Poison Ivy, Oak, or Sumac

I don't know about your back yards but ours seems to be full of poison ivy this year. A couple of weeks ago I was pulling weeks and by the next morning my arms were covered in red bumps. By the end of the week I was miserable. I had poison ivy for the first time last year but it wasn't bad. In fact I didn't even know I had it until I went to the doctor for an annual exam and the doctor told me a I had poison ivy. This time it was so bad that by the fifth day I had to go to the Minute Clinic because I wasn't even sleeping at night. Apparently, poison ivy actually gets into your blood stream so it isn't just a condition on your skin. Now it seems like I can't get rid of it. It has been several weeks and although it looked like it was gone for a while, it came back again.

I did some research on poison ivy, oak, and sumac after I visited the nurse on duty at the Minute Clinic. It seems that the plants actually have to touch you and the reaction comes from an oil (uroshiol) on the plant. The poison can be passed on from pets who walk through poison ivy plants but it can not be passed on from human to human. And, the myth that it spreads when you scratch is actually not true. The places in which you have poison ivy is actually where the plant touched your skin. Again, it is actually in your blood stream so it can take several days to several weeks before it is no longer visible. You can read more about it on www.webmd.com which is a considered a reliable source for health information.

I was told by both a doctor and the nurse at the Minute Clinic that the actual diagnosis is Contact Dermatitus. Most poison ivy, oak, or sumac rashes can be treated successfully at home. Initial treatment consists of washing the area with water immediately after contact with the plants. To relieve symptoms, use wet compresses and take cool baths. Nonprescription antihistamines and calamine lotion also may help relieve symptoms. Moderate or severe cases of the rash may require treatment by a doctor, who may prescribe corticosteroid pills, creams, ointments, or shots (injections).

After this most recent reaction, my opinion is that you should learn about what the poisonous plants look like and STAY AWAY. Not everybody has a an allergic reaction to the plant but you don't want to find out if the hard way if you are one of the unlucky ones who is allergic.