Last night was one of the worst of my life. A good part of my torso, forearms, and lower legs are covered with the poison oak rash. Today I tried the hot water trick, and it's helping: shower under water that's so hot it's almost scalding. Apparently it releases the histamines that make you itch, and you have up to several hours of relative comfort before they build back up. Just took my 3rd hot shower, and there was a difference; the first two times, the hot water felt almost cool against the affected skin; there were equal parts torment and relief. This time I actually felt the hot water as too hot. It could just be that I used hotter water than before, but I'm hoping the symptoms are beginning to abate.
last updated 2010-10-16 22:05:50. served from tektonic.jcomeau.com