By Nurse Diane
It’s a beautiful day; you are
taking a nice stroll.... The grass is green, the trees are green, and there are
green leaves everywhere! But
beware! Leaves of 3 let it be! Yes folks, I’m talking about poison ivy and
poison oak. This is a real problem in
the southern states and I’m sure other area as well. I am highly allergic, just writing is is
making me itch! There was a large oak
tree across the street from my school. I
would stand by it after school to wait for my mother to pick me up. It didn't take too long for me to learn that
it was covered with those nasty green leaves. I touched it and swole up like that blueberry
girl on Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. I had to go to the
doctor and get what must have been a steroid shot back then my mother covered
the rash with that pink calamine lotion.
Not only was I miserable with itchy seeping blisters all over my swollen
face pink colored face, but also I looked like a circus clown.
When my father gets around it, he immediately
starts a steroid dose pack to keep from getting a bad case of it. Not only can you get a reaction from touching
the leaves, but also if the leaves are burning and the smoke gets near you, you
can get the rash, and also if you touch someone who has it you can get it.
I recently read another article
about a new plant that is making its way across the country. Its called Giant hogweed and it is a plant
that looks like a supersized version of Queen Anne’s lace and a touch can cause
blisters, burns and blindness.to see a short video about this plant, click
here:
Symptoms of the
rash or contact dermatitis as it is more formally known as include:
Itching at the site
Redness at the site
Heat at the site
Localized swelling or tenderness
Blisters or rash
Treatment
If you come in contact with poison
ivy or any poisonous plant, wash immediately with soap and water. If a rash develops use corticosteroid creams
and ointments if the condition becomes unbearable, however sometimes the best treatment
is no treatment. Over treatment of skin
rashes may cause you to develop reactions to other irritants. However, you may need corticosteroid
medication if it worsens. It usually
takes 2 or 3 weeks before the symptoms disappear.
Prevention
As my daddy will tell you, if it is green and has leaves,
stay away from it!
(Photos from Google)
I was fortunate enough to never be affected by any of these. I could even lay down and roll in poison ivy when I was a kid.
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