Poison ivy comprises poison oak, poison ivy and poison sumac trees. These plants causes an allergy in nearly 80 percent of population. Poison oak allergy causes various symptoms in people like dermatitis, blisters, itching, rashes and bumps.
Poison oak causes allergy due to a chemical compound called urushiol, which can be transferred from plant to the other objects like garments, toys and animals. Urushiol can remain potent on an object for more than a year. Exposure to this chemical from the poison oak and also to its pollen cause poison oak allergy. The symptoms caused by poison oak allergy are discussed in this article.
Symptoms of Poison Oak Allergy
Some of the symptoms are as follows:
- Headache — Poison oak allergy causes sinus headaches.
- Congestion — Due to poison oak allergy, a person can experience sinuses and nasal passages congestion. It may also cause difficulty in breathing through nose.
- Runny nose — Nose can become runny and sometimes freely dripping. It is a symptom of pollen allergy of poison oak.
- Itching — There can be itching on the skin of face, scalp and body when a person comes in contact with oak tree pollen.
- Sneezing — Oak pollen causes sneezing and you may sneeze several times in a row, which can be painful.
- Sore throat — Throat can become scratchy and sore due to skin inflammation by oak pollen.
Wearing long sleeved shirts and boots when a person is going into the area surrounding poison oak can avoid the allergic symptoms caused by poison oak. Taking corticosteroids can prevent the allergy, but corticosteroids can have adverse side effects. Immediately washing the affected area with soap water can help minimize the rashes caused by poison oak allergy. Baking soda and water can also be used to wash the affected area. These are some of the ways to cure poison oak allergy. The same allergic symptoms are also caused by cashew fruit and mango sap.
