Lettuce Could Potentially Offer Similar Relief from Nettle Sting Symptoms As Dock Leaf

The researchers believe that the soothing and cooling properties of the leaf’s sap are likely responsible for the alleviation of symptoms.

They also suggest that simply leaving the sting alone might be effective, although this might not be suitable for young children.

Nettles, a widespread plant in the British Isles, have stems and leaves covered in stinging hairs or trichomes. These hairs break upon contact, releasing a burst of chemicals like histamine, acetylcholine, and serotonin into the skin.

The researchers propose that the remedy’s effectiveness could be due to the cooling and soothing properties of the sap from a crushed leaf evaporating.

They suggest that any large, fresh, and non-toxic leaf could potentially offer the same relief. Dock leaves might have been chosen historically because they grow in environments similar to where nettles are found.

To explore the scientific basis of the remedy, researchers carried out the Nettle-induced Urticaria Treatment Study (NUTS), a randomized, double-blind, active placebo-controlled trial with nine healthy emergency department doctors.

The placebo, intended to imitate the physical attributes of a dock leaf—such as size, shape, and texture—without any anti-inflammatory or toxic effects, was represented by sweet gem lettuce.

After each treatment, participants were asked to identify which arm had been treated with dock leaves and which with lettuce. They then rated the level of discomfort in each arm at 1, 5, 10, 15, and 20 minutes, using a scale from 0 (no discomfort) to 5 (severe discomfort).

“Discomfort” included various sensations such as burning, itching, and tingling caused by the nettle stings. The intensity of these symptoms was tracked until they fully resolved, and this measurement was called the Insult to Complete Healing (ITCH) score.

The study also measured the number of distinct wheals within the marked area at 5, 10, 15, and 20 minutes post-sting, which was recorded as the Observable Urticaria/Count of Hives (OUCH) score.

Participants took photographs of their forearms at these intervals, and an observer, unaware of which treatment had been applied, later analyzed the photos to determine the peak OUCH score and the time it took to reach this peak.

Findings showed that three participants accurately identified the arm treated with dock, three were incorrect, and three were unable to specify which treatment had been used.

The researchers propose that relief from nettle stings might have been similar even without treatment, as their study doesn’t definitively prove that dock or lettuce is more effective than no treatment.

They also note that for children, the option of doing nothing is usually not viable: “Other studies have shown that children generally do not accept enduring pain without any form of relief, which could be relevant in the context of treating nettle stings.”