Nettles

About a week ago I was thrashing some stinging nettles and got caught on the elbow. Oddly they didn't sting too much - but enough to cause some involuntary itching.

I was away at the time and driving home the next day I noticed my arm was a little stiff. Then I realised it was quite swollen.

The miles passed and I could feel the swelling getting to my neck. Thankfully I had some anti-histamines with me so stopped and took one - and that seemed to do the trick.

Then yesterday I was caught again. It looks as if all the summer rain has caused a blossoming of nettles of all things - they're everywhere. This time it was on the hand so I didn't hang around and smeared the sting bumps with Anthisan. Again that seemed to do the trick.

Now I have had some gum problems recently and about a week ago both I and my GP thought I had an abscess on a tooth. It was mighty painful. The dentist checked it and diagnosed a gum infection exposing a root nerve. He's never come across salicylate allergy (or hypersensitivity to use the correct phrase) before but seemed to agree that it might be causing gum inflammation - and hence the trapping of food.

Curious that tonight the gum pain is back - but it's also on the upper jaw. A quick check in the mirror suggests the gums are awfully inflamed. So tonight I've taken in order a paracetamol, an anti-histamine and then for the first time a table of Singulair. That's been suggested by the consultant and prescribed by the GP. It's an asthma medicine also used for "seasonal allergy" according to the description. There's a worrying list of potential side-effects. We'll see.