Warmer, wetter weather brings us some lovely things. Spring Flowers, Song Birds, the return of the Canada Geese. But it also brings with it Mud Season, Pot holes, Black Flies and Ticks.
Some ticks are known infectors of Lyme Disease.
To prevent tick bites and infection when you're walking in the fields and woods, there are a few simple rules to follow that will help. None is 100% fool proof.
Ticks HATE the smell of Lavender. Purchase some 100% pure Lavender essential oils and dab it liberally on your wrists, ankles, a dab above your belly button, one in the center of your back, a drop behind each ear, and one on each shoulder.
You can also purchase commercial insect repellant which contains DEET, also known to be a great tick repellant.
Tucking your pant legs into your socks as you walk will also help to deter the little critters.
Check yourself, your children, and your animals when you come in from the outdoors. A good once over is always a good idea.
What are you looking for?? Tiny little insects that look like black seeds. Usually they like to go to warm, dark, moist places, so check your armpits, behind your ears, under your breasts, or in the crooks of your joints. Here is what you are looking for:
Should you find a tick, don't panic. Don't try to remove it with your fingers, a hot match, Vaseline or baby oil. This may only serve to make matters worse. The proper way to remove a tick, is to grip it with a pair of tweezers and pull straight backward, making SURE that the head of the tick does not break off under your skin. Like this...........
What should you do after the tick has been removed??
Two things.
The first thing you should do is, using a piece of clear scotch tape, tape the tick to your calendar, noting the day and time you were bitten, and the area where you had been walking. This could prove to be very important if you should need to seek medical attention at a later date.
Second. you should wet the end of a Q-Tip with rubbing alcohol and completely clean around, and into the wound. Once the alcohol has dried, dab on a bit of Triple Antibacterial Ointment. Doing this one simple thing immediately can help you avoid a pretty nasty infection.
How long does a tick have to be attached to you before it transmits disease??
The answer is 24 hours. That's right. So if you find a tick immediately after a walk in the woods, even though it is attached, it has probably not transmitted Lyme Disease or Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever into your body.
If you think that the tick has been on you for longer than 24 hours, it is wise to call your primary care physician or head to the local outpatient care unit and have your blood checked for any signs of disease.
If you think the tick has only recently attached itself to your body, just be diligent and watch for symptoms for about the next week. One classic symptom of being bitten by a Lyme Disease infected tick is the bullseye rash. When people talk about a bullseye rash, it's common that they have never seen one, so if the site is painful or itchy, and the slightest bit red, people tend to worry and wonder if the redness is, indeed a bullseye rash. Here is what a bullseye rash looks like............
As you can see, it clearly does look like a bullseye!!
Barring the occurrence of the bullseye rash, should you start running a fever of 101.0 or higher, it's probably a good idea to see your physician as well. Other symptoms include headache, unexplained fatigue, or unexplained and sudden trouble with your vision.
If you should have to visit a physician, bring along your calendar with the tick securely taped to the date on which you were bitten. This can prove extremely helpful to your physician or hospital care staff, as the type of tick can be identified, as well as the exact date and time you were bitten, and where you were when the tick attached itself to you.
Even if you are infected with Lyme Disease, or Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, as long as you visit your physician in a timely manner, normally you'll be just fine with a small dose of Doxycycline for a few days.
If you're not sure what type of tick bit you and you'd like to do a little self identification, you can actually submit a photo via the internet or cell phone to
www.tickencounter.org and they will help you figure it out!!
