First Aid Tips for Minor Injuries
First Aid Tips for Minor Injuries
How do I treat a rash from poison ivy or other poisonous plants?
When you touch poison ivy -- or poison oak or sumac -- the rash that appears on your skin is caused by an oil in the plant. The rash may itch and blister. But it should go away on its own within a few weeks.
Treat the rash and itch at home with these steps:
When should I get medical help for poison ivy, oak, or sumac?
Go to the emergency room if you have:
What’s the difference between a sprain and strain?
Sprains and strains are common injuries. Here’s how to tell the difference:
First Aid Tips
In this article
- Building a First Aid Kit
- Cuts and Scrapes
- Nosebleeds
- Splinters
- Animal Bites and Insect Stings
- Minor Burns
- Poison Ivy and Other Poisonous Plants
- Sprains and Strains
Poison Ivy and Other Poisonous Plants
How do I treat a rash from poison ivy or other poisonous plants?
When you touch poison ivy -- or poison oak or sumac -- the rash that appears on your skin is caused by an oil in the plant. The rash may itch and blister. But it should go away on its own within a few weeks.
Treat the rash and itch at home with these steps:
- Wash your skin. To get as much of the oil off as possible, clean your skin with soap and lukewarm water.
- Wash everything. Clean anything the plant touched -- your clothes, gardening tools, even your pet. The oil can stick to these objects and cause a rash if you touch them again.
- Bathe in oatmeal. Run a warm bath and add some colloidal oatmeal or baking soda to ease the itch. You can also apply a cool, wet washcloth to your skin.
- Apply calamine or hydrocortisone cream. These products will also relieve the itch. If creams and lotions aren’t enough to soothe itchy skin, ask your doctor whether you should take an antihistamine or steroid medicine by mouth.
- Don’t scratch! Though the rash might itch, resist the urge to scratch or pick at the blisters. You could get an infection.
When should I get medical help for poison ivy, oak, or sumac?
Go to the emergency room if you have:
- Trouble breathing or swallowing
- Rashes or blisters on a large part of your body, or on your face or genitals
- Swelling, especially of the eyes
- An itch you can’t relieve, no matter what medicine or lotion you use
- A fever over 100 F
- A rash that hasn’t gone away after a few weeks
Sprains and Strains
What’s the difference between a sprain and strain?
Sprains and strains are common injuries. Here’s how to tell the difference:
- A sprain is a stretch or tear of a ligament, the tough tissue that connects bones and supports the joints. You’re most likely to get a sprain in the wrist or ankle. Sprains cause pain, bruising, and swelling. You may have trouble moving the joint.
- A strain is an injury to a muscle or tendon, the thick tissue that attaches muscles to bones. You’re most likely to get a strain in your back or hamstring muscles. Strains cause pain, weakness, swelling, and muscle cramps. You may have trouble moving the muscle.
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