from nettles
What to do with nettle burn? There are many folk remedies for eliminating itching, redness and blisters from the "bite" of this plant. However, before applying them, it is necessary to clean the affected area of the skin from burning villi of nettle, which will continue to have an irritating effect.
How to remove nettle hairs
First of all, it is necessary to move away from the nettle thickets to avoid repeated burns. If in the skin after contact with the plant remained sticky pieces of plant fibers, they can be removed by the following method:
- moisten with very cold water a piece of clean cloth and light movements to clean the affected surface from dirt and dust;
- apply a tape or other adhesive tape and gently pull it off the skin together with the nettle hairs;
- if there is no adhesive tape, prepare the paste from the ground and a small amount of water and apply it to the affected area, then wait until the dirt on the skin withers and remove it along with the burning hairs;
- after removing hairs for disinfection purposes, treat the skin with a solution of hydrogen peroxide, camphor, salicylic or boric alcohol with a bandage or cotton swab.
Advice: Do not touch the affected area with bare hands, as irritants left on the surface can cause inflammation in other parts of the body.
Treatment of the affected area of the skin
Given that the structure of the cellular juice of burning hairs enters formic acid, to begin with, it must be neutralized. The best remedy is ordinary baking soda. To relieve painful sensations, it is necessary to prepare a mixture of soda and water in the form of gruel and apply it to the affected area. After a while, rinse with cold water or remove with a clean cloth. Alternatively, you can use table vinegar, household or usual liquid soap, which has a slightly alkaline pH.
When receiving burns from nettles, treatment can also be carried out with the help of aloe vera. The juice or flesh of this plant has a pronounced anti-inflammatory effect and promotes rapid removal of irritation.
There are often situations when nettle burns happen away from home and there is not even a standard first aid kit at hand. What to do in this case? Than to remove or take off an itch from a neetle? To help come plants that can be found in the neighborhood with it. This horse sorrel, plantain, horsetail field, sorrel curly or balsam. You need to tear off one leaf from them, rinse it with water, rinse in hands until the juice appears and apply for a few minutes to the sore spot. The relief should come within half an hour. The nettle root can also be used to eliminate itching and irritation. From it you need to prepare a gruel and apply it to the affected area. A good therapeutic effect with nettle burn is a compress made of clay.
Important: First aid for nettle burn should be given as soon as possible, otherwise itching and burning will only intensify.