Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Running Through Poison

There's no place I like running better than a winding trail through the mountains.  Far away from traffic, noise and the hectic pace of city living, I'm free to enjoy nature, and revel in serenity.  As appealing as a run through nature is, though, it's not without hazards.  One major pitfall to trail running is the possibility of encountering poison oak, poison ivy or poison sumac--an encounter that could leave you itchy and uncomfortable for days.

These three plants pictured above contain a sticky, clear oil called urushiol in their leaves, stems, and roots that cause a red, uncomfortable, itchy rash when making contact with skin.  The rash usually appears within 8 to 48 hours after exposure, lasts about 10 days, and is characterized by red lines or streaks of fluid filled bumps.

Prevention
The best way to prevent exposure to these poisonous plants, is to avoid touching them.  Both poison oak and poison ivy have clusters of three leaves, whereas poison sumac has leaflets of 5, 7 or more.  Familiarize yourself with the appearance of whatever variety is native to your area.  Whatever you do, if you make an emergency "pit stop" (trail runners, you know what I mean), scan the area before you squat.  That's one inconvenient place to have a rash.

What to do if exposed
If you think you came in contact with one of these plants, wash the area as soon as possible with soap and cold water.  Rubbing alcohol is also effective in removing urushiol from your skin.  I've had good luck with Tecnu.  Tecnu is an outdoor skin cleanser specifically formulated to remove urushiol from the skin.  You must also wash any contaminated clothing.

Relief
If you've developed a rash, try applying cool compresses to the effected area.  Calamine lotion soothes and relieves itching.  An Aveeno oatmeal bath can also bring relief, as well as oral antihistamines.  Cheer up--it will eventually go away.

If you think you are immune to poison oak and ivy, know that that can change over the course of your life.  It's not worth the risk, so don't run through poison.

LACE UP and remember, leaves of three, leave them be!      

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