Possible chigger remedy

[John Krause]

I got chiggers again this weekend for about the last 4 out of 5 weekends. I do believe I am building up an immunity of sorts. They don't seem as bad each time.

I was a little stiff and sore from the weekend from messing with stands, walking in and out etc so over the lunch hour I thought i would hit the Y and take a whirlpool. Got to thinking (dangerous I know    ) maybe I can cook those little ba$tards out. I did a whirlpool for 15 min, then regular pool to cool off some, then 10 more whirlpool.  When I got hot I would just dangle my feet from the calfs down (ankles were the worst). Probably did about 40 min total. Back at work now and dang if it isn't alot better. Ankles aren't itching at all. Have I stumbled on to something?

PS didn't tell the Y folks or the others in the whirlpool. Is that wrong  

[Kip]

Hot water and some clorax bleach bath works pretty good if you do it soon enough.Kip

[Bill Turner]

Chlorine in the whirlpool and pool like the bleach mentioned above will slow down the itching.

[Longbow rookie]

I just had a horrible case...ankles were the worst.  I heard everything from hot, hot soapy water to clear nail polish....etc..

Whirlpool sounds like the ticket....it's going to be pretty funny if you see the other folks at the Y walking around with their ankles bit hell! Ouch!

Like Kip said - you have to get them quickly!!

[Tom Anderson]

Hot water may break down the "poisons" they secrete.  Hot water compresses, as hot as he could stand, was what was prescribed for my work buddy who was stung by a stingray.  Doc said that heat breaks down the poison.

[Ray Hammond]

when you feel the itch, the critter is already gone. Those are chemicals breaking down your flesh.

You cannot pass anything along to anyone else in a whirlpool- its tooooo late.

[BigRonHuntAlot]

Here is a link.  Make sure you go to the bottom of the page and click next to view all information.
 http://animals.howstuffworks.com/arachnids/chigger.htm

[Soilarch]

The hot water is relieving the itch.  It is hands down the best way to relieve and deal with poison ivy.  (And I'm pretty experienced in "dealing" with it, since I practically have it all summer every summer.)  Forget the details but basically the heat breaks down the histamine and whatever else causes the itching.  

So yes, you stumbled upon something great.  Perhaps not what you thought though.

[Chris O]

Im gunna have to try that next time I get them. We never had them where I live until the past two years. dang turkeys!

[Hook]

I was plagued by these little buggers for years. I finally learned to spray down with insect repellent especially around the ankles, and wear rubber boots when out in the woods. When I did make the mistake of getting bit the best relief I found was a product called Chigarid. You can get it at CVS pharmacy's or do a search for it and it can be purchased on line.

[non-typical]

A Q-tip of tea tree oil will do the trick. Relieves the itching immediately.

[Aeronut]

Sounds like you are building up scar tissue that they can't chew through.     :D  

The only remedy for me is lots of prevention.  The little bas#$@%s love dining on me.  If there was a possibility of developing an immunity I think I would have 40 years ago.

Dennis

[JEFF B]

come and live down here we dont have em    or snakes

[Green Arrow]

i just had the worst case i've ever had.  both ankles and around the waist too.  my wife is an herbalist and she suggested honey!  believe it or not it was amazing.  stopped the itch and allowed me sleep.  something about the antimicrobial properties of the honey etc...  worked a heck of alot better then the over the counter stuff.  give it a shot.  smear it on and put your feet up.  

[wingnut]

the cure for chiggers is don't get bit.  Spray down with any repellent on the socks, pant legs and waistband.  No bites and no itch.  Forget to do it and you find yourself covered in honey with ants eating you.  LOL

Mike

[david_lewis93]

wash the area with Listerine then benedryl cream or hydrocortisone both are antihystamines,stops the itch and redness, or like my dad did for scorpion stings,hairspray,and jellyfish stings,,M.S.G. or A-1 steak sauce.somthing about it works too.

[selfbowyer]

The best cure is prevention. Buy a bottle of sulfur and before you go out put it on your socks and waist band. There is no odor.

[hunt it]

The best cure is hunt polar bears! Damm, you guys make me itch just reading this stuff. One good thing about living and hunting north of the border is we have no chiggars. Please don't send any.

[MikeW]

when you feel the itch, the critter is already gone. Those are chemicals breaking down your flesh.

You cannot pass anything along to anyone else in a whirlpool- its tooooo late.

^^^^^^^
What he said.

Just be a man and scratch them til they bleed.
   

[WDP]

Dap on some apple cider vinegar to stop the itching. Smells not that bad either.

Bill