I got nailed about three weeks ago. Still itches like the dickens. My wife, Nancy, has had two tick attachments so far this spring. The last one caused redness around the bite and resulted in antibiotics, just in case the little parasite was a Lyme disease carrier. Yes, it’s tick time, so be on the lookout. Not every tick bite results in disease, but many do.
There is an average of 40,000 cases of Lyme disease reported each year in the United States. Bacteria from black-legged ticks causes Lyme disease. The ticks acquire the bacteria when they bite a deer or other animal, which carries Lyme disease. Lyme disease, by the way, was first reported in the town of Old Lyme, Connecticut in 1975. When bitten by an infected tick, odds are good a human will get Lyme disease. And that’s no fun at all.
The symptoms of Lyme disease are similar to flu and can begin a few days after infection. Body-wide itching, chills, fever, headaches, light-headedness, muscle pain and stiffness are some of the symptoms. There may be a severe red rash at the site of the bite. It can be large and expanding in size. If untreated, Lyme disease can spread to the body organs – the brain and heart, as well as to the joints.
Sounds like this might be a good year to just stay inside, but that’s hardly practical, nor desirable – ticks or no ticks. There are a few things, however, we can do to help prevent tick bites.
First, treat your yard. Ticks are just as likely to live in your yard as they are to be found in the woods. Ticks like borders – leafy, moist areas – where yards join wooded areas. Place a layer of wood chips on those borders. Ticks will be attracted beneath the chips because of the moisture and are less likely to hitch a free ride from that vantage point.
Second, when you go outside, do a tick check. If you find any on yourself, your children or pets, take them off carefully.
Third, if you are walking outside, whenever possible walk in the middle of a trail, not on the edge, where most ticks will be found.
When possible, apply a tick repellent on your clothing and shoes to prevent the little bloodsuckers from climbing aboard. Wear long pants, not shorts, and apply DEET solution (10% to 30% concentrations) to exposed skin and clothing.
If you do find a tick attached, gently remove it with tweezers. If you find and remove them early, you are likely safe. In most cases, a tick must be attached to your body for 24 to 36 hours in order to spread the bacteria to your blood. And not every tick carries Lyme disease, only the blacklegged variety.
Oh well, it’s that time of the year. Ready or not, ticks, here we come.