Poison ivy and Poison oak can be treated with a simple herbal remedy

Poison Ivy or Poison Oak rashes can be incredibly traumatic for sufferers. In fact, many people spend the rest of their lives with recurrences of the rash, which can even lead to anaphylaxis for those who suffer severe allergic reactions.

The flipside of this is that some people suffer no reaction at all to Poison Ivy and appear to be completely immune. However, this accounts for only a very small percentage of people.

Don't get too close! Exposure to Poison oak or ivy should be immediately acted upon by washing the exposed skin with rubbing alcahol and then water.

Is there a Cure?

There is no silver bullet for Poison oak/ivy rashes however, there are many treatments available, and these treatments tend to have different types of success rates for different people.

Sufferers have usually tried multiple treatments with mixed results; however these treatments are usually corticosteroids and can lead to numerous side effects.

Native American Herbal Medicine

An old North American herbal medicine for Poison oak or ivy rashes was the Impatiens flower, also known as Jewelweed.

Jewelweed extract is available from many naturopaths and similar retailers, however rubbing the Impatiens flower on the rash can also give good results. Jewelweed is also a good herbal treatment for bites and stings.

Native Americans used Impatiens to treat Poison oak and ivy rashes. These days, you can buy the extract from herbalists or even online from eBay.

The Impatience Flower

There are around 1000 varieties of the Impatiens flower, it is commonly known as Jewelweed, Balsam and Touch-me-knot. It is worth noting that not all Impatiens come from the Jewelweed group (the Impatiens that is indigenous to North America) and this could explain the mixed results some sufferers of Poison ivy and Poison oak rash experience.

Ironically, Poison oak/ivy and Impatiens often grow within close proximity of each other.

Treatment

The best way to treat a Poison oak or ivy rash is to wash with rubbing alcohol and then water immediately after exposure. Also, throw away any clothing that may have also been exposed. Treat it like toxic waste.

Calamine lotion is another often referred to treatment, as is Tea tree oil and allergy medications available freely over the counter. There’s no rule that says you can’t try different things until you find what works for you. Serious blistering, rashes or swelling should be seen to by a doctor.

The plant close up: It's easy to identify by the leaves. Poison oak and ivy can also have redish leaves during autumn.

Some Simple Facts

Wikipedia states that Poison ivy grows through North America and Canada and is found in wooded areas. It also grows in exposed rocky areas, in open fields and disturbed areas. The similar species, Poison oak, is just as widespread across areas of North America.

There are three tell-tale signs for identifying poison oak or ivy :

1.Clusters of three leaflets

2.Alternate leaf arrangement

3.Lack of thorns

Many other plants fit this description, so some false identifications are going to occur if you use the tell-tale signs above. However, unless you are immune it is better to err on the side of caution.

Just to add to the challenge, leaf damage, leafless conditions during winter, and unusual growth forms due to environmental and/or genetic factors, make identification of Poison ivy difficult sometimes.

Pioson ivy in Autumn