Are there any natural poison ivy treatments?
There's no surefire way of getting rid of poison ivy symptoms, no instant cure. It's genearlly accepted that if you have the rash, you've just got to put up with it until it's run its course and the poison is out of your system. Of course, this is easier said than done when you're in pain, with burning skin and unbearable itching! Fortunately, there are lots of known natural remedies to ease your symptoms. Some may even help to clear up the rash more quickly. The natural remedies generally have varying degrees of success, and it's often necessary to experiment with a few to find out which one works best for you.
Perhaps the best known natural remedy for poison ivy is the one that generally grows right next to it: jewelweed. Native Americans allegedly said that the Great Spirit put the remedy right next to the problem! Look around the area where the poison ivy grows (be careful not to come into contact with it again!) for a tall, green plant which can have yellow or orange flowers. Slice open the stem, which contains a sticky fluid, and rub it on your rash. Let it dry, and you should find that as well as easing the itching, it should stop the spreading of the rash.
It's interesting to note that several natural remedies for poison ivy do actually grow near to the problem plant itself! Aside from jewelweed, you might also find “touch-me-nots” and a plant called “Wild Peach”. Both of these are used as poison ivy remedies. Pick the leaves and stems, and boil them in water. Allow to cool, and then rub it on your skin for relief from burning and itching. A useful tip is to make a large batch of this mixture and then freeze it, so that you'll have an instant natural remedy on handif you happen to get poison ivy rash in the winter time, when there may not be any of these plants growing.
Then, of course, there are the natural remedies that are used for many, many skin ailments, and can work for this one as well: aloe vera and tea tree oil. Tea tree oil is frequently used to clear up rashes and skin problems such as acne, and many people swear by it for poison ivy rash too, saying that it provides instant relief from itching and speeds up the healing of the rash. Others opt for aloe vera, which is often used for relief from the pain of sunburn due to its cooling properties. Split open the plant and rub the fresh aloe vera on a poison ivy rash to alleviate burning and itching. This natural remedy is also safe to use on the eyes, which can be one of the most painful areas to be affected by poison ivy. If your eyes are swollen and burning, skin a few aloe vera leaves to expose the inside and apply them to your eyes. This should cool the rash and bring down the swelling enough to let you see again.
There are numerous other natural remedies (including rhubarb, Sweet Fern, and honeysuckle!) for poison ivy – these are just a few of the most popular. Try out a few and see which one works for you. If they don't help clear up your rash, they should at least make the burning and itching much less severe.
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