Poison Ivy

Poison Ivy can occur anywhere on the body but does have a high predilection for the feet and lower legs. It is generally regarded that poison ivy is easier to avoid than it is to treat.

If you know you are going to be in an area with poison ivy and incidental contact is a possibility then the best way to protect yourself is by wearing long pants, tucked into your socks, along with a long sleeve shirt. Some sources recommend spraying exposed body parts with deodorant and there is an additive in the deodorant that prevents the poison ivy oil from entering the skin. Once exposed to the poison ivy oil try to wash off the oil with nothing more than soap and water within fifteen minutes or less. If available, lye soap may work somewhat better.

The problem with urushiol oil is that it remains active for a long period of time. All clothing and equipment that came into contact with the oil also has to be cleaned since any lingering oil can also re-infect.

Once you are exposed, a rash will develop in one to two days. At this point treatment is geared to reducing symptoms and preventing blistering and secondary bacterial infection.

In around 12 hours after exposure the first signs will be little bumps that look like insect bites. The best thing to do is to apply prescription grade topical cortisone cream to the area in an effort to reduce the impending inflammation. Just apply the medicine, allow to air dry. Do not cover with bandages. If prescription cortisone cream is not available to you than over-the-counter hydrocortisone cream or calamine lotion is an acceptable alternative, but still not as effective as prescription medication.

Oral antihistamines may be very helpful to reduce the itch. By scratching the area you increase the inflammation, you may also spread the poison and you may develop secondary bacterial infections due to the breaks that will occur in the skin. This will then require oral antibiotics. Cool showers and lukewarm baths with oatmeal or baking soda added to the baths may be helpful in reducing the inflammation and drying up the oozing blisters.

The good news is that poison ivy is a self limiting condition and that during the active phase any measures you take to reduce the inflammation and itching will go a long way to making your experience that less miserable.

Mother and Aunt Grace competed and cooperated in helping their families live well on little money. Grace was her sister-in-law who lived on the edge of Goreville year around. Both women were intelligent, well read, and industrious, and they succeeded very well in their thrift. One summer they came up with a recipe for using all that excess milk and cream to make real cheese. Mother was never satisfied, for the cheese lacked firmness and had the consistency of a spread. It tasted wonderful, and I considered the enterprise a great success. I also adored the homemade root beer Aunt Grace made and served as refreshment on a hot summer night.

For more information on various causes of foot pain, as discussed by a podiatrist, click here.

A podiatrist with over 25 years of clinical experience treating conditions of the foot, ankle and lower leg.