As spring and summer time strategy and we spend extra time outside, we additionally threat encountering ticks. Sadly, ticks aren’t simply biting bugs (technically, they don’t chew -they sting). However they’re additionally infamous vectors for sicknesses like Lyme illness and Rocky Mountain noticed fever.
Understanding the way to forestall tick bites is essential for staying safe throughout outside adventures. Right here’s the way to keep away from tick bites and benefit from the nice open air worry-free.
Are Tick Bites Harmful?
In a phrase, sure. A minimum of, they definitely might be! Many people are conscious of the seriousness and widespread epidemic of Lyme illness, which is now extra widespread than breast most cancers. Whereas it’s attainable to contract Lyme in different methods, black-legged ticks are overwhelmingly accountable. Lyme illness comes from spirochete (spiral-shaped) micro organism referred to as Borrelia burgdorferi.
Different much less widespread tick-borne infections embody noticed fever rickettsiosis (together with Rocky Mountain noticed fever), anaplasmosis, and babesiosis. There’s additionally ehrlichiosis, Colorado tick fever, and tularemia. It’s even attainable to get tick-borne encephalitis, aka, mind irritation.
Many of those infections trigger the identical signs as Lyme disease. Though these are much less widespread than Lyme, they’re accountable for a number of thousand instances of tick-related sickness in america every year.
Lyme illness may cause all kinds of signs. Some folks develop a persistent fever, rashes, or complications. Others have continual joint ache and swelling that could be misdiagnosed. Those that are particularly delicate could have allergic reactions to the micro organism. Some could even develop extreme or debilitating neurological problems.
Lyme illness is an particularly troubling situation as a result of it may be troublesome to diagnose. Dr. Jay Davidson explains extra in this podcast.
The place Are Ticks a Drawback?
Instances of tick-borne illness are likely to cluster across the northeastern United States. Nevertheless, in line with the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention (CDC), at the very least one case of Lyme illness has occurred in each state. Take a look at this map of instances reported by the CDC from 1990 by way of 2021.
Rhode Island, Vermont, and Maine have the best incidence fee of Lyme instances. Knowledge from 2022 exhibits a mean of about 200 instances per 100,000 individuals occurred in these three states. Midwestern states are additionally experiencing elevated instances in recent times.
However Lyme isn’t restricted to the Northeast and the Midwest. As of 2015, nearly half the counties in america reported the presence of black-legged ticks. The CDC continues to observe the upward development.
Lyme illness is constant to unfold to different states, so be proactive and do what you’ll be able to to scale back your possibilities of tick bites. The spring and summer time are the best threat, as ticks are busy hatching and on the lookout for their subsequent meal.
Learn how to Examine for Ticks
Engorged ticks are straightforward to identify, however some might be as small as a pinhead. They like to cover in heat, moist, lined areas of the physique.
First, bathe off to take away any unattached ticks. Then, fastidiously examine for ticks by completely inspecting the hair and again of the neck, utilizing your fingertips. Listed here are another locations ticks like to cover out:
- Behind arms
- Behind the knees
- In or across the ears
- Stomach button
- Between the legs
- Across the waist
Relatively than play naturalist, I’ll level you to the perfect tick identification device I’ve discovered. This handy chart that includes photos of ticks lets you kind by area, sort, maturity levels, feeding levels, and even by the illnesses varied kinds of ticks could transmit. The deer tick (black-legged tick) is the primary one to look out for, but it surely’s not the one one which causes issues.
What to Do If You Discover a Tick
I’ll always remember the day I leaned in to take a look at a darkish spot on my child’s head, solely to discover a TICK feasting on her scalp. I want I might say I remained composed and knew precisely what to do, however that wasn’t the case in any respect…
After just a few extra kids, I nonetheless don’t like coping with ticks, however I’ve discovered what to do once I encounter one. If you happen to’re a seasoned guardian or have pets, you’ve possible confronted this case earlier than. Nevertheless, if you happen to haven’t, right here’s what to do:
Examine to see if the tick is hooked up. If you happen to spot a small, flat tick crawling in your garments, pores and skin, or flooring, it’s signal, because it possible hasn’t bitten anybody or fed not too long ago. Nevertheless, if you happen to encounter a big tick with a swollen, spherical physique, it’s extra regarding as it might have already fed and indifferent from a pet or individual within the dwelling.
