Poison Ivy...

[K.Snyder]

After doing a couple landscaping projects both personal as well as business oriented I have been riddled with poison ivy...Out of my 26 year existence I have always thought that poison ivy was contagious just by the rashes...Apparently it isn't...

But I know many people out there get it, and I also realize that many people may know nothing about it at the same time I'm wondering if poison ivy is prevalent in the UK or other countries as well...I remember talking with a friend of mine from the UK and I believe she had told me that she never sees it there and that it doesn't really grow in the UK...

Poison Ivy:

Unfortunately, many of us are more familiar with the allergic rash caused by the plant than we are with the plant itself.

Poison ivy typically grows as a vine but may also assume a shrub form. It can be found growing up the trunk of a tree as well as across the ground, sending up shoots through the garden mulch or leaf litter. The plant can be identified by its characteristic compound leaf, which consists of three leaflets. As can be seen in the picture, two leaflets are attached opposite each other at their base while the center leaflet has a longer stem (petiole). If you can look for this leaf shape, you are much less likely to come in contact with poison ivy. The color of the leaves will vary with the season. In summer they are a deep green but in early spring and the fall they will be red to red-yellow (In fact the plant is quite pretty in the fall). The vine has a characteristic form as well. As it grows up the trunk of a tree it will have a great number of rootlets holding it tight to the bark of the tree. This is quite different than is seen with other vining plants such as wild grape. Some folks mistakenly identify the harmless (and quite beautiful) Virginia creeper as poison ivy so we have included a picture of that as well. It has five leaflets rather than three and they all arise from a central part of the leaf.

The rash of poison ivy is caused by the urushiol that is in its leaves and vines. The oil is clear and therefore cannot be seen on the skin and may stay active for years on any surface including dead plants and vines. It is not uncommon for physicians to see cases where people have carried firewood that had some poison ivy residue on them and resulted in a rash. You can also come in contact with the oil through smoke if the plant is burned in a fire. This can result in an allergic response throughout your airway.

Approximately half the population is allergic to poison ivy, and some more so than others. In fact, many people who think they are “immune” will have a reaction if the exposure to the oil is strong enough (including the author).

Like many medical conditions, the best treatment for this condition is prevention. First, become familiar with the appearance of the plant and try to identify it before you are exposed. If you have it in your yard or garden apply some herbicide (RoundUp) as the plant is very sensitive to this. The second technique is to wash with soap and water as soon as possible after a known or possible exposure. Soap and water do a good job of breaking down the oil. If it is a known exposure, interrupt your activity to wash up immediately. On the other hand, if you have been doing a high-risk activity such as weeding an overgrown flowerbed, showering as soon as possible would be a good idea.

If despite these techniques you still come down with the rash there are some other things you can do. Over the counter medicines that may lessen your symptoms include Benadryl (oral or topical), hydrocortisone cream, Aveeno Bath Powder, and Calamine lotion. If your rash is more severe, you may need to be seen in the office for a steroid injection, a stronger steroid cream, or a course of oral steroids.

Another important point is that poison ivy is not contagious. Once you a have taken a shower or bath you will not spread the condition on yourself or to others. Contrary to folk wisdom the fluid in the blisters and oozing from the rash cannot spread the condition. The rash may seem to be spreading over the course of several days but what actually happens is that the areas with the heavy oil contact show up first and those with less oil contact show up days later.

The other plants that are frequently mentioned with poison ivy include poison oak and poison sumac. Neither of them is found in this part of the country.

This spring and summer take the time to learn how to identify poison ivy. Remember, “If leaves be three then let it be”.

Submitted by:
Dr. Patrick Burns
Summit Medical Group
Covington Family Practice

http://www.summitmedical.org/new_sit...r=Poison%20Ivy

[CARLA]

Dang I though Poison Ivy grew every where.

[qsducks]

Do not sit on my deck at the moment as a vine of the stuff grew up under the deck and onto a chair. I need gloves to remove it. Not allergic, but hubby is

[Carolly]

I live in a cottage that is covered with Ivy......have it everywhere in the Garden also....I love it.....although I know its doing my place no good

[qsducks]

Originally Posted by Carolly

I live in a cottage that is covered with Ivy......have it everywhere in the Garden also....I love it.....although I know its doing my place no good

If you have brickwork, it will ruin it.

[Carolly]

Originally Posted by qsducks

If you have brickwork, it will ruin it.

The cottage is made out of larve and plaster and brickwork and yes I know yer right

[qsducks]

My mom has ivy in her yard and every year I used to have to clean it, it was awful. A giant weed pain in the arse routine. The whole 9 yards of cutting, blaha, blah, so glad it's not in my yard. Pretty to look at, but a pain to maintain.

[Carolly]

Originally Posted by qsducks

My mom has ivy in her yard and every year I used to have to clean it, it was awful. A giant weed pain in the arse routine. The whole 9 yards of cutting, blaha, blah, so glad it's not in my yard. Pretty to look at, but a pain to maintain.

Why did you clean it.......we dont here....just let nature do that.

[qsducks]

Originally Posted by Carolly

Why did you clean it.......we dont here....just let nature do that.

Teen punishment times When I was a naughty teen. Course, I don't do it anymore as I just send my teens over to do it for grandma

[K.Snyder]

Originally Posted by qsducks

My mom has ivy in her yard and every year I used to have to clean it, it was awful. A giant weed pain in the arse routine. The whole 9 yards of cutting, blaha, blah, so glad it's not in my yard. Pretty to look at, but a pain to maintain.

I've read that poison ivy is extremely sensitive to weed killers, and that when sprayed with most weed killers that it actually dies within a day or two...

When I started the job that I was on I had given the person an estimate as the Sun was going down it was rather dark outside...If I had known it was riddled with as much poison ivy I would have told him the earliest I could get to it would have been yesterday(Which would have been two days after I had completed the work that had taken me two days to finish)...

Now I'm literally covered in poison ivy all over my arms, legs and body...I've never had it this bad...

So irritating...