Poison Ivy Swelling

Poison Ivy swelling is very serious and is one of the symptoms that causes the most trouble in sufferers of this allergic reaction. As an allergic reaction it can be very severe in a small number of people, compromising the health of vital organs causing heavy damage or even death.

The vast majority of people who have touched poison ivy will develop normal swelling; it is only on very rare cases when the swelling takes place near the throat area, blocking the delivery of oxygen to vital cells in the body, leading to anaphylactic shock.

If you have a severe swelling caused by contact with poison ivy, you must go to the doctor and talk about what are your options to start reducing it, and talk about what to do in a case of emergency. You may talk about options such as the use of Benedryl to minimize the symptoms, but in case your doctor will be better qualified to give you directions according to your medical history and the sensitivity to Urushiol.

Nowadays, people use many methods to reduce the swelling, including the use of home remedies or a natural poison ivy cure. Some people recommend using heat and ice alternately to bring down skin swelling. Vinegar is another remedy used by a lot of people with this problem; it has been used extensively to bring relief for the itching, bring down the swelling and dry out the unhealthy skin tissue.

On the field of creams and medicines, there are products such as Ibuprofen and Motrin which can ease the torture of the rash. Cortisone creams can also help reducing the swelling, but their use must be controlled appropriately.

Poison ivy swelling is not the same in all people, as it has different degrees of severity according to your sensitivity to Urushiol. The best thing to do, besides preventing contact with poison ivy, is to treat the swelling as soon as it appears to minimize the discomfort associated with it. If you have found poison ivy near your home, contact a gardening company that has experience removing these plants without hurting anyone; in the meantime keep your children and pets indoors. Animals don’t get the symptoms but can easily spread the toxin throughout the house.

Remember that if the swelling gets pretty bad, you need to seek immediate medical help, to avoid any complications in the future.