What's the Difference Between Poison Oak and Poison Ivy?
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Thanks for the wash-up tips.
I live on the central coast of California too, in the canyons east of Pismo Beach. There is a lot of 5+ foot high poison oak shrubbery here, however, behind the house there is a GIANT poison oak vine/tree a few inches in diameter and at least 60 feet tall growing up a tree!
So sorry to hear of your friends' accidental poisoning. Stay safe.
I wouldn't wish oak poisoning on my worst enemy. My rash turned into something that looked like a chemical burn. I'm getting treatment from my family doctor after not getting any relief from over the counter or home remedies.
I would like to know if you can burn the poison oak or ivy after its been cut down and has died, if not how do you get rid of it? Now I have never been allergic to the stuff, and I am on up in years, but I was cutting and cleaning out some poison oak/ivy about 2 weeks ago, and I don't know if maybe in my older years I may have gotten may not as resistible to it as I have always been. I have a very small place on my arm that itches like crazy and it just turns red. I put alcohol, etc on it but it stops but comes back itching. I forgot about trying the calamine lotion. I have always cut down the poison oak and just pulled out the vines and threw them away and most likely burned them, I have a lot of the dead vines to dispose of is why I ask if its safe to burn after it dies? I sure hope I haven't become allergic to it, I am the only one in the family that can remove it with out breaking out and been so thankful that I am not allergic to it. Have a great day.
Don't burn it, Pat! Even if the plant is dead, the urushiol oil remains & will become airborne if burned. People have died from breathing in the airborne oil.
Cut it down, burn it, or stay awaw and post it for others!?!?
Never ever burn poison oak or poison ivy, the oils travel in the smoke and can kill you! Lungs swell up and can’t take in oxygen. God bless your home and family
Pat, regarding the spot on your arm. I discovered an effective remedy for poison weed itching 18 years ago. Turn on a hair dryer on High, and train the air on the affected spot, between 6 and 12 inches away, depending on how it feels. The idea is to heat your skin only a few seconds until you feel a definite stinging from the heat. That's it; you should notice welcome relief for a few hours. Good luck.
I also discovered a great way to treat the itching. Wash the affected area with soap and very hot water. The hot water will turn on the itching intensely for a minute or two (it actually feels good - something on the edge between pleasure and pain. Then you will have a few hours of complete relief from the itching. I had a recent bought of poison oak on my arms and was able to use this method in the kitchen sink and the shower.
Hi Obed,
Thank you for sharing your experience. I had had a huge problem twice for a summer last year. I found your idea is a true brilliant. Lana.
I'm 59. I still remember being an early teen and waking up looking like Frankenstein. I had red irritation from my ears running down my neck. I hadn't been in the woods or near any ivy, and knew I was allergic to them (I'm not hyper sensitive but I'm pretty bad. I used to tease I could catch it from looking at a picture).
Not sure what it was, my mother took me to a doctor.
Seems the neighbor had been burning weeds, and I caught the oils falling from the smoke... Internally.
Later on life, while on the military, I woke up one December day to find my face to be the color of my camouflaged uniform. Never seen anything like it. I was black, blue, and I recall green. I worked in the base hospital and called the ER, and they said come IN.
When they saw me and realized I wasn't kidding they took me right to isolation. A doc checked me out, scratched his head, and out me on quarters (instead of being admitted for sent home for rest for 24 hours).
Each day I had to go back in to get out on quarters, seeing a different doc. Come the 5th day, the doc said "if I didn't know better if swear got had poison x internally, but it's December, and they're dormant"
I looked at him and he could tell by my expression something clicked....
The wife and neighbor had made wreaths out of vines and she hung two in our mobile home, heated by forced air, circulating and exposing me... To the now not dormant....