Grasp the nettle

You can check your answer here.

But not without getting nettled.

"deal" is the right answer.

I believe this to be solely a British idiom. I don't think you would find it used at all in American or Canadian English.

However, it is understandable. Since a nettle stings when you touch it, the only reason to grasp this plant in this context would be to deal with the problem... for better or worse