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Preparing for your appointment
By Mayo Clinic staffYou probably won't need medical treatment for a poison ivy rash, unless the rash persists for more than a few weeks or you think you may have a bacterial infection too. If you're concerned you'll probably first see your primary care physician. However, you may be referred to a doctor who specializes in skin disorders (dermatologist).
Because appointments can be brief, and there's often a lot of ground to cover, it's a good idea to arrive well prepared. Here's some information to help you get ready for your appointment, and what to expect from your doctor.
What you can do
- Write down any symptoms you're experiencing, including any that may seem unrelated to the reason for which you scheduled the appointment.
- Write down key personal information, including recent vacations or time spent outdoors, especially if you've been hiking, gardening or landscaping.
- Make a list of all medications, vitamins and supplements that you take, including information on your usual dose.
- Write down questions to ask your doctor.
Your time with your doctor is limited, so preparing a list of questions can help you make the most of your time together. For a poison ivy rash, some basic questions to ask your doctor include:
- What's the most likely cause of my symptoms?
- Are there other possible causes for my symptoms?
- Do I need any tests?
- How long will this rash last?
- Is it OK to scratch?
- Will scratching spread the rash?
- Will popping the blisters spread the rash?
- What treatments are available, and which do you recommend?
- What types of side effects can I expect from treatment?
- What can I do to help control the itching?
- How can I prevent this in the future?
- Are there any brochures or other printed material that I can take home with me? What Web sites do you recommend visiting?
What to expect from your doctor
Your doctor is likely to ask you a number of questions, such as:
- When did you begin experiencing symptoms?
- Have you had a similar rash in the past?
- Have you spent time outdoors recently?
- What treatment steps have you already tried?
What you can do in the meantime
A poison ivy rash will eventually go away on its own. But, the itching can be difficult to deal with. Here are some steps you can take to help control the itching:
- Apply an over-the-counter corticosteroid cream for the first few days.
- Apply calamine lotion.
- Take oral antihistamines, such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl, others), which may also help you sleep better.
- Soak in a cool-water bath containing a colloidal oatmeal product (Aveeno) or baking soda.
- Place cool, wet compresses on the affected area for 15 to 30 minutes several times a day.
- Contact dermatitis and patch testing. In: Habif TP. Clinical Dermatology. 5th ed. Maryland Heights, Mo.: Mosby, Inc.; 2010. http://www.mdconsult.com/book/player/book.do?method=display&type=bookPage&decorator=header&eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-7234-3541-9..00013-4--s0105&displayedEid=4-u1.0-B978-0-7234-3541-9..00013-4--s0115&uniq=186228941&isbn=978-0-7234-3541-9. Accessed Feb. 28, 2010.
- Contact dermatitis: A practice parameter. Palatine, Ill.: Joint Council of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. http://www.aaaai.org/professionals/resources/pdf/contact_dermatitis_%202006.pdf. Accessed Feb. 28, 2010.
- Contact dermatitis. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/print/sec10/ch114/ch114c.html. Accessed Feb. 25, 2010.
- Outsmarting poison ivy and other poisonous plants. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. http://www.fda.gov/forconsumers/consumerupdates/ucm049342.htm. Accessed Feb. 28, 2010.
- Poison ivy, oak and sumac. American Academy of Dermatology. http://www.aad.org/public/publications/pamphlets/skin_poison.html. Accessed Feb. 25, 2010.
- Gladman AC. Toxicodendron dermatitis: Poison ivy, oak, and sumac. Wilderness and Environmental Medicine. 2006;17:120.
- Bovine cartilage. Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database. http://www.naturaldatabase.com. Accessed Feb. 28, 2010.
- Poison ivy, oak and sumac. PDRHealth (Physician's Desk Reference). http://www.pdrhealth.com/disease/disease-mono.aspx?contentFileName=BHG01DE21.xml&contentName=Poison+Ivy%2c+Oak%2c+and+Sumac&contentId=120&TypeId=1. Accessed Feb. 28, 2010.
- Mark BJ. Allergic contact dermatitis. Medical Clinics of North America. 2006;90:169.
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