Since we are spending more time outdoors I thought this article would be a good reminder about ticks.
(Berkeley Wellness)
Every year, 20,000 to 30,000 Americans are diagnosed with Lyme disease, transmitted by ticks. Here’s how to protect yourself.
Certain types of ticks transmit Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacteria that cause Lyme disease. One of the most prevalent carriers is the deer tick. Luckily, the disease is difficult to get because most ticks are not infected, and if they are, they usually have to be embedded in your skin for at least 36 hours.
If you do become infected, you may develop symptoms in 3 to 30 days. Usually, the time, the first sign is an expanding red rash, typically around the bite site. Flu-like symptoms may also occur. If untreated, Lyme disease may cause a multitude of symptoms including facial paralysis, headaches and heart rhythm disturbances.
Get treated for Lyme Disease
If you have a rash and/or other symptoms, see your doctor. If it turns out you have Lyme disease, the recommended treatment is oral antibiotics for two weeks. For later-stage manifestations of Lyme disease, such as neurological, joint or heart problems, you will need another two weeks of antibiotics, usually given intravenously. Some people get better without treatment, but antibiotics shorten recovery time and prevent complications.
How to protect yourself
If you spend time outdoors in areas where there are ticks, take these steps:
• Wear light-colored, long-sleeved shirts socks and pants. Tuck your pants into your socks.
• Apply a repellent containing DEET or picaridin on exposed skin, and spray permethrin on your clothes.
• When you get home, look for ticks all over your body, including your scalp and groin area. Unless they’re engorged with blood, ticks can be hard to spot. A magnifying glass can help.
• Tick-proof your property by clearing brush and leaves.
• Cats and dogs get Lyme disease, too. Check your pets regularly for ticks.
• A bout of Lyme disease will not make you immune to future infections, so always take precautions when you venture into tick-infested areas.
What to do if you find a tick
If you find a tick embedded on your body, do not use a hot match, petroleum jelly or gasoline to remove it. Instead, after cleaning the area, remove the tick with tweezers, grasping it firmly as close to your skin as possible, and pulling away with a steady motion.
Don’t twist the tick, since that may break off the mouthparts and lead to an infection. Don’t crush, puncture or squeeze the tick’s body. If the mouthparts break off in the skin, use tweezers, as you would to remove a splinter, then wash the bite site with soap and water.
(Berkeley Wellness)
Every year, 20,000 to 30,000 Americans are diagnosed with Lyme disease, transmitted by ticks. Here’s how to protect yourself.
Certain types of ticks transmit Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacteria that cause Lyme disease. One of the most prevalent carriers is the deer tick. Luckily, the disease is difficult to get because most ticks are not infected, and if they are, they usually have to be embedded in your skin for at least 36 hours.
If you do become infected, you may develop symptoms in 3 to 30 days. Usually, the time, the first sign is an expanding red rash, typically around the bite site. Flu-like symptoms may also occur. If untreated, Lyme disease may cause a multitude of symptoms including facial paralysis, headaches and heart rhythm disturbances.
Get treated for Lyme Disease
If you have a rash and/or other symptoms, see your doctor. If it turns out you have Lyme disease, the recommended treatment is oral antibiotics for two weeks. For later-stage manifestations of Lyme disease, such as neurological, joint or heart problems, you will need another two weeks of antibiotics, usually given intravenously. Some people get better without treatment, but antibiotics shorten recovery time and prevent complications.
How to protect yourself
If you spend time outdoors in areas where there are ticks, take these steps:
• Wear light-colored, long-sleeved shirts socks and pants. Tuck your pants into your socks.
• Apply a repellent containing DEET or picaridin on exposed skin, and spray permethrin on your clothes.
• When you get home, look for ticks all over your body, including your scalp and groin area. Unless they’re engorged with blood, ticks can be hard to spot. A magnifying glass can help.
• Tick-proof your property by clearing brush and leaves.
• Cats and dogs get Lyme disease, too. Check your pets regularly for ticks.
• A bout of Lyme disease will not make you immune to future infections, so always take precautions when you venture into tick-infested areas.
What to do if you find a tick
If you find a tick embedded on your body, do not use a hot match, petroleum jelly or gasoline to remove it. Instead, after cleaning the area, remove the tick with tweezers, grasping it firmly as close to your skin as possible, and pulling away with a steady motion.
Don’t twist the tick, since that may break off the mouthparts and lead to an infection. Don’t crush, puncture or squeeze the tick’s body. If the mouthparts break off in the skin, use tweezers, as you would to remove a splinter, then wash the bite site with soap and water.
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