Preparing for Poison Oak, Poison Ivy, and Poison Sumac

I’ve never had it; the kids have never had it.  I had to call my husband at work and ask if he had ever had it.  Nope, and we’ve all done a bit of camping and hiking.

Maybe it’s because we’re careful; maybe it’s because we’re immune—20% of the population is unaffected by it.  Maybe it’s because we live at high elevation in the desert and have for most of our lives except for that stint in Missouri.  I don’t know.  I’m not complaining.  I understand it is horrible.

Western poison oak is generally found in woodlands and favors oak, chaparral, Douglas fir, Ponderosa pine, and mixed evergreen forests at elevations below 5,000 ft.[1]  Atlantic poison oak afflicts the southeastern part of the US. Poison ivy, on the other hand, is found throughout the country.  Poison sumac is found in the eastern part of the country, and is substantially more toxic. 

The fear of the rhus dermatitis (the contact dermatitis people get from poisonous plants), a severe, itching rash caused by the urushiol oils in these poisonous plants, prompts most people to be aware of the appearance of these plants and be cautious in the outdoors.  And yet, an estimated 350,000 Americans each year have a regretful run-in with them.  After exposure, the patient has about 15 minutes to wash off the oils and prevent the rash from developing.  Unfortunately, such thorough cleansing so soon after exposure (especially when people are unaware of exposure) is rarely an option.  Following exposure, the rash may take from a few hours to two weeks to appear as red, itchy bumps.  Because the rash may not occur all at once, patients often think the rash is spreading.  However, the fluid from the blisters is not contagious.[2]

The oil remains active almost forever.  It remains active even on dormant vines and shrubs throughout the winter.  It can be transferred by pets or to household surfaces by people before they realize they have come into contact with the poisonous plants.  Bleach is commonly used to wipe down any surfaces that the afflicted individual may have touched.  Clothes must be thoroughly washed.

The smoke from burning vines and shrubs, especially those of poison sumac, has been reported to cause fatalities either due to suffocation (because the airway swells closed) or allergic reactions to the inhaled smoke. 

Treatment

As soon as exposure is suspected, wash the skin well with strong soap and cold water.  Hot water opens the pores of the skin and allows more of the oil to penetrate. (Later on, hot water may be used to help alleviate the itching.)  Fels-Naptha soap can be effective even several hours after exposure.  Rubbing alcohol may also be used on small areas of the body, but never on small children due to the risk of alcohol poisoning. 

Doctors often recommend Benadryl, 25-50 mg 4 times per day, to relieve the itching.  Higher doses will make the patient sleepy. 

Calamine lotion and hydrocortisone cream are not very effective. 

Untreated, the rash will resolve on its own within 2-3 weeks.

Alternative therapies:

·       Apple cider vinegar wash

·       Baking soda paste

·       Baking soda-cornstarch bath—1 cup of each in a ½ full tub of cool water

·       Chamomile tea poultice

·       Dock, a fresh poultice of the whole plant[3]

·       Epsom salt bath

·       Essential oils—tea tree, lemon, lavender, peppermint, geranium, chamomile mixed in fractionated coconut oil or aloe vera gel.[4]

·       Gumweed, a fresh poultice of the flower buds or a tincture diluted and used as a wash[5]

·       Oatmeal bath—1 cup in a ½ full tub of cool water

Links to related posts:

Baking Soda

Benadryl

Cornstarch

Epsom salts

Gumweed

Lavender

Oats

Peppermint

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[1] Janet L. Howard, Toxicodendron diversilobum, 1994, In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. 

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station,

Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available:

https://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/vine/toxdiv/all.html [2021, March 11].

[2] Cynthia Koelker, Armageddon Medicine 2012, 230.

[3] Charles W. Kane, Medicinal Plants of the Western Mountain States, 2017, 123.

[4] Joseph Alton, The Survival Medicine Handbook, 2013, 254.

[5] Charles W. Kane, Medicinal Plants of the Western Mountain States, 2017, 160.

 03.31.21