Summer is finally here! Unfortunately, not everything about summer is festive including catching poison ivy.

Summer is finally here! Unfortunately, not everything about summer is festive including catching poison ivy. This hearty plant grows throughout most of North America and is capable of causing problems for humans year round. The problem is the urushiol resin produced by the plant. The urushiol resin is capable of producing an extremely itchy and uncomfortable allergic rash in the vast majority of humans. The more we scratch the affected areas the more damage we do to the underlying skin and the farther we spread the irritating urushiol resin. Left untreated the poison ivy rash can cause potential problems for weeks. So what are the best ways to treat poison ivy?

The key to successfully treating poison ivy is to break the itch-scratch cycle. There are several oral antihistamine pills and tablets available without a prescription which can successfully reduce the redness, swelling and itching from a poison ivy rash. An older choice such as Benadryl is effective but sedating for some individuals. Try limiting Benadryl to the evening only. Newer agents such as Zyrtec or Claritin are less sedating and better daytime choices.

Adding an OTC gastric reflux medication such as Tagamet or Zantac short term to oral antihistamines can further reduce the itching of poison ivy.

The poison ivy rash is caused by an allergic reaction to the urushiol resin produced by the poison ivy plant. Topical steroid creams such as hydrocortisone can be a helpful part of an effective treatment program to control the rash's itch. Used alone it is less effective since it does not work immediately.

There are several combination creams available which can help to sooth the itching and burning skin associated with a poison ivy rash. The onset of action is usually very quick. Look for ones that contain topical Benadryl (for itching), pramoxine (for pain) or benzyl alcohol (for both itching and pain).

Some topical combination creams contain agents called counterirritants such as menthol or camphor. Counterirritants help to diminish your focus on itching at a site by creating a less irritating tingling or cooling sensation at the same location.

Zanfel is a topical wash which supposedly is capable of binding to the urushiol resin already on your skin and allowing it to be successfully washed off. If true then removing the offending chemical that is triggering the allergic reaction should accelerate the healing process. Finding unbiased medical reviews for Zanfel's effectiveness can be a challenge.

The application of either hot or cold compresses to an affected area is controversial. Try them both and see which one more effectively reduces the itching and burning of poison ivy for you.

If despite your best efforts the poison ivy rash progresses or if the itching is simply making your life miserable then it's time to consider either oral or intramuscular steroids. Both are very effective at internally breaking the itch-scratch cycle which perpetuates the itchy rash associated with poison ivy. You'll need to contact your doctor for this treatment.

* Avoid Calamine lotion. Used for decades to treat the rash of poison ivy the FDA has indicated that Calamine lotion has never been medically proven to be safe or effective; in addition, the ingredients contained in Calamine lotion can themselves cause an allergic skin reaction in some people.
* If the poison ivy rash begins spreading to your face or genital areas it's time to see your medical doctor for treatment.