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Treatment for poison ivy
How to cure poison ivy?
( 3 Oct 2007)
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Poison ivy is a plant that is commonly found in North America and is known for causing skin reactions in people. This poison oak plant or poison ivy as it is usually known has the ability to produce urushiol. Urushiol is a skin irritant that causes skin rashes in people.
It is this sap (urushiol) that makes the poison ivy poisonous. Grazing against the poison ivy plant with any part of your body that is exposed is all it takes for this poison to be released. However, keep in mind that you do not have to be in direct contact with the poison ivy plant in order to get the poison ivy rash. Urushiol oil binds itself to anything it comes into contact with. This makes the urushiol oil indirectly contagious and dangerous as well. For instance, if urushiol is stuck on clothing and a person comes into contact with the clothing, he/ she would run the risk of developing the rash. This is also a reason as to why the poison ivy rash spreads among a group of people. Now that we know what poison ivy is, it is time to look at poison ivy symptoms.
Poison ivy symptoms and signs include:-
- Severe itching
- Redness
- Blisters
- Swelling
- Inflammation
Poison ivy symptoms or rather the rash that is a symptom of poison ivy, often appears as a straight line on affected persons. This is because of the way the plant brushes against the skin. Bear in mind that poison ivy symptoms occur 12 – 14 hours after exposure and these symptoms can last up to eight weeks. A person who has come into direct contact with the plant will experience the utmost intensity of all the poison ivy symptoms. Symptoms are less severe if contact is made through any other medium. Also remember that the stronger your immune system is, the more severe the poison ivy symptoms will be.
Methods on how to treat poison ivy are not very difficult to find. There are several poison ivy cures available today and perhaps the best way to avoid looking for poison ivy relief is to identify the plant itself. However, if you have been in contact with the plant and develop the rash, try out some of the poison ivy remedies given below.
- If you do come in contact with the poison ivy plant, wash the area immediately with soap and water. The sooner you do this, the better. It will help to wash away some of the urushiol that is on your skin.
- However, if you do not realize that you have been affected and a rash appears, avoid the use of hot or warm water. The oil spreads and disperses in hot water. Always wash or bathe with cold water so that the oil does not spread.
- Apply a paste of baking soda and water on the rash.
- Calamine lotion is recommended to help with the itchiness the rash brings along with it. Calamine also dries up the blisters and helps the rash to heal faster.
- Use oatmeal as a scrub while bathing. Boil the oatmeal and when cool, apply it on the affected area. Keep it on till it dries and then wash it off.
- Aloe vera gel helps to both soothe the rash and heal it as well. It also cools the area where the rash has occurred.
- Mix equal quantities of vinegar, salt and buttermilk and rub this mixture onto the rash. This might be painful initially but it will provide relief.
The above home remedies for poison ivy are recommended as they can help alleviate the poison ivy symptoms.
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answered by G M on 11 Apr 2011, 4:06:48
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Treatment for poison ivy - 1.Wash the part thoroughly with soap water or any good antiseptic solution . 2.Take a homeopathic remedy as Rhus tox 10 m 2doses at 8 hours interval . 3.Drink lot of water at small intervals .
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answered by D M K on 9 Oct 2007, 6:40:47
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