Poison Ivy is a plant that prospers through all of North America and is present in two main varieties – Western, or Pacific, and Atlantic. The importance with Poison Ivy, which grows as ground cover and can eventually be seen as 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 every part of the plant, including the root and the stem, and it is the immune system pushing against the poison, as it seeps into the skin, that is the instigator of the pain we undergo.

Why Poison Ivy is poisonous

It may seem unusual to us that at plant should be poisonous, but like most living things Poison Ivy has its position in the ecosystem. The way it grows is a guide as it gives shelter for lower growing plants and ground dwelling animals, and the majority of them are, unlike humans, not affected by the oil.

Also, Poison Ivy gives rise to berries that are an important foodstuff for a great 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, combined with severe itching and inflammation in the troubled area. The skin will become a different colour and a burning irritation will occur, and in a short period blisters will form along with the rash.

Suffering can be endure for many weeks or may be gone within days, and a particular case is different. It is suggested that cooling the skin is a good antidote and also prevents further infection.

There are many important factors that people need to understand about Urushiol oil, and the first is that it is very potent indeed. Research has indicated that a particle 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 mentioned presents a major obstacle 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 a person 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, along with boots, are among the most obvious causes of Poison Ivy infection and should be scrubbed thoroughly if contamination is suspected.

How we can become infected

There are numerous 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 been contaminated by the oil is because of the natural reaction it promotes, and it is notable that direct contact with the plant is not imperative to induce a reaction.

If Poison Ivy is burned the smoke is mixed with vaporised oil, and even coming into contact with this concoction can induce an attack. It has been said that a 100 year old item once affected a sufferer, an indication of how troublesome the plant can be.

Anything that has been in contact with the sap of the plant must be avoided, therefore, and cats kept away from Poison Ivy bushes.

How to help a sufferer of a Poison Ivy reaction

It is important that treatment is started immediately, and the best method is to wash the contaminated area in warm water. A sensible recommendation is to use a very well tried antimicrobial soap and to do all one can to stop the patient from scratching, as this will spread the problem more.

It is imperative to crack the blisters, too, and to bring the area of infection exposure to the air. Keeping blisters attended to is necessary in order not to invite infection.

Remember that it is simply the oil that will invite the infection to spread, so contact with it should be refrained from.

The condition will, in a while, clear up naturally, but there are treatments available for the irritation and for serious reactions. It is the choice of the individual whether to let it die naturally or to invest in further help. Some individuals are fortunate in that they have no sensitivity to Poison Ivy, but these are scarece and most of us would be infected by coming into contact with the plant.

If one finds Poison Ivy the best advice we can give is the most natural – avoid it very carefully and don't let your pet near it.