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Poison Ivy or Poison Oak affects a large number of people in the United States and is very often the main reason behind the allergic rash that covers the exposed area with red itchy pimples, accompanied by swelling, inflammation, a sense of burning and fever. Since the plant is found in the woods, the countryside and gardens, the parts of the body commonly affected include the face, hands, arms, legs and feet. The itching is caused by the Urushiol oil found in the poison ivy plant.
You can get infected by direct contact with the plant or even if your pet has been in contact with the plant. If the plant has been burnt, even the smoke acts as an irritant and cause problems of the respiratory tract. Poison ivy rash can be treated at home using simple home remedies.
You can start by simple dietary measures which help in fighting the infection, by making your body fighting fit. You should ensure that your diet is rich in Vitamin C since that will stop the rash from spreading and reduce the swelling by controlling the infection. Regular consumption of Calcium and Beta-Carotene can help to improve the immune system, making it stronger and thus speed the process of healing. Increasing the consumption of zinc helps to heal the skin that has been damaged by the poison ivy rash.
In order to soothe the itching and inflammation caused by the rash, you can apply a cotton cloth that has been soaked in ice water and sit under a fan so that the cloth dries, giving a cooling sensation as it dries. Apart from this, you can also apply the juice of Aloe Vera to the affected parts to soothe the skin irritation and speed the healing process. Another plant that helps in controlling the rash is the black nightshade plant. You can simple grind the plant, mix it with some milk and apply it on the affected parts. The milk of the milkweed plant is also beneficial for treating the poison ivy plant. The juice of tofu and even watermelon rind are effective in soothing the redness and itching and drying the oozing pimples caused by the infection. Another good way to control the itching is application of a paste of 3 tsp baking soda with 1 tsp water. Alternately you can use baking soda, Epsom salts and even oatmeal. Finally do not forget to wash everything that was used at the time of exposure, so that you do not have a repeat infection.
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