Stinging nettles...

miss notax

Just been for a cheeky lunch time MTB ride with a couple of work colleagues and managed to fall off some boardwalk into a MASSIVE clump of stinging nettles

This was not helped by the fact that I actually fell into a hole full of them, and got my foot stuck in the cleat under the bike - because of the angle, I couldn't twist my foot out of the cleat, nor lift my bike up. After about 15 mins (yes, really :shock: ) of flailing about, I just about managed to reach my shoe, undid the velcro, and got my foot out leaving the shoe still on the bike. After a bit of hopping around to rescue my bike, voila! A freed Miss Notax :?

Anyway, I am now sat at work with BURNING legs / arms / face from the nettles. I don't have a supply of dock leaves, so what can I do??? It hurts

supersonic

Antihistamine tablet and ibuprofen.

Never use dock leaves! They are covered in dog wee. Dogs have learned not to cock their legs up against nettles so they don't sting their todgers. So they piddle on the next nearest thing ie dock leaves.

miss notax

Cool, I have some ibruprofen here so i'll take some of that!! Cheers

I'm a pretty tough cookie but BLOODY HELL this hurts!! :twisted:

timpop

supersonic wrote:

Antihistamine tablet and ibuprofen.

Never use dock leaves! They are covered in dog wee. Dogs have learned not to cock their legs up against nettles so they don't sting their todgers. So they piddle on the next nearest thing ie dock leaves.

+1
And OUCH! That really sucks, poor you.

sunnrider

Try Antishan from a chemists,or, failing that then use some vinegar.
Dock leaves have a low level anti-inflamitory so you need loads.

gb2gw

Sounds nasty matey! You don't half pick your spots to part company with your bike don't you!

Apparently making a paste of baking soda and water is an effective neutraliser for the acidic stings. Think you might have to leave your desk and head out to the shops though, and if you're there you might as well get antihistimine cream instead!

Hope it all dies down soon. They berleedin hurt don't they.

Mental Mickey

I've currently got a lot of bruising and a cracked rib, hurts to cough, breathe deep etc...

I'll swap my cracked/bruised ribs for your nettle stings any day of the week.

Kaise

this sounds painfull!

+potato to the Antihistatmines!

miss notax

gb2gw wrote:

Sounds nasty matey! You don't half pick your spots to part company with your bike don't you!

Apparently making a paste of baking soda and water is an effective neutraliser for the acidic stings. Think you might have to leave your desk and head out to the shops though, and if you're there you might as well get antihistimine cream instead!

Hope it all dies down soon. They berleedin hurt don't they.

Fortunately have a supply of antihistamine cream at home, so thats my evening sorted!! I might also fall back on that well known 'stinging thing' cure - wine and chocolate

I must have looked ridiculous - I would have laughed if I had seen me stuck in a hole!

And Mental Mickey - been there before, and definitely no deal!!

nicklouse

I am sorry but rule 1

POIDNH

bails87

So where were your colleagues?

I know this is fairly minor, but it could have been a serious injury, and being stuck like that with a broken leg can't be much fun.

diy

Hey fever and allergy tablets work too if you can't get to any antihistamine cream.

miss notax

bails87 wrote:

So where were your colleagues?

I know this is fairly minor, but it could have been a serious injury, and being stuck like that with a broken leg can't be much fun.

Yeah, agreed :? To be fair they had started to ride back when I finally caught them up, so they would have found me (eventually)!

I think the moral of the story is don't ride 'new' boardwalk too fast! A sharp right hand turn all happened a bit too quickly for me...

Beardface

Mental Mickey wrote:

I've currently got a lot of bruising and a cracked rib, hurts to cough, breathe deep etc...

I'll swap my cracked/bruised ribs for your nettle stings any day of the week.

Lol, + 1,000,000 potatoes. I feel your pain buddy.

