Read these tips for treating and preventing poison ivy.<\/a><\/li><\/ul>If you have a serious reaction, you need to see a doctor right away. Swelling is a sign of a serious reaction \u2014 especially swelling that makes an eye swell shut or your face to swell.\u00a0<\/p>
You should see a doctor if the rash covers a large part of your body, you have large blisters, or cannot sleep.<\/em><\/p>If you have trouble breathing or swallowing, go to an emergency room immediately.<\/strong><\/p>Poison ivy: Signs and symptoms<\/h3>
What you see and feel on your skin is caused by urushiol (you-ROO-shee-all). Urushiol is the oil in poison ivy, oak, and sumac. You find this oil in all parts of the plants \u2014 the leaves, stems, and even the roots. Within minutes of contact with urushiol, the skin starts to absorb it. But you don’t feel this. And you don’t see a rash right way.<\/p>
If this is your first contact with urushiol, you may not see a rash. Or it may take a week for the rash to appear. The rash also can appear within hours or a few days. If you have a reaction to the oil, you can have these signs (what you see) and symptoms (what you feel):<\/p>