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Protect Yourself Against Ticks and Lyme Disease
Posted on by Paula Gallagher
With tick populations surging everywhere, the instance of Lyme disease is also on the rise. Black-legged ticks can carry a bacteria that causes Lyme disease when transferred to humans. According to the CDC, approximately 30,000 cases of Lyme disease are reported to them by state health departments and the District of Columbia. However, this number does not reflect every case of Lyme disease that is diagnosed in the United States every year. Recent estimates using other methods suggest that approximately 300,000 people may get Lyme disease each year in the United States.
Deer ticks or black-legged ticks (also known as deer ticks) are the type of tick that most often carries the disease. A tick generally needs to be attached to a human host for 24 hours or more to transfer the disease-causing bacteria.
If you know you have been bitten by a tick, you should remove it carefully. Many outdoors stores sell tick removal tools, but if you don't have one, you can use tweezers. Here is what to do:
- Use a pair of fine-pointed tweezers to grip the tick as closely as you can to the skin’s surface. Grasp the tick’s mouth parts, not the body, and slowly pull it straight out.
- Inspect the area to make sure that the tick’s mouth-parts haven’t remained in your skin.
- Wash your hands and the affected area thoroughly with soap and water.
- After removing the tick, watch for signs of infection from the bite, and get checked immediately if you notice that an infection is starting to develop or if you get a rash, fever, headaches, or flu-like symptoms.
- If you cannot remove the tick completely, then seek professional help.
Then watch for symptoms. Fifty-percent of people infected with Lyme develop what's known as a bull's-eye rash. The first physical signs of Lyme disease are often flu-like symptoms such as sore throat, headaches and congestion. Other symptoms include:
- Muscle twitching, pain or cramps
- Stiff or painful neck or jaw
- Double or blurry vision
- Eye pain or swelling
- Extreme fatigue
- Diarrhea or constipation
- Shortness of breath
- Night sweats or unexplained chills
- Confusion
If you have any of these symptoms, let your doctor know as soon as possible. Left untreated, Lyme can be debilitating. Antibiotics are the most common and effective treatment for Lyme disease, but there are natural alternatives that help as well. To learn more, contact us.
It can be hard to detect a tick or know that you’ve been bitten. During its nymph stage, a tick is only as big as a period at the end of a sentence. Fully grown, it can be the size of a pea. Ticks usually come in contact with people by positioning themselves on tall grass and bushes.
The risk of being infected is greatest from May through September. Black-legged ticks, or deer ticks, are most often found in forests, grassy fields, nature parks, beaches and gardens. It’s not just hiking in the woods where people can be exposed to ticks. You can come into contact with them while doing any outdoor activities, such as gardening, golfing or camping.
The best thing is not to have to deal with tick bites at all. Here are four tips to help prevent the little bloodsuckers from grabbing hold in the first place:
1. Protect yourself, your children, and your pets with these natural products recommended by Village Green: Combat-Ready Bug Repellent from Skincando, Anti-Bug Shake and Spray or Anti-Bug Balm from Badger.
2. Wear light-colored clothing when headed into the woods. You’ll be able to spot any ticks that may fall on your clothes more easily this way.
3. Tuck your pants into your socks, and your shirt tucked into your pants. It may not look attractive, but it’ll sure help!
4. Inspect yourself, your children, and your pets after having spent time in the woods. Have fun and stay safe this summer!
Photo from here, with thanks.
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