I heard that peeing on stings fixes things. Try it, let us know how it works out

miss notax

Stav wrote:

I heard that peeing on stings fixes things. Try it, let us know how it works out

Ha ha, I'm not sure i'm that flexible

I work with blokes and that's one line of conversation i'm not starting, even in jest!!! :shock:

cee

and we are back to the dock leaves....covered in dog pee....perfect

Am I just sick...or is it just me that actually quite likes the feeling of stinging nettles? Not the actual stinging...but the buzzing that goes on for ages afterwards!

:oops:

miss notax

Weirdo :shock:

myopic

I had similar expereince a few years ago, but no access to antihistamine or anything else. Could hardly sleep for 2 nights cos my legs felt on fire!!

Kind of know what Cee means, sore but nice as in eating a hot chilli kind of way, but having hundreds of them all over your legs is in a different ball park.

SInce no one else has asked - is the bike OK?!!

miss notax

Ha, yes, the stinging nettles don't appear to have affected her (my bikes a 'she')

It's really put me off this summer-time shorts and t-shirt look - i'll be in leggings and a long sleeved top the next time!!

myopic

miss notax wrote:

Ha, yes, the stinging nettles don't appear to have affected her (my bikes a 'she')

It's really put me off this summer-time shorts and t-shirt look - i'll be in leggings and a long sleeved top the next time!!

Leggings and longsleeved top comment reminds me of another recent thread...... check for ticks when you get home

miss notax

myopic wrote:

miss notax wrote:

Ha, yes, the stinging nettles don't appear to have affected her (my bikes a 'she')

It's really put me off this summer-time shorts and t-shirt look - i'll be in leggings and a long sleeved top the next time!!

Leggings and longsleeved top comment reminds me of another recent thread...... check for ticks when you get home

Crikey, that would add insult to injury wouldn't it?!! :shock:

myopic

sorry!!!

concorde

Where were your colleagues to help you?

bellys

on your way home stop at a shop and get some Natural yogurt spred this on the sore parts and leave it for a cpl of hrs then wash off with warm water NO soap as this will dry the skin out.
you want smell very nice but works....
its also very good on sun burn

Rushmore

ouch... cant be as bad as this though.... surely would make you feel better

NSFW (almost-ish)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCUVv4mepQY :?

miss notax

Rushmore wrote:

ouch... cant be as bad as this though.... surely would make you feel better

NSFW (almost-ish)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCUVv4mepQY :?

Hilarious

And made me feel a lot better too!!

miss notax

Concorde wrote:

Where were your colleagues to help you?

Interesting point..... :?

I could be wrong here, but I get the impression that there was a fair amount of testosterone fuelled must-be-better-and-faster-than-the-girl-ness going on....

I love mountain biking and they know that i'm a really enthusiastic rider, and this was the first time I had ridden with them. I am a pretty modest person and have not made any comments about my riding abilities, but from past experience some blokes feel the need to prove something when riding with girls

Hey ho :roll:

ETA - my fault I was riding too fast on the boardwalk though, as I realised the above but was still trying my hardest to catch them up and / or beat them :oops:

johnboy183

on the bright side though, nettle stings are very good for easing cramp. was told many years ago that the sting is closely related to the venom from a spitting cobra and is a muscle relaxant. Was very doubtful about the advice but on one painful day in the hills I tried it. Hey presto it worked, got me back to the car and some well earned fluid and food. try it and see

bellys

i ride with lots of girls :roll: and never leave them behind.
most of my rides are with a club (most men) but there are a lot of girls every time they come out we make sure that some body stays with them so they dont get left behine on the tech stuff...but that said some are faster the the lads going down hill....

miss notax

I think that's the thing bellys, i'm used to riding in a group (as you are) and I always make sure that everyone, male or female, is ok. We keep a very keen pace, but with frequent stops to regroup. I don't think these guys are used to riding in a group so it was very much blasting along at their own pace, which is fine, but different to how I do it

After copious amounts of anti-histamine cream and several glasses of wine, I would love to say that the stinging feels better - but it still flipping well hurts! More wine I think....

bellys

hhhmmmm make mine a large glass please.