Poison Ivy Rash

A poison ivy rash is very uncomfortable and if left untreated can lead to more complications. It is not particularly difficult to identify a rash from a poison ivy plant because there are many common signs and symptoms. Once contact has been made with the poison ivy leaves, stem, or roots of the plant the symptoms will begin to develop within a few hours. These include, but are not limited to

- A very uncomfortable itchy rash
- Redness of the skin or red bumps
- Blisters that are filled with pus
- Swelling of the affected area
- Dryness of the skin

You should also be aware that if you are exposed to other members of the Genus Rhus or Toxicodendron you end up with the same or very similar symptoms. The other members include poison oak and sumac amongst many others. To get more technical and referring to things from a medical perspective, the rash is called rhus dermatitis or allergic dermatitis. This is a very powerful rash which develops after you have been in contact with the Urushiol from the poison ivy plant.

If you happen to realise that the Urushiol oil has made contact with your skin then you can prevent it from being absorbed providing you act quickly. You can just simply wash it off with hot water or even have a warm shower to get rid of it. If you fail and the poison ivy rash develops then you should get the appropriate medicines straight away which will ease the discomfort and eliminate the rash altogether in time. You should also contact you doctor as soon as possible and he or she will be able to prescribe the most suitable medication in your particular case. In the mean time, before you see your doctor and in the early stages of the rash, run a bath of warm water with some oatmeal in it to help soothe and lessen the severity of the rash. This can even stop the itching in some cases for a certain amount of time but is not a long term solution and is not substitute for proper medication.