Has anyone here tried stinging nettle?

I posted this on the Crohns board as well.  I know to check for drug interactions.  Just looking for anyone's experiences.

Hi BH...

I cracked up when I first read this...not at the idea of medical treatments but at the memories of nettles when I was a kid. They grew by the creek where we used to play all the time. No matter how careful we were someone would get into the nettles and the itching was outrageous!! The cure was to find bracken fern, which were all over the woods, pull one up, break the tuber (root) open and rub the sap on the nettles. No idea why it worked but it did.

Now, about your serious question..no, never have heard the idea of using stinging nettles. I know many people eat them like spinach. Once cooked the toxins in them are inactivated. But I did go looking for it's uses and found a great page of information at the University of Maryland Medical Center. www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/stinging-nettle-000275.htm for those interested....

It sure would be nice if this lowly plant can render some aid to those of us suffering from fibro.

Warm and gentle hugs to you, Broomhilde!
Chutzie

OMG...I grabbed onto a fist full of stinging nettle the first year we moved into this house...the yard had not been touched for three years.  I thought I had stuck my hand in a beehive.  The entire side of the yard was full of it.  I even bought leather gloves and those little hairy things on the stalk penetrated those.  So...I have never heard of using it for fibro(or pain) but I checked the link Chutz posted and I guess they have found something uselful for this pesky little weed.

donna

Thanks Chutz...that's where I found the info too. I was considering the Tea for my tummy inflammation and compresses for the joints, however, I have yet to find it locally. However, I think I had the junk growing in my yard...couldn't kill it with anything...finally resorted to my faithful vinegar poured non-diluted on it....it came back this year. Sigh! I'm caught in an HMO merry-go-round and surviving without my Humira....I had forgotton just how bad the joint pain was from the fibro and crohns!