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

Poison Ivy is a plant that prospers through all of North America and is known 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 many parts of the plant, including the root and the stem, and it is the immune system operating against the poison, as it seeps into the skin, that is the root of the pain we feel.
Why Poison Ivy is poisonous
It may seem unusual to us that at plant should be poisonous, but like the best living things Poison Ivy has its home in the ecosystem. The way it grows is a clue as it is used as shelter for lower growing plants and ground dwelling animals, and the majority of those are, unlike humans, not affected by the oil.
Plus, Poison Ivy supplies berries that are an important foodstuff for a number of bird species.
How to see the symptoms and more about Urushiol oil.
The patient will very quickly suffer from irritation in the skin, in company with severe itching and inflammation in the troubled area. The skin will become a different colour and a burning feeling will occur, and in a short while blisters will form along with the rash.
Suffering can be endure for many weeks or may be finished 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 a number of important factors that people need to get to know about Urushiol oil, and the first is that it is very potent indeed. Research has proven that a small amount of the oil the size of a pin-head could infect 500 people, and as it is not a water based substance it will not evaporate.
The latter point presents a major difficulty 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 affected. Clothes, shoes, tools and pets can all be party to the oil, and the tiny 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 disinfected thoroughly if contamination is suspected.
How an individual can become infected
There are a variety of ways that an individual can come into contact with the oil from Poison Ivy, and transfer from affected clothing and other items is one reason as we have already noted.
The reason that we suffer when having come into contact with the oil is because of the natural reaction it promotes, and it is notable that direct contact with the plant is not essential to induce a reaction.
If Poison Ivy is burned the smoke is mixed with vaporised oil, and even coming into contact with this mixture can promote an attack. It has been said that a 100 year old oil once affected a man, an indication of how troublesome the plant can be.
Anything that has touched the sap of the plant must be avoided, therefore, and cats kept away from Poison Ivy bushes.
How to look after a sufferer of a Poison Ivy reaction
It is important that treatment is attempted immediately, and the best method is to wash the problematic area in warm water. A popular 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 trouble ever more.
It is essential to open the blisters, too, and to bring the area of infection exposure to the air. Keeping blisters wrapped is imperative in order not to add infection.
Remember that it is just the oil that will invite the infection to spread, so contact with it should be limited.
The condition will, in a while, clear up by itself, but there are treatments available for the irritation and for serious reactions. It is the decision of the individual whether to suffer in silence or to invite further help. Some lucky people are fortunate in that they have no sensitivity to Poison Ivy, but these are few and far between and most of us would be infected by coming into contact with the bush.
If one finds Poison Ivy the best advice a man 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