Whats the difference between poison ivy and poison oak?
600727
Poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans or Rhus toxicodendron), in the family Anacardiaceae, is a woody vine that is well-known for its ability to produce urushiol, a skin irritant which for most people will cause an agonizing, itching rash, technically known as urushiol-induced contact dermatitis. In extreme cases, corticosteroids can be used to treat rashes.\n\nAnd for The name Poison oak refers to various species of the toxicodendron genus that grow in North America.Toxicodendron is a small genus of woody trees, shrubs and vines, all of which produce the skin-irritating oil urushiol, which can cause a severe allergic reaction; hence the scientific name which means "poison tree".
43470
Poison is the name people give to toxic things. Yes, I've used a bit of poison in my days, even right now I'm enjoying a bit of poison known commonly as wine. \nAs for the serious answer, I suppose Poison is a slang name for some drug, but I don't know which one. I suppose any drug can be called a poison, except marijuana, the only recreational drug with an LD50(the lethal dose for 50% of the poor (or lucky;-)rats they test it on)that is impossible to ingest(I believe one would have to smoke a few pounds in 15 min to actually die from it)\nBut I digress.... basically, it could be anything.Don't ever  consider using drugs  without knowing their effects, their dangers, their benefits...Like the campaigns used to say, Just say Know! visit http://leda.lycaeum.org
884021
I like Katie's answer...very thorough...sounds like one of my lectures in my college Botany class...also.....due to chemical changes in the leaves and the slowing of the nutrient flow in the tree/leaves fall off due to the formation of an abscission layer of corky material  at the base of the leaf stem or petiole where it attaches to the tree twig. Cutting off water/food and it drys and weakens the attachment, then with a gust of wind shaking it loose to give us some work to rake them up.....oak trees hold tenaciously to their leaves and are often seen with some of their dry browned leaves on them throughout the winter......
564048
First of all, is it Poison Ivy or Poison Oak?  Poison Ivy is East Coast, Poison Oak West Coast.  From my experience Poison oak is worse.\n\nOnce you have the reaction it is just a waiting game, and doing the best you can keeping it from getting worse.\n\nSome people say that if you know that you were exposed but haven't shown any reaction yet, you should take a shower and wash with a soap that drys out your skin.  Contrary to popular belief the temperature of the water you shower with is not important.  You should do this whether you are showing a rash or not. \n\nAlso be very careful with the clothes and equipment you were wearing when you were exposed, they should be cleaned right away and dealt with carefully because one can contract the reaction from these items. \n\nIn fact what you are suffering from is an allergic reaction.   The ooze and rash are your bodies way of dealing with the oils of the plant.  Yes benadryl is a good choice, but I wouldn't use the cream; take the pill form.  Not only will the benadryl bring down the reaction, but it will also prevent the next time you are exposed from being a worse reaction.  Some people say that you build up an immunity to it if you are exposed regularly, this is not true.  In fact the opposite is true!  It gets worse with each exposure.  \n\nThe cream you should use is Calamine lotion. Some people with sensitive skin are allergic to Calamine lotion as well so watch to see if it gets worse.  If so discontinue use.\n\nAgainst popular belief once the oils have been cleaned off the reaction can't be spread to other people or other parts of the body.  If you see it spreading it is because that area was all ready exposed before you cleaned off the oil.  Sometimes though the allergic reaction gets worse and looks like it is growing in surface area, this is not because it is spreading but because your immune system is stepping up the "attacks".\n\nIf you have problems with the Calamine lotion don't use anything.  Take your benedryl, wash it with drying soap, keep it dry, and expose it to air.  In a week or two it will go away.  \n\nBut be warned, some people get a very bad reaction a person could theoretically die from!  So if it gets worse and worse go to the doctor immediately.\n\nGood luck.
406242
I don't think that having poison ivy in your mouth would kill you. It would probably just give them a rash in your mouth, but I couldn't find anything to said if it was in a liquid form. Most places listed it as the leaf form, or you had it on your fingers and touched the inside of your mouth. I would bet brewing the ivy might make it less of an irritant? Just guessing. Also, not everyone is even allergic to poison ivy. I even read one report that if you ingest poison ivy over a certain period of time, you will become immune to it!
