One of the worst experiences that someone can have while they are camping and enjoying nature is being affected by poison ivy. It is known to be one of the most irritating skin afflictions that nature can bring, but fortunately nature has a number of remedies as well. What’s important is knowing what will help to reduce the itch and pain when you might be far from other options.
If you find yourself with a poison ivy victim and did not happen to bring a cream or cleansing agent to take care of the job you might feel at a loss, but there are many other things that can greatly reduce the pain and itch. One of them is baking soda. You might have brought this for cleaning purposes but it works great to pull out the poison and decrease the healing time as well as the irritation.
Another resource is cucumber. This also helps to pull out the toxins and naturally reduces swelling. Just slice pieces to place all over the infected area and let them sit. They also will give off a cooling affect.
Banana peels can be extremely effective. Whether they may have been put in the garbage earlier that day or are fresh, they will help to reduce the itching effect, which will keep it from spreading, especially for kids that have a harder time avoiding the desire to scratch. Just place the peels over any area that is red and swollen and let them go to work.
There are a number of other natural remedies including apple cider vinegar, oatmeal, borax and aloe vera. The key is doing all you can so that the infected area does not spread from scratching it. It will seem horrible at first but these tricks will take the edge off and can save your camping trip in a hurry.
