Poison ivy and oral steroid treatment
Would you recognize poison ivy?
Everyone hiking in the country or exploring the wilderness will be confronted
with poison ivy, at one time or another. Learning to recognize the plant and
understanding when to use oral steroids to treat poison ivy rashes, may save
your life or that of others.
Urushiol-induced, contact
dermatitis is an itchy, irritating skin rash that results from contact with
poison ivy, also known as toxicodendron radicans or rhus toxicodendron,
belonging to the family Anacardiaceae. (1)
"Urushiol oil or resin is
found in the leaves, roots, and wood parts (ie. vines and stems) of the poison
ivy, oak or sumac plants. It is a clear substance that is released by the plant
when it is cut or bruised. Leaves are bruised easily, especially in the spring,
so even a gentle brush against a plant can cause the urushiol to seep out onto
the skin." (2)
Anyone can touch a poison ivy
plant unknowingly, not realizing the danger and potential discomfort that may
result from doing so. For children, contact with poison ivy can present a life-threatening
situation particularly, if they eat the leaves or berries. Many people in the
western world are familiar with poison ivy, as it grows throughout North
America, with the exception of Newfoundland ,
the Northwest Territories , Alaska ,
California and Hawaii
The reason why contact with the
poison ivy's urushiol oil presents such a serious medical problem is that
dermatological contact can lead to a severe, allergic reaction that turns into
anaphylactic shock. (4)
"About 15 percent of the
120 million Americans who are allergic to poison oak, poison ivy and poison
sumac are so highly sensitive that they break out in a rash and begin to swell
in 4 to 12 hours instead of the normal 24 to 48. Their eyes may swell shut and
blisters may erupt on their skin. This is one of the few true emergencies in
dermatology, says William L. Epstein, MD. Get to a hospital as soon as
possible. A shot of corticosteroids will bring the swelling down." (5)
Symptoms of contact with poison
ivy may include the following:
Severe irritation and itching
of the skin
Red, weeping blisters - within
1-2 days of contact
Inflamed red patches or red
streaks on the skin
Clear fluid oozing from
blisters - indicates that blood vessels are leaking (Note that the use of
corticosteroids is indicated, if this happens.)
Infection or scarring - from
scratching itchy areas on skin
Duration of rash - usually 1-4
weeks
Rash on the lining of the
lungs, extreme pain, potentially fatal respiratory difficulty - if poison ivy
has been burned and the smoke has been inhaled
Damage to digestive tract,
airway, kidneys or other organs - if poison ivy is eaten
Note that poison ivy does not
spread from person to person, even when the blistered areas are weeping. (6)
Treatment for poison ivy
symptoms may include the following:
Calamine lotion
Burrow's solution compresses
Aveeno baths
Antihistamines
Bentoquatam lotion q47 - not
for children under 6 years
Antipruritics (7)
Learning to recognize poison
ivy is important for everyone.
"The compound leaves of
poison ivy consist of three pointed leaflets; the middle leaflet has a much
longer stalk than the two side ones. The leaflet edges can be smooth or toothed
but are rarely lobed. The leaves vary greatly in size from 8 to 55 mm
(0.31"-2.16") in length. They are reddish when they emerge in the
spring, turn green during the summer and become various shades of yellow, orange
or red in the autumn." (8)
If you find a plant that you
think might be poison ivy, do not touch it.
"The leaves are ternate with three almond-shaped leaflets. The fruit, a drupe, is grayish-white color and
is a favorite winter food of some birds." (9)
The word ternate means that the
leaves grow in groups of threes. A drupe is a berry that has a fleshy exterior
and a seed on the inside.
Mnenomic devices depicting
poison ivy are quite common.
Leaves of three, let it be:
Berries white, take flight!
(10)
If you are aware that you or
someone else has been in contact with poison ivy, seek advice from a physician,
as treatment with oral steroids may be indicated. Call 911 for immediate
medical assistance, if anyone has symptoms of anaphylactic shock.
(2)
http://www.answers.com/topic/poison-ivy-oak-and-sumac
(3) Op. Cit. wikipedia
(4) Op. Cit. wikipedia
(6) Op. Cit. sumac
(9) Op.Cit. wikipedia
(10)
http://www.ict4us.com/r.kuijt/en_poison_ivy.htm
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