Watch Out for Ticks and Be Aware of Lyme
Disease
Before venturing out and enjoying the great outdoors, make sure you take some precautions against becoming infected with
Lyme disease, a disease transmitted from the bite of an infected tick. The third week of July is designated Lyme Disease Awareness Week but it's always good to take precautions to prevent Lyme Disease.
The following are some tips that can protect you from tick bites:
- Wear light-colored clothing. This allows you to see a tick more
easily.
- Wear a hat and long-sleeved shirt.
- Tuck your clothes in, shirts into pants and pants into socks. Use a
rubber band or tape the area where the socks and pants meet to prevent
ticks from getting under clothing.
- Use an insect repellant with DEET on exposed skin and clothes. Read
the label instructions and cautions about use on young children.
- When hiking, stay in the middle of trails, and avoid underbrush,
fallen tress, and tall grass.
- After being outdoors or if you are outdoors for a long period,
perform a tick check. Shower immediately after coming indoors. If you
find a tick on your body, remove it by doing the following;
- Using a pair of fine-tipped tweezers, grasp the tick as close to the
skin as possible and pull slowly, steadily, and firmly. Avoid crushing
the tick’s body.
- Once removed, clean the area with antiseptic, such as alcohol.
- Save the tick in a jar of alcohol or taped it to a piece of cardboard
so it can be identified by your local health department.
The following are early signals of Lyme disease that may appear a few
days or weeks after a tick bite:
- Fever and chills
- Muscle and joint aches
- Weakness or fatigue
- Headache
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Skin rash, which may have a bull’s-eye appearance
Signals that may appear weeks, months, or even years after a tick bite
include the following:
- Arthritis
- Numbness
- Paralysis of the facial muscles, usually on one side
- Memory loss
- Problems with hearing or vision
- Severe headache
- High fever
- Stiff neck
- Irregular or rapid heart beat
If any of these signals appear or you have bitten by a tick, consult your
medical professional.
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