Treating poison oak with homeopathy

Dear Friend,

Hiking, biking, camping — outdoor season is here, and so are the poison oak calls. These eruptions cause a lot of suffering; they are swollen, hot, oozy and SO SO itchy!

The culprit for this contact dermatitis is urushiol oil found in the Toxicodendronspecies of plant, which includes poison oak, poison ivy and poison sumac. The urushiol oil is so powerful that an amount the size of a grain of salt will cause a skin reaction in almost every person. Contact can happen from brushing the leaves or bare stems of the plants, or can be transferred from your pet or clothing that has been in contact with the plants. You can even get poison oak from the stools at your local beer joint after hikers and bikers have sat there (Alert: Gestalt Haus!). You cannot get it from the blister fluid from another person.

Your best protection is to be aware of what the plants look like. Note which plants grow in your area, and look up the images online. Remember the adage “leaves of three, let them be” which refers to the leaves of poison oak and poison ivy having 3 or 5 leaves. Poison sumac can have 7 to 13 leaves. The leaves are shiny dark green in spring, and turn red in autumn. The plants tend to grow in shady areas. Dampness and lack of sun favor the active oils.

If you are exposed, wash thoroughly with a degreasing soap. I keep Dawn in the shower for this purpose, but there are also special washes like Tecnu, made specifically to remove urushiol oil.

If a rash appears, act quickly:

Treat as soon as possible with homeopathy.
Keep a journal of your symptoms and update it daily to find the best matching remedy.
Keep yourself comfortable, and try not to scratch.
If self-treatment fails, call your homeopath for a more personalized acute remedy.

POISON OAK REMEDIES:
*An asterisk indicates the most important symptoms of the remedy

Rhus toxicodendron:

80% of poison oak cases will be resolved with Rhus tox
Vesicles in the line of the scratch – see photo above for classic Rhus tox “swipe”
Itching is better from hot water*
Angry looking skin
Eyes swollen shut
Red vesicles
Intense itching, stinging, burning like fire
Thin, yellow discharge
Worse at night in bed
Mentally restless
Stiff, irritable

Sulphur:

Worse from being warm in bed, scratching, washing, bathing*
Restless in bed, unable to sleep
Scratches until bleeding
Dry crusty pustules
Swelling
Glutinous white or yellow discharge after scratching
Intense burning and itching
Worse on left side

Anacardium:

Swelling*
Red area around pustules
Scarlet red crusts, sharply defined blisters
Yellow or transparent discharge
Intense itching; digs nails into the skin*
Burning after scratching
Better from hot water*
Better from rubbing
Worse from being in bed at night

Croton tiglium:

Pustules dry into yellow scabs
Oozing yellow serum turns into thick scabs*
Feels hidebound – like skin is tight and inflexible*
Feels tight all over*
Small numerous vesicles
Pustular vesicles with red around
Intense itching followed by painful burning
Worse touch, night, morning
Better gentle rubbing
Feels impossible to bear, can’t stand it

Graphites:

Glutinous, sticky, yellow serum after scratching
Honey-like discharge*
Dry, crusty, rough, thick skin
Cracking with/without discharge
Burning, stinging, itching
Worse evening, night, warm bed, cold, wet
Especially if located in the bends of the joints

How to use and take the remedies:

After choosing the best fitting remedy, put 3 pellets of a 30C potency in an 8 oz. glass, bottle or jar of water. Stir or shake before each dose. Take one sip or spoonful three to four times a day. If no change in 36 hours, change remedies or call your homeopath.

Further resources:

If you find yourself struggling with these eruptions frequently, consider getting The Homeopathic Handbook for Poison Ivy and Poison Oak by Joel Kreisberg. There will be useful information in home use books such as Everybody’s Guide to Homeopathic Medicines by Dana Ullman.

Wishing you optimal health,

Alexis