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paintballimpact.com / Safety / Poison Oak
Poison Oak - Paintball Injury
When playing woodsball paintball, poison oak, poison ivy and ragweed are three hazards on the paintball field. All three leafy allergens could cause very uncomfortable reactions when coming in contact with the paintball player diving into the brush, kneeling down in the woods, or laying down in a sniper position. As pats of your paintball woodsball education, you should dedicate time for learning about the Poison Oak plant, how to recognize it, and how to avoid it. Poison Oak and Poison Ivy are both species of the genus Toxicodendron. Toxicodendron is a genus of woody trees, vines, and shrubs in the sumack family. Toxicodendron is also a plant or tree in the Anacardiaceae group.
There are several species of the toxicodendron that can cause a severe adverse reaction when coming in contact with human skin. Some reaction causing species of toxicodendron include Western Poison-Ivy, Poison-Ivy, Western Poison-oak, Poison Sumac, and Was Tree. In all species of toxicodendron, it is the oil urushial, secreted from the plants, that cause the adverse reaction in humans. There is a lot in variation in the form, color, and appearance among the toxicodendron species. The leaves among species vary from smooth, to jagged around the edges. The edges of the leaves may e a lot different, even within the same plant.
Poison Oak is sometimes referred to Pacific Poison Oak or Western Poison Oak. Western Poison oak is discovered predominantly on Western US States like California and Washington. Paintball players must watch out for poison oak when playing in fields like Bay Area Paintball in Burlingame California, and Green Zone Paintball in Gilroy California. Western Poison Oak is found predominately on the West Coast, while the similar Atlantic Poison Oak is found on the East Coast. Athletes playing in fields like Adventure Park USA , in New Market Maryland and Showtime Paintball, wwwlshowtimepaintball.net in Fall River Massachusetts must watch out for the Atlantic version of poison oak.
Western Poison Oak may be difficult to detect due to the variability of its leaves and color. The western poison oak plant may grow low to the ground or high and vine-looking depending on its environment, level of sunlight, and the level of moisture it has access to. When given a lot of sunlight, it develops as a dense shrub. Poison Oak grows vertically as a vine in places that are heavily shaded like poison ivy. The plant multiplies by creeping by seeds or creeping by rootstocks.
As a paintball player it is important to recognize poison oak so that you can avoid it. If you suspect that you have been exposed to the poison oak plant, return back to the field store to treat and remove the toxin. When back at the field station, wash the area in cold water, and wash the side with Tecnu. Tecnu is a strong soap that specializes in the removal of toxins from plants such as poison oak, poison sumac, and poison ivy. While the affected area may be itchy, try to refrain from scratching the area before or after the exposure. Scratching can spread around the oil from poison oak, increasing the area of irritation. Poison oak is classified in the family Anacardiaceae in the order Sapindahes.
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