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Campfire Ranger
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Went camping Friday night with a bud who was a bit bummed and needed to get away and came back Saturday afternoon.
We got to our site after dark and I donned my headlamp and went looking for firewood. I was as careful as I could be to not walk into things that are problematic. BTW, there are a TON of spiders out these days in this area...
This morning, Sunday, I get up to let the dogs out, and I pull down my sock to see my ankle and foot is covered in what looks to be 100 mosquito bites.
My other ankle only has a few of the similar looking marks.
So, not knowing exactly if I have a rash of chigger bites or a reaction to something else, I go to the ER and they hook me up with some cream to address the itching.
Well, this evening I've noticed the same bite looking marks on the back of my left knee and up my thigh. Thank GOD that's where they stop.
So, I know that poision Ivy oils can spread, and chiggers can climb. The treatment seems to be pretty much the same, according to the doc who couldn't answer the question for me.
So, since I've never had to deal with either due to hyper vigilance in my wilderness wandering, I turn to you guys.
What did I get into, and how do I tell the difference between chigger bites and poison ivy rash? All the Google pictures look the same....
"Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other." - John Adams
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Campfire Oracle
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Campfire Oracle
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Chiggers usually go for restricted places, like where your sox or your underwear are squeezing you. Poison Ivy don't care, and wells up in tiny blisters... Chiggers itch later like you can't believe!
"...the left considers you vermin, and they'll kill you given the chance..." Bristoe
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Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
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You have chigger bites. I'll take poison ivy over it, any day.
Chigger bites will make you scratch your nuts in court and church.
The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails. William Arthur Ward
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Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
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Get the doc to write a scrip for some atarax. It is an antihistamine with potent anti-itch properties.
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
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Chiggers usually go for restricted places, like where your sox or your underwear are squeezing you. Poison Ivy don't care, and wells up in tiny blisters... Chiggers itch later like you can't believe! That's the problem... I have them in both areas. Where my socks where, which would suggest chiggers, and on my thigh where I wear loose pants, which could suggest poison ivy.
"Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other." - John Adams
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Itching like I can't believe?
Check!
So far, no blisters...
"Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other." - John Adams
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Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
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You have chigger bites. I'll take poison ivy over it, any day.
Chigger bites will make you scratch your nuts in court and church. ^^^This^^^ Nothing I hate worse than Chiggers! I'd take Poison Ivy any damn day!!!
"Allways speak the truth and you will never have to remember what you said before..." Sam Houston Texans, "We say Grace, We Say Mam, If You Don't Like it, We Don't Give a Damn!"
~Molɔ̀ːn Labé Skýla~
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To top it off, my post camping shower yesterday yielded 3 ticks.
My buddy owes me big time...
"Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other." - John Adams
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Campfire Ranger
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What really baffles me, is that I really try to take preventative measures to avoid chiggers and ticks.
I do the DEET dance all over my clothes and exposed skin as soon as I get out of the truck...
"Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other." - John Adams
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Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
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If you put Deet around your boots,socks and ankles, you shouldn't have chigger bites. They're easy to prevent. Once they get you though, you're a scratching Mo-Fo for 4-5 days.
The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails. William Arthur Ward
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Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
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Pour yourself a good drink and relax, if that doesn't do it... pour another bigger one.... I feel sorry for you. You may have the Cooties... Chiggers that were living on the Poison Ivy, I use to get it lot as a kid living in the woods around Ft Bragg
Come on America, Athletes and actors are not heroes, only soldiers, airmen,marines and sailors get that respect�and let's add firemen and LEO's
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
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Poison ivy makes little blister like bumps that are filled with fluid. Chigger bites are hard like mosquito bites. Rubbing Alcohol will cut the Urushiol oil the Poison ivy leaves behind. After the oil is gone, Calamine will clear it up, unless you have a really bad reaction or are allergic. Chiggers seem to be an early Summer bug here when the grass and weeds are green. Once it gets really Hot and dry and the the plants start to turn brown, I don't have a problem with Chiggers. Chigger bites will make you scratch your nuts in court and church.
That ain't no joke. I've found PI much easier to deal with than Chiggers.
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
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My guess is chiggers. They suck....
Somethings I really don't miss about the south/east..
“Life is life and fun is fun, but it's all so quiet when the goldfish die.”
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
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Poison ivy makes little blister like bumps that are filled with fluid.
Chigger bites are hard like mosquito bites.
Chiggers it is! Thanks guys... They must have been really determined if they put up with my bug spray shower.... bastidges ITCH!
"Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other." - John Adams
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Campfire Oracle
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Campfire Oracle
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Wait till they get to your balls, like Bob said....
"...the left considers you vermin, and they'll kill you given the chance..." Bristoe
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Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
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Hate you got into chiggers my bud, those are the devil's pet. I've only got them once myself (a god awefull experience at Ft Chaffee Ark)
Hope they gave you some good meds!
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
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Just try not to scratch em. You can scratch em till they bleed and the "bump" is almost gone and they'll still itch due to the skins reaction. Just gonna have to tough it out for 3-4 days...
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
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Triamcinolone Acetonide Cream USP 0.1%.... Seems to be doing the trick. Doc said to use sparingly....ya right!
"Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other." - John Adams
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Wait till they get to your balls, like Bob said.... Those rounds are hitting danger close! Not there yet though...
"Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other." - John Adams
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Campfire Outfitter
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Just wait till you go to the same place the next time,even if it is in the winter.
You will start to itch in all of the places that them suckers got you this time.
lots of calamine and some type of antihistamine,this and time.
Happy scratching!!!
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