312634
The reaction to poison ivy is the reaction to the oil on the leaves yes you can get poison ivy from the golf bag and ball still unless you wash them with some dish detergent or baby shampoo, something that will be sure to wash away the oil.
404218
I guess you mean oak tree.  I am allergic to them.  My allergies are worse in the spring, because the trees are budding and pollen is flying around.  I take allergy shots and they really seem to help.  I am allergic to most trees, grass, weeds, mold, and animals.  My allergies are bad in the spring and fall.  Good luck, allergies can really  make you miserable.
659469
I would say it's not out of the question, but I sure hope not.  \n\nMy son was helping my hubby burn an old cedar tree and it had poison oak in it (they didn't know).  It got in his eyes, his ears, his mouth, he was just miserable, and the docs put him on prednisone to help him get thru it.\n\nSure hope this isn't the case with you, wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy.
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Fels Naptha soap is the best to wash the oils off immediatly on contact. And then I agree with the other person by using calamine lotion. I don't have a problem with poison oak.
854809
Yes, there is a difference. One gives you natural cancer and the other one gives you just plain old cancer.
83916
buy moss killer or use lime
678833
As soon as you get the poison oak take benadryl if you are not allergic to it. Go to your doctor and get cortisone injection and prescription for the next 7 - 10 depending on what your doctor deems necessary. Salt baths will help dry up the oozing, but will not help the itching, so use whatever the dr. tells you to use for the itching. Ask the dr. if you should continue with the benadryl or should you take something stronger.\nTake something for the allergic reaction immediately whether it be benadryl or not. You never know how you will react to an allergen.\nGood luck.
58686
You have a very broad question there. (Poison) is a term that encompasses a vast range of items.  Some get more deadly others less.  For instance Clorine can be quite toxic to a human and is therefore classified as a poison but since it also evaporates in the air after a while you will not have any Chlorine left in a certain vial.  Or take Iodine for instance very leathal if taken internally but since it sublimates (Goes from solid to gas) it will even leave a closed container and after a while you will have nothing left.  While others break down into components that can be more deadly.  Then you have to also consider how does your body metabolize poisons.  For instance some "poisons" aren't actually toxic until you body tries to break them down. Such is the case of antifreeze.  While talking with a doctor I was working with he stated that since the liver can only metabolize one poison at a time if you give it another poison to metabolize such as alcohol it will work on the alcohol and leave the antifreeze and while that is happening it is excreted by your kidneys unmetabolized and therefore not poisonous to you.
80351
some frogs can blend in with their surroundings. theyre green like leaves, some have brownish tones on their bodies to blend in with dirt and twigs, etc.\n\nalso some tree frogs are poisonous
797597
What causes poison ivy to spread on the skin is actually the oil from the plant itself.  So if you have bathed or changed your clothes since you came in contact with the plant (or even another person or animal who has just touched the plant), you probably won't spread it to another part of your body (or your hands like you asked).  It is possible to get poison ivy in your blood stream, which is when it REALLY spreads.  You shouldn't scratch poison blisters because they will become open sores and can become infected and painful.
1057089
There are so many over the counter remedies that I hesitate to tell you my old fashioned one...my grandmother used to crush a pansie blossom between her fingers and rub it on a poison ivy spot.  About half the time it would go away.  There is a product called "dermarest" poison ivy mousse that is wonderful for not only controlling the itching but also drying the site up.  It is over the counter and available at most pharmacies.
923973
The reaction caused by poison ivy, urushiol-induced contact dermatitis, is an allergic reaction. For this reason some people do not respond to the "poison" because they simply do not have an allergy to urushiol. However, sensitivity can develop over time. For those who are affected by it, it causes a very irritating rash. If poison ivy is burned and the smoke then inhaled, this rash will appear on the lining of the lungs, causing extreme pain and possibly fatal respiratory difficulty. If poison ivy is eaten, the digestive tract and airways will be affected, in some cases causing death.\n\nUrushiol oil can remain viable on dead poison ivy plants and other surfaces for up to 5 years and will cause the same effect.\n\nSo if you ate some poison ivy, I recommend rushing to a hospital.