Quite a few of you have asked me this year for a remedy for chigger bites.
I must confess, I had never heard of chiggers until about ten years ago. Perhaps they are more of a Southern thing, and I just wasn’t exposed to them in New York.
But now that I’m in Florida and it would appear I am going to get to know them better.
Technically, they are called Trombiculidae — so yes, “chiggers” is much easier to pronounce. Some of you may also know them as red bugs, berry bugs or harvest mites.
Not actually insects, they are arachnids (members of the spider/mite family). They live in forests, woodlands, grassy areas — anywhere there is low, decaying, damp vegetation.
In their larval stage, they climb aboard unsuspecting humans, burrow a tiny hole into the skin and inject a digestive enzyme to break down a small amount of skin for the little nuisance to eat. Those little attacks leave behind lesions, rashes and extreme itching as their calling card.
Even though they have a funny name, they are no joke.
A member of my staff recalled being warned about them when she was a little girl. Her grandfather would rake all the pine straw and leaves on his property into huge piles to use as mulch.
Those mountains of vegetation were tempting to a little girl who wanted to run and jump headlong into the pile! But her family urged her not to with a simple, “Watch out for the chiggers!”
How she was supposed to “watch out” for them is rather laughable, as they are practically microscopic (or at least require a powerful magnifying glass to see). I think instead, her parents were politely trying to say, “Don’t you dare jump in that pile, young lady!”
Frankly, the only way to “watch out” for chiggers is to avoid the areas they frequent, but in the summertime when playing outdoors, that’s pretty hard to do.
And you know from last week’s blog post on the dangers of pesticides, I am not about to systemically poison my surroundings to kill a microscopic predator I can avoid instead.
As life would have it, though, there are times you just can’t avoid certain things, no matter how hard you try!
Sometimes, merely a slow walk on a golf course can result in picking up a community of microscopic chiggers (especially if you’re a golfer who ends up under the trees more than on the fairway).
So, what can we do after we’ve become a buffet for these teensy red bugs? Why, homeopathy, of course!
A good baseline for any bite (puncture wound) is Ledum 200, twice a day.
If the itching is over-the-top maddening, then our next line of attack would be Antimonium crud 200 mixed together in the mouth with Arsenicum album 200, twice a day (maybe even three times a day, depending on the crazy-making level of the itching).
This is a Banerji Protocol combination that works beautifully for a lot of itching conditions. (It’s important to expand our thinking as we learn to use homeopathic protocols. For instance, if this remedy works well for one itching condition, it is an excellent place to start when faced with another itching condition. So, remember this one!)
If the itching is so severe it awakens the person at night, then Coffea 200 twice a day is an effective addition (with the second dose being timed for right before bedtime).
Let’s face it unless you carry a microscope into the backyard, you’re not going to be able to “Watch out for the chiggers!” If you are unsuccessful in avoiding them, it’s best to be prepared to relieve their aftermath with homeopathy.
Warmly,
Joette
P.S. Speaking of expanding your thinking as you learn about different remedies, a perfect place to start is having a materia medica front-and-center in your homeopathy library.
Most of you already know a materia medica is a listing of remedies, along with their keynotes and what symptoms and illnesses they treat.
Well, I’ve written my own as a framework to guide you through your remedy choices. It’s written in my easy-to-understand language, and I’ve also included my personal insights and experiences — the signs I’ve learned over the years that help me know when to use a particular remedy.
I encourage you to own A Materia Medica: Practical Homeopathy® for Busy Families as a stellar foundation for your continuing homeopathy education.
I am a homeopath with a worldwide practice working with families and individuals via Zoom. I'm also a teacher and most importantly, a mom who raised my now-adult children depending on homeopathy over the last 31 years. I lived decades of my life with food intolerances, allergies, and chemical sensitivities until I was cured with homeopathy, so I understand pain, anxiety, and suffering. You may feel that your issues are more severe or different than anyone else’s, but I have seen it all in my practice and in my work in India. My opinion is that nothing has come close to the reproducible, safe and effective results that my clients, students and I have achieved with homeopathy.
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Joette is not a physician and the relationship between Joette and her clients is not of prescriber and patient, but as educator and client. It is fully the client's choice whether or not to take advantage of the information Joette presents. Homeopathy doesn't "treat" an illness; it addresses the entire person as a matter of wholeness that is an educational process, not a medical one. Joette believes that the advice and diagnosis of a physician is often in order.
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We regularly work on a property that can have grass a foot or so tall. The second I step out of the truck, I dust my boots and jeans with sulfur dust from the hardware store or plant nursery. I dust up my jean leg as high as the grass is. (We pour the sulfur in an old long gym sock for dusting.)
We learned this from a rancher friend, and it definitely works. When one of us doesn’t use it in the summer, we get bitten by chiggers. The itching is almost as bad as poison ivy! The downside is the smell is very difficult to remove from clothing. It takes several washings.
Thank you, Joette! I am so glad you wrote about this! I am just getting over chigger bites that covered my foot and went all the way up my leg to my lower back. It looked like I had a battle with a bee’s nest! I employed Ledum and Antimonium and within a week I was doing much better. Last year I had chigger bites or should I say the itching left over from them last for 4 months until I learned from your blog what to do about bug bites and itching in general. After a few doses of Antimonium the 4 months of relentless itching subsided and never returned. Thank you for letting us know of the extra steps we can take with the Arsenicum and Coffea.
