Some plants contain oily resin like substance that causes itchy rash in men and women. Urushiol is one such resin found in the leaves and branches of poison ivy and oak trees that cause poison ivy rash. This type of resin can stick on to the clothing and boots of humans when they are walking through the plants. The same plant can produce worst type of infection in the lungs when it is burnt accidentally and the smoke is inhaled. Treatment can be given for poison ivy rash by medications like corticosteroid.
Symptoms :
The symptoms caused by direct contact of poison ivy plant are itching, swelling and redness on the area that is exposed to plants and its roots. It can also cause pus filled blisters or lesions on the skin. Red colored straight line is seen on the skin in the place where the plant has brushed your skin. Sometime it can cause bumps or blisters or even hives on the skin from which oily fluid oozes out.
Initial symptoms of itching and swelling will begin within a day of exposure to the plant. As such direct contact of the plant or its stem will not produce severe itching. But if a person has direct exposure to urushiol resin of the plant the infectious rash will become severe. This oily resin will cause high itching and has the quality of spreading to other parts of the body when the person rubs his finger over it.
Itching and swelling may continue to be there for 2-3 weeks and can be controlled by medications. Poison ivy rash is not contagious and it is the oily resin called urushiol that causes rapid spreading on the skin. In rare cases it can cause swelling of mouth or neck region or even the genitals.
Causes :
Oily resin by name urushiol is responsible for causing poison ivy rash. This oily resin is present in the leaves and stem and even on the roots of the poison oak plant. Due to its sticky nature this resin will easily attach to the skin and clothing. Pets can also spread the rash when its fur gets coated with oily resin.