Indirect exercise question: chiggers!!

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annecolorgreen
annecolorgreen Posts: 116 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I'm having some lower back issues so switched from road running to trail walking this past week. One day, I was attacked by chiggers and didn't realize until a couple of days later. I am MISERABLE!

I've tried several things with limited success: nail polish, heat, salt, cortisone cream, and dermoplast spray. Any thoughts? I hear that this can last a couple of weeks--NOOOOO!!! The intense itching wakes me up at night :(.

Oh, and of course the main concentration is right where my sock hits my running shoe--right at the bend. My feet feel like braile :(.
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Replies

  • trinitrate
    trinitrate Posts: 219 Member
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    That sucks... Don't have too many of those in AZ, but calomine comes to mind as something you can apply almost continuously and should give some reielf.
  • LaurenAOK
    LaurenAOK Posts: 2,475 Member
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    Oh my god, chiggers. Haven't had those in years. I used to get them every summer when I went to summer camp! They'd get all up where my pants were, my butt, my thighs... it was a nightmare!

    Nail polish seemed to work the best for me. I don't really have any other advice :(
  • hozik
    hozik Posts: 369 Member
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    Agree, calamine, cortizone cream and try taking some benadryl per Web MD. Good luck.
  • monicalosesweight
    monicalosesweight Posts: 1,173 Member
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    http://www.myhomeremedies.com/static/chigger-bites.html

    That's a posting of home remedies. One of them is Listerine Mint Mouthwash and you might have that at home. There's another person who swears by Pine Oil and another who uses Sea Salt. I'd read through them and see which ones you might try immediately. Apparently, Chiggers are a pain in the bum so to speak.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
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    See if your walgreens has chrysanthemum cream. It's non toxic, except to chiggers and mites.
  • GypsysBloodRose26
    GypsysBloodRose26 Posts: 341 Member
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    Take hair dryer directly to where the itch is until the spot gets so hot it feels like it is starting to burn you, then pull the heat away. That should help with the itch for a while..
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
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    Take hair dryer directly to where the itch is until the spot gets so hot it feels like it is starting to burn you, then pull the heat away. That should help with the itch for a while..
    I've also heard of folks using those over the counter wart freezers on particularly bad spots. Don't know if it scars...
  • monicalosesweight
    monicalosesweight Posts: 1,173 Member
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    FYI - Chiggers do not burrow into the skin. That's a myth. I thought I should warn people. It's like that myth that the blood under your skin is really blue and turns red on exposure to oxygen. It's actually a really dark purple/red - not blue. They used blue in a lot of medical graphs to teach about veins and that's why we believe that.

    Anyway, if you travel through a lot of trails, the guy who claims he's a game warden apparently buys sulfur powder and kinda sprinkles it into his clothes to keep the Chiggers away.

    Here's a link that says that sulfur does work. You might want to sprinkle it around your ankles and pant legs. I know I'm planning on running out and buying myself some now that I know that trick.

    http://www.healthguidance.org/entry/11087/1/How-to-Get-Rid-of-Chiggers.html
  • fittocycle
    fittocycle Posts: 827 Member
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    I think Walgreens and Walmart sell a product called Chigger-Rid. It really does work! You could also try soaking in a bath of Aveeno oatmeal bath. It's very soothing. I feel for you. Those things can make you feel miserable!
  • larrybartlett
    larrybartlett Posts: 24
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    I live on 80 acres in the Ozarks of Missouri. Chigger Heaven. From personal experience, I would add a Triple Antibiotic OTC cream to prevent infection, to the recommended OTC Benadryl and OTC Hydro-cortisone cream. If you are in agony/not sleeping, I would go to an MD to take a look and if recommended go, with a short course of Prednisone, etc.

    Sulphur, too prevent bites only, is mostly used by Electric Lineman and the like, who are out all day, and some people are allergic. We use a High Strength DEET product when we ride our horses, or even walk April-Oct. I'm allergic to Sulphur, and it stinks, literally. I have had a friend admitted to a hospital for a night, when he was exposed head to foot to Chiggers.

    BTW, Chiggers are dead after you take a shower with soap/towel. They are long gone, usually when you itch. Your skin reaction is due to an enzyme, that involves the bite area, that can take some time to clear.

    For my family, we make sure we/the kids wash all clothes we wear outside ASAP. And again, we put on DEET on our clothes/skin before running, hiking, etc.

