How to Relive Itchy Skin Naturally

Itchy skin, though not usually indicative of a serious condition, can be one of THE. MOST. ANNOYING things!!!  I remember last fall, after moving to Bend, Oregon, I would often go to sleep at night with horribly itchy skin.  Whether this was due to allergies, or getting used to a new (very dry) environment ~ or if it was due, as my acupuncturist says, to a “build-up of heat in the body:” the itching was becoming intolerable.  And cortisone cream, the typical remedy for itchy skin, worked sometimes…but not others.  But I finally discovered a true, natural remedy!  Here, we’ll discuss “How to Relieve Itchy Skin Naturally with Stinging Nettle.”

Every time I take stinging nettle, within five minutes, my itchiness subsides ~ no matter how uncontrollable the itch is.

Sometimes the problem is the cure: stinging nettle is often thought of as an irritating plant that “burns” to the touch. And while this is true, taking it orally, for me, has been the CURE for my itchy skin, which typically rears its head in late summer & fall.

How Did I Discover Stinging Nettle for Itchy Skin?

I discovered a link between itchy skin relief & stinging nettle in two different ways: 1) I’d already been using stinging nettle for allergy relief with great success, & I discovered almost by mistake that it also helped to relieve my itchy skin ~ & quickly, within about five minutes of taking it orally; 2) There’s a skin condition called “Urticaria” that is defined as: a rash of round, red welts on the skin that itch intensely, sometimes with dangerous swelling, caused by an allergic reaction, typically to specific foods.  Urticaria can be made worse or exacerbated by exercise, & it occurred to me that this rash-like symptom may actually be cured by its cause; the plant name for stinging nettle is actually “Urtica Dioica,” & as stated above: sometimes the cure for something is actually the problem, taken in small doses.  This would be similar to how allergists give patients small doses of what they’re allergic to, in order to get their body used to that substance, & not have such an out-sized reaction to it. 

However I came to discovering stinging nettle, it is now one of my top both allergy AND itchy skin relief god-sends; the NOW Brand of Stinging Nettle is available on Amazon, & I typically buy a three-pack at a time, as I don’t like to be without it.  I’ve personally noticed zero side effects from taking stinging nettle, & I typically take two capsules in the morning.

Benefits of Taking Stinging Nettle

• Stinging nettle is filled with antioxidants, such as: Vitamins A, C, K, & B; calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, & sodium; various beneficial fatty acids; ALL of the essential amino acids; polyphenols such as quercetin; as well as beta-carotene & lutein.
• Several studies have shown stinging nettle to be helpful in reducing inflammation (due to many of the ingredients above), which is why it has been used for years to treat conditions like arthritis. 
• Another common usage of stinging nettle throughout the years has been to help reduce an enlarged prostrate, thereby reducing or lessening the need for frequent nighttime urination.
• Stinging nettle is also used for treating hay fever & allergies (I use it myself for this purpose, & find that it works better than Claritin-D ~ I wrote this article discussing its benefits); one of the primary reasons it works for allergies is because it blocks histamine receptors, & I believe this may also be why it works for treating itchy skin (which can be another side effect of allergies).
• Stinging nettle may help lower blood pressure, & it may also help lower blood sugar.

How to Relieve Itchy Skin with Stinging Nettle

As stated above, my preferred brand of Stinging Nettle is NOW; it tends to work for me immediately, in terms of reducing any feelings of itchy skin I may have (which tends to be in my upper arm/shoulder area).  Cortisone cream is something I’ve also tried, but for me, it doesn’t work as well as using stinging nettle ~ & it can thin your skin if used long-term, so there are definite side effects. 

The only other thing I’ve tried that relieves my itchy skin quickly is to take a cool shower.  At the end of a warm shower, I’ll gradually make the water as cool as I can stand (this is also part of the Wim Hof Method), & particularly let it run right on the area(s) of my body that itch.  When I do this, or even if I do it pre-emptively, I find that my skin is far less itchy the entire day.  You can also make a cool compress & place it directly on the area that itches; but I find that taking a cool shower is the quickest & easiest way to achieve relief.

Cortisone Cream

How to Relieve Itchy Skin Naturally

I wrote this article specifically to help other people who may be suffering from intensely itchy skin; I know there isn’t a whole lot written about this on the internet (I know because I’ve stayed up late some nights researching it!), & so I hope this article finds its way to the right people.  If you decide to use stinging nettle for itchy skin relief, please let me know in the comments below ~ I’d love to hear about your experience.

xoxo Noelia

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