Health Information Blog

When you think of poison ivy you may picture a plant that can be a nuisance, that gives you a rash and makes you itch for a while. It can be much worse than that. Some people must be hospitalized after coming in contact with it, and others have actually died.

If this plant was being burned and you inhaled the smoke, you could get the rash on the lining inside your lungs. The pain would be unbearable, and it could be deadly.

Of course, it could also be fatal when there is a hypersensitive allergic reaction. But you have to figure, since that happens to some people with peanuts, it is certainly possible with poison ivy. The interesting thing about this particular plant is the fact that the longer you are exposed to it, the more sensitive you will become to it.

Somewhere between 15 and 30 percent of all people do not have a sensitivity to the poison in this plant, but that can change with exposure. If several friends were hiking and they all had contact with the plant, there might be at least one of them who was not affected by it, at all. However, if she decides to get cute and takes some with her, either to show off her special powers, or to chase her friends with it, there will likely come a point that she becomes sensitized, and develops the same reactions to it as everyone else.

Urushiol is the actual poison in the poison ivy. It is found in its sap. It is the reason for the itching and burning skin. It sticks to your skin immediately upon contact and starts burning. You skin quickly becomes inflamed and it itches like the dickens. Then later, blisters will form.

Those blisters are going to ooze for a while. The good news is that they will not be spreading the poison in the process. Your best choices for relief are natural, or natural based products, rather than harsh chemicals. Oatmeal baths are very soothing & helpful, and so is baking soda as well as calamine lotion. The rash lasts one week to one month.

North America is the only area this plant is known to be found. When Europeans travel here to do some hiking, they are always incredulous that something so hazardous grows so freely. Obviously, your best bet is to avoid it like the plague. It looks like so many other plants, you will end up avoiding a lot of things you do not need to worry about, but it is always better safe than sorry.

Poison ivy can attack from many heights. They grow at the ground level from 4 to 10 inches. They grow as shrubs, up to 4 feet. They grow as climbing vines. Be on the lookout for leaves that are almond shaped and found in groupings of three. They are green, yellow, orange or red, depending on the season.

Find those right choices for Poison Ivy Cures by going online. There you can learn what you need to know about Poison Ivy Rash and how to treat it. Head online now and discover more.