Nettle tea benefits are vast and encompass a wide variety of disorders and problems. The plant is a panacea when taken internally, and it can also be used to treat external disorders such as skin conditions, bleeding and wounds. It may be most well known for the tiny, stinging hairs present on its leaves, which irritate the skin upon touching. Stinging nettle, however, has much more to offer. More commonly used as dried leaves, it causes no harm when the leaves are dehydrated or cooked. Regardless of how you make nettle herbal tea, you'll be sure to reap some of the numerous nettle tea benefits if you drink it on a regular basis.

Nettle tea has been used as medicine for hundreds of years. Some of the herb's more popular uses have included coughs, tuberculosis, hair loss and arthritis. Modernly, nettle leaves are used by herbalists and even medical doctors to treat a wide variety of ailments. Germany's Comission E, which is the country's equivalent to the American Food and Drug Administration, approved nettle for the treatment of enlarged prostate and many other internal medical conditions.

One of the most important nettle tea benefits is its ability to reduce the production of prostaglandins, which are responsible for various types of inflammation. This unique property makes nettle tea and other nettle products useful in the treatment of gout, arthritis and even certain kinds of allergies. It is also a mild diuretic, making it useful for bladder, kidney and urinary tract disorders. Some additional internal nettle tea benefits include:

• Treating anemia
• Boosting the immune system
• Restoring nutrients to the system
• Treating coughs, colds and congestion
• Battling urinary tract infection
• Dissolving kidney stones
• Treating bladder problems

Try drinking nettle tea the next time you have a kidney or bladder infection, but make sure to consult your doctor first. Never take nettle when on prescription drugs without first consulting a doctor, as serious reactions could occur.

Although most people think first of consuming nettle tea, it also provides many benefits for external use. Because of its powerful anti-inflammatory characteristics, it can be used to treat boils, rashes, hives and many other skin conditions. In Russia, nettle is even used in the treatment of eczema, acne and psoriasis. Other nettle tea benefits for external use include:

• Wound washes
• Foot baths
• Poultices
• Treating nettle-rash
• Dry, itchy skin
• Uneven complexion
• Getting rid of dandruff