Save money by recognizing poison ivy

A lot fewer people would visit the ER or their family doctor for poison ivy if they were more astute at recognizing the vine and the dermatitis.

The poison ivy plant grows through North America east of the Rockies.  The degree of allergy to poison ivy varies from person to person, but tends to magnify with repeat exposure.  People who have thought they were immune are surprised to find they, too, can get the rash.

To address the first problem, recognizing the plant, I’ve included several pictures.  Keep in mind that poison ivy may grow as an ivy, a bush, a vine, or a ground cover. 

In the following pictures note that the color of the leaves varies from green, to brown, to red. The surface of the leaf may be dull or waxy.  One picture shows the side leaves having a mitten-like appearance. 

 

 

Note that the rash tends to appear in areas where the plant can brush against the body.  Many people develop the rash on their arms from carrying brush for disposal, weeding, or hedging.  Brushing against the leaves tends to cause patches of the rash, whereas scraping by a stick or twig tends to cause linear lesions. The rash from poison oak or poison sumac would look similar.

© Cynthia J Koelker, MD – All rights reserved
http://www.101waystosavemoneyonhealthcare.com/

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