Health and Wellness Review

10 essential facts about poison oak and poison ivy

1. Poison oak, poison ivy and poison sumac all contain urushiol, an oil that causes an allergic reaction in three out of four people. Within hours or days, a red, itchy rash erupts on the skin.
2. Poison ivy is most common in the central and eastern US. The plant can grow as a vine or shrub. Watch out for a reddish sheen and the characteristic three-leaflet shape.
3. Poison oak is most common in the western US. It grows as a shrub. Its leaves are shaped like oak leaves and have a hairy, pale underside.
4. Poison sumac grows in wet areas. It is a woody shrub. Poison sumac has clusters of green berries, whereas harmless sumac has red berries.
5. Some people are far more sensitive to urushiol than others. They will have a quick reaction after even small contact. Other people seem to be totally immune.
6. Most cases clear up within a week or two, but serious cases can last for a month or more.
7. Watch out for secondary exposure! You can get a rash from urushiol oil on clothes, pets, garden tools, camping equipment, etc. Wash anything that might have been exposed.
8. The smoke of burning poison ivy, poison oak or poison sumac is especially dangerous. Call a doctor if you’ve been exposed.
9. There’s no cure. Cool showers and calamine lotion will help manage the itch. Severe cases or those involving the face or genitals may require a prescription medication such as prednisone.
10. Like anything else, watch out. If you get a fever, it doesn’t get better, it’s on your face or genitals, or it starts to smell funny, make sure to call your doctor!

You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.