Yes, Jennifer. Many thanks for your communication and suggestion.
Thank you so much! My son has suffered terribly 5 weeks from the bites and Ledum didn’t do the trick, nor did Urtica urens provide what he needed. He isn’t quite over them, so I plan on trying this. I have been so blessed by your teaching and my family is so thankful, beginning with Lachesis for TWO black widow bite occurrences! (The ER only offered Tylenol with Codeine. Lachesis worked amazingly!) Thanks again!
Makes ya wonder why the ER doesn’t stock it.
Thanks so much!! Because i have cats that go outdoors–and come back in–I’ ve had chigger bites for years, beginning around August and sometimes lasting through November. Horrible itching!! I will try these protocols.
I use cider vinegar, Neem oil and geranium essential oil with water in a spray bottle for ticks and fleas on my pets (and me) so would this work for chiggers to repel them?
These are not repellents, but treatments.
Is the vinegar, neem oil and geranium oil effective in keeping the buggers off?
Hi Joette,
Cousin June here in Florida. I get them every year when I go up to Callaway Gardens in Georgia. The itch goes away after about 4-5 days, but it is crazy until them. I have found the best thing to do is wear boots or sneakers and socks, (it kills me, I’m a flip/flop girl) in the wet mulch and as soon as I get home, I undress, shower with lots of soap and wash those clothes immediately in hot water. I sometimes still get them, but this has cut down the infestation quite a bit! Love, Cousin June Calabrese Kittay here in Tampa, Florida…welcome to the south! (But it’s worth it!)
Also, being from Buffalo, the first time I was told I had them quite matter of factly by a southerner, I exclaimed,
“What the _____ are Chiggers!” and then had a heart attack!
AHHHHHH!
Hi June, ‘Nice to hear from you.
Good advice that I’ll take to heart should I go walking in grassy areas. I’d rather not get them in the 1st place.
I get immediate relief with kerosene … “Klean Strip 1K” … for chiggers and other itchy bites. I follow that with Emu Oil. Emu oil helps with some especially difficult itchy bites and helps heal skin.
I have a question: Why is the protocol for Flea itching in 6c and the chigger itching in 200c? Based on the remedy cards and blog. I just want to write the difference on the cards for future knowledge. TYVM..thank you very much! 😉
I’m interested to also know if Antimonium crud in 6c would also work in this instance. I have friends visiting from Missouri who were just telling me about the awful chigger attacks they are all having and wanted to send them home with these remedies. I just realized my 200c kit from WHP does not have Antimonium crud 200c. I only have 6c on hand from some other skin protocols – dandruff and flea bites for my dog. I don’t think I’ll have time to order 200c before their return.
Its likely that 6c will act.
Great! That is good to know. Thanks Joette! I’ll make sure I order Ant Crud in 200c for future needs. It seems this protocol is so versatile!
Thank you Joette. How can one tell the difference from bites. What does a chigger nite look like? I’m also not seeing the helpful info card at end of blog??
I think I have chiggers from my dog. The Ledum 200C takes care of the puncture wound and the Anti Crud and Arser. album takes care of the itching. The wound is already there from the chigger, and the chigger is creating new wounds. Am I missing another remedy to get rid of the chigger? What gets rid of the chiggers?
Read the comments above yours; particularly from my cousin, June Kittay.
Joette, I read the info. on your dog Buster having fleas when you think he didn’t have them. Well my Bishon Frise is alot itchier than normal lately but I don’t think it’s fleas or dry skin and we didn’t change shampoos or anything. It could be seasonal allergies here in Syracuse, NY, maybe a food allergy, or even yeast overgrowth. In other words, it’s just a guess. I’m inclined to give him the Antimonium Crud 200 mixed with the Arsenicum 200 (although I would have to purchase them both) because the itching is kinda “over the top” as you mention above. Is there any reason I shouldn’t try this? Thank you. Patricia
The only reason I can think of is that you might be missing the fact that its indeed fleas. So check thoroughly and constantly. Regardless you’ll likely find that Ant/Ars will help with itching.
I think using staphysagria has made me less likely to get [email protected] bit by chiggers, ticks or ants. I am an avid outdoorswoman in Florida for both work and pleasure. When I do get a bite, it isn’t as severe. I also use OHM Insect Repellent & Sting Relief. Another great product after a bite is Miranda Castro’s Healing Gel for Bites & Stings.
I am curious why one of the spider remedy’s wouldn’t work for this since you say they are an arachnid anyway, are they not enough like a spider to work?
There are many homeopathics that can aid in these conditions. THese are the ones that I’ve grown to count on.
And remember, we’re considering like pathology, not exact pathology. The similarity is not usually found in the specific species but in the outcome of pathology that best determines the remedy choice.
This is great info, thank you! My question is this, my boys 8 and 10 are farm boys and they are tromping the pastures and woods all year long. From spring to fall they come in daily with ticks or chiggers. I feel like I’m giving them ledum all the time! Is this ok to be giving ledum 2x daily nearly 5 months of the year?
It’s rather excessive to be using Ledum 200, daily for 5 months. I wouldn’t use Ledum for chigger bites unless other homeopathics failed to act and I’d cover them with protective clothing (which I’m certain you’re doing) and essential oils. The idea would be to save Ledum for when it’s more certainly needed.
If the itching is maddening do you keep using Ledum twice a day and add the anti crud mw ars alb or do you stop the ledum. Thank you!