If unattached, don’t attempt to kill it. If the tick is unattached, resist the urge to crush, burn, or destroy it. (It’s laborious, I do know.) Don’t contact the tick along with your naked arms. As an alternative, use tweezers or a bit of tape to seize it. Put the tick in a sealed plastic bag or small jar within the freezer. This each kills the tick and preserves it for identification if signs of Lyme illness develop.
If hooked up, right here’s what to do (and to not do):
How NOT to Take away a Tick
There are many dwelling treatment options for tick elimination, however these could do extra hurt than good. Burning the tick, utilizing important oils, or greasing it with petroleum jelly could sound like good concepts. Nevertheless, these strategies can irritate the tick, making issues worse.
I don’t care a few tick’s emotions, but when the tick is irritated, it may vomit the contents of its abdomen (pathogens included!) into the pores and skin. That’s precisely what we don’t wish to occur!
For years, the right tick elimination code has been to make use of a pair of fine-tipped tweezers and pull it straight out. Whereas this could work, it may additionally depart the tick’s head or mouth-parts embedded within the pores and skin.
(Sidenote: I can’t inform you the variety of occasions I’ve felt an invisible tick crawling on me whereas penning this submit!)
What to Do As an alternative: Protected Tick Elimination
As an alternative, use a tick-removal gadget like this one. It resembles a spork. You insert it between the tick and the pores and skin, then twist gently till the tick releases. I hold one on my keychain throughout tick season.
Not like the tweezer technique, this gadget is more likely to lead to a clear elimination. The prongs on both facet assist make sure the tick mouth doesn’t bend too far to the facet and snap off whereas rotating.
If you happen to don’t have a tick elimination device, use tweezers, however remember to seize the tick as near the top/mouth as attainable.
Learn how to Take away a Tick
- First, attempt to ignore the super-mom adrenaline pumping by way of your physique!
- Method the tick from the facet with a tick gadget or tweezers.
- Slide the notched tick elimination gadget beneath the bottom of the tick head and the pores and skin. If utilizing tweezers, apply them firmly as near the mouth/pores and skin as attainable.
- With a agency, slight lifting movement, gently spin the tick remover till the tick detaches itself. If utilizing tweezers, pull up firmly however repeatedly. Don’t jerk or twist.
- Put the tick in a sealed bag, mark it with the date, and put it within the freezer. This kills it and saves it for identification if Lyme signs come up.
- Ensure that there are not any tick components left embedded within the pores and skin. If there are, pulling it out with tweezers like a splinter or utilizing a drawing salve might be useful.
- Wash the chew space with cleaning soap and water and apply an antimicrobial, like rubbing alcohol, to the world. Diluted lavender or this germ-fighting essential oil blend are additionally good choices.
How/The place to Ship a Tick For Testing
Testing for tick-borne sickness in people is frequently inaccurate. The ELISA take a look at usually run by healthcare suppliers in native clinics typically comes again adverse when different checks present an an infection. In reality, it might miss over half of all Lyme instances. A Western Blot take a look at could also be extra correct, however solely when interpreted by completely different requirements than the CDC’s.
Some of the trusted laboratories for Lyme illness testing is Igenex.. Along with Lyme, additionally they display screen for different tick-borne sicknesses. One instance is ehrlichiosis, which targets white blood cells. One other is babesiosis, which impacts crimson blood cells. In addition they take a look at for infections like anaplasmosis and Rocky Mountain noticed fever. These co-infections can manifest signs much like Lyme illness.
For a extra budget-friendly different, there’s Vibrant Wellness. Whereas corresponding to Igenex, it comes at a decrease value. Vibrant Wellness affords complