Poison Ivy and what you need to know when affected by it

Poison Ivy is a plant that is to be seen through all of North America and is present in two main varieties – Western, or Pacific, and Atlantic. The concern with Poison Ivy, which grows as ground cover and can grow into large bushes, is that it contains an oil – Urushiol – that, when it comes into contact with our skin, causes very irritating blistering and irritation.
It is vital to understand that the oil occurs not just in the leaves but in all of the plant, including the root and the stem, and it is the immune system pushing against the poison, as it seeps into the skin, that is the originator of the pain we feel.
Why Poison Ivy is poisonous
It may seem unusual to us that at plant should be poisonous, but like many living things Poison Ivy has its part in the ecosystem. The way it grows is interesting as it gives shelter for lower growing plants and ground dwelling animals, and the majority of those are, unlike humans, not affected by the oil.
Also, Poison Ivy bears berries that are an important foodstuff for a great number of bird species.
How to know the symptoms and more about Urushiol oil.
The patient will very quickly undergo irritation in the skin, combined with severe itching and inflammation in the infected area. The skin will become darker and a burning feeling will occur, and in a short span blisters will form along with the rash.
Suffering can persist for many weeks or may be gone within days, and an individual case is different. It is suggested that cooling the skin is a good antidote and also prevents further infection.
There are various important factors that people need to understand about Urushiol oil, and the first is that it is very potent indeed. Research has proven that a quantity of the oil the size of a pin-head could spread to 500 people, and as it is not a water based substance it will not evaporate.
The latter point presents a major concern as it means the oil can still be on on items it has been in contact with for as long as, and maybe longer than, a year. This presents the possibility of re-infection, or of anyone who has not been in contact with the plant being affliected. Clothes, shoes, tools and pets can all hold the oil, and the very small amounts required to cause suffering give it greater potency.
Gloves and coats, together with boots, are among the commonest causes of Poison Ivy infection and should be scrubbed thoroughly if contamination is suspected.
How we can become infected
There are many ways that an individual can come into contact with the oil from Poison Ivy, and transfer from preciously contaminated clothing and other items is one method as we have already noted.
The reason that we suffer when having encountered the oil is because of the necessary reaction it promotes, and it is notable that direct contact with the plant is not vital to induce a reaction.
If Poison Ivy is burned the smoke is full with vaporised oil, and even coming into contact with this concoction can promote an attack. It has been said that a 100 year old oil once affected a man, an indication of how dangerous the plant can be.
Anything that has been in contact with the sap of the plant has to be avoided, therefore, and animals kept away from Poison Ivy bushes.
How to deal with a sufferer of a Poison Ivy reaction
It is important that treatment is started immediately, and the best method is to wash the affected area in warm water. A sensible recommendation is to use a very potent antimicrobial soap and to do all one can to stop the patient from scratching, as this will spread the infection beyond its boundaries.
It is essential to open the blisters, too, and to enable the area of infection exposure to the air. Keeping blisters wrapped is necessary in order not to invite infection.
Remember that it is just the oil that will encourage the infection to spread, so contact with it should be refrained from.
The condition will, eventually, clear up completely, but there are treatments available for the irritation and for extreme reactions. It is the choice of the individual whether to suffer in silence or to invest in further help. Some of us are fortunate in that they have no sensitivity to Poison Ivy, but these are rare and most of us would be infected by coming into contact with the plant.
If one knows of Poison Ivy the best advice one can give is the most obvious – avoid it very carefully and don’t let your pet near it.

Nadeeka Johnson is an experienced article writer with over a 1,000 articles covering a wid variety of topical written at www.allstop.com/poison-ivy/poison-ivy-treatment