I am in absolute agony here.

[Squatch]

This last weekend, we were out in the field doing some military orienteering. Part of the course was through grassy fields.

Yesterday, I noticed the little red bumps start to form on my feet, shins, and calves...FUCK!!! Chiggers!

So far, I've found them all up and down my legs and a couple in my "nether" regions. It's taking all of my willpower not to launch into a full-out scratching session.

I've taken a Benadryl to reduce the need for scratching, so no I feel like I'm living inside a fishbowl.

[soleft]

1. OMG I'ver never even heard of Chiggers

What's their actual size. And hope you feel better soon!

[Squatch]

2. They're microscopic

[Midlodemocrat]

3. You might need to see a doctor if they've burrowed into

your skin. You'll need something like Elamite to get rid of them.

Sorry, dude. It sounds horrible.

[Squatch]

5. That's a misconception (I hope)...

"Chiggers do not burrow under your skin, as many people believe, nor do they feed on animal blood. They actually feed on the fluids in skin cells. To get the fluids, they attach themselves to a skin pore or hair follicle and inject a digestive enzyme that ruptures the cells. The enzyme also hardens the surrounding skin tissue, forming a sort of straw for sucking the skin cell fluids. The whole process irritates the skin, causing an itchy red bump that continues to cause discomfort for several days. Chiggers are only about 1/50th of an inch (0.5 mm) in diameter and so are too small to be seen with the naked eye. This invisibility is the reason so many people believe chiggers burrow under the skin."

Link

[Midlodemocrat]

6. I hope so, too.

But I did know someone who got the cream for them. Maybe it also suffocates them? That could be why doctors prescribe it. I would think something like vapo rub would work just as well.

[soleft]

13. sounds similary to sea lice - I had that once.

http://www.fau.edu/safe/sea-lice.html

[MissB]

4. Oh, that sounds like oodles of fun.

Bummer

[Fire Walk With Me]

7. A girlfriend and I once got scabies from a friend's blanket.

The bright spot: having a loved one apply the ointment.

Hope you're alright soon!

[Radio_Lady]

8. Oh, my goodness! I had an attack of them when I was in NC at age 13.

I'm 68 and I still remember how miserable that was.

Isn't there some medical treatment for chiggers? I thought you had to cover them with ointment so they could not breathe or something like that.

Wish I could help you research this but we're on travel in the Bay Area of California and I don't have access to a computer except at 10 cents a minute. Not that you're not worth it...:sarcasm:

Hope you feel better soon.

[LostinVA]

9. Twice a day take a hot bath -- as hot as you can stand it

Believe me, it works. Last summer, I had hundreds and hundreds of bites below the waist, over 200 on just one leg, from trail running.

[Squatch]

11. No bathtubs at work...

I work 10 hour days, and all day I'm wearing calf-high combat boots, which exacerbates the itchiness. If I take another Benadryl, I'm going to pass out.

[supernova]

10. Noseeums

Man they itch like crazy. :crazy:

If I get one, I have to use betadine on it to heal the bite.

[Parche]

12. bites

We have changed your DU name to Sqratch...........:hi:

[reyd reid reed]

14. Oh, geeeze....

I can sympathize. Chiggers are horrible. Have you tried any topical creams? When I was a kid and we had problems with 'em, all we had was calamine lotion. There's probably better stuff out there now.

I'm sorry.

[Squatch]

15. I used some stuff I bought at REI...

It's ammonia-based and worked for about 10 minutes. The Benadryl actually helped out quite a bit, though I'm still really woozy from the drug.

[Bake]

16. All things must pass

But in the meantime, they gonna itch like a mofo!

I always loved to scratch them until they bleed ...

Bake

[huskerlaw]

17. Cover the bumps with

fingernail polish. It helps with the itching and suffocates the chiggers. At least, that's what I've been told. Regardless, it helps with the itching.

[lildreamer316]

18. CLEAR NAIL POLISH & anti-itch cream.

First one suffocates them so they die quicker;and the second helps meantime. They will quit itching within the day.