    From your description, I would see an MD or FNP.

    The good news, the chiggers die outside when temps go below 40F.

    We are looking forward to our first frost, in earnest.

    Good luck, and happy running!
  • monicalosesweight
    monicalosesweight Posts: 1,173 Member
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    I wish I could use Deet but I'm allergic to it. For some reason, after a few days I start to itch from it. I'm hoping a small amount around the ankle areas for hiking might be enough to keep them off. I'll have to look into the smell. That doesn't sound so good.

    So, what happened? Did you try any of our suggestions? Were you able to relieve some of the pain? I'm so sorry you're in pain. Truly sucks.
  • larrybartlett
    larrybartlett Posts: 24
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    I forgot to mention, our Department of Conservation has a great article that people seem to read every Spring..

    http://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/chiggers

    Hope you feel better.
  • annecolorgreen
    annecolorgreen Posts: 116 Member
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    what great replies! yes, I also read that the chiggers aren't really there--thank goodness--it was creeping me out!! at the moment, the dermoplast spray with pain relief is working, so I'm going to try to go to bed. If it wakes me tonight, I'll try the hair dryer trick followed by more dermoplast (it doesn't seem to help when it's super intense). I'll definitely add some triple antibiotic cream...I even have one with a pain reliever too!!

    thanks for the great info! hope it helps someone else too...

    (P.S. does anyone know if popping with a sterile needle might help? some of them look like a white head if that makes sense...just wondering)
  • monicalosesweight
    monicalosesweight Posts: 1,173 Member
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    http://diseaseslist.org/chigger-bite-treatment-symptoms-pictures/

    This website has some pictures of chigger bites. I hope this helps. Are you sure you didn't get bit by red ants? I know I've run into them before and they usually leave puss filled little bubbles that look like zits and they hurt big time.

    Another website with chigger bites:

    http://firstaid.about.com/u/sty/bitesstings/09_Spider_Bite_Pictures/Fun-with-Chigger-Bites.htm
  • KeriW626
    KeriW626 Posts: 430
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    I'm having some lower back issues so switched from road running to trail walking this past week. One day, I was attacked by chiggers and didn't realize until a couple of days later. I am MISERABLE!

    I've tried several things with limited success: nail polish, heat, salt, cortisone cream, and dermoplast spray. Any thoughts? I hear that this can last a couple of weeks--NOOOOO!!! The intense itching wakes me up at night :(.

    Oh, and of course the main concentration is right where my sock hits my running shoe--right at the bend. My feet feel like braile :(.

    Im in the same situation but with fleas... ugh
  • larrybartlett
    larrybartlett Posts: 24
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    I personally have tried a few things,... don't use Nail polish or needles to "pop" anything. If you find itching uncontrollable, and OTC items don't work, see a doc. For me, hot water makes it worse, hot air no go also, (inflames an already inflamed area). It is soothing, I think, because the hot water takes you mind off of 'em for a few seconds. :-)

    One thing works, perhaps, is a nice soak in a chlorinated Jacuzzi. Seems to dry 'em out.

    I would wear flip flops in the house, helps with the insane ankles...they seem to love to get between shoes/tight clothing.

    Nature has a sense of humor.

    Do you drink? Kidding
  • Anastasia0511
    Anastasia0511 Posts: 372 Member
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    Never even heard of a chiggers. They look like ticks, are they?
  • monicalosesweight
    monicalosesweight Posts: 1,173 Member
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    I'm not sure these would work for flea bites but it doesn't hurt to try it.
  • larrybartlett
    larrybartlett Posts: 24
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    Chiggers are very,very small, smaller than Aphids. If you have not heard of them you live in a nice place. :-) We once went to an unnamed motel chain, just to soak our bites in the Jacuzzi.. ;-0
  • OliveCarsey
    OliveCarsey Posts: 78
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    I've never been bitten by chiggers but my grandma use to tell a story about her sisters and her getting bit EVERWHERE by them (the nuaghty girls snuck out one night when grandma was about 14 back in 1924)- her mom used hydrogen peroxide on the bites followed by rubbing salt on them (sounds very painful) fixed all the girls up in one treatment. Needless to say grandma used the combo on any bug bite any of us ever had and I now use it on my kids. Good Luck I hope something works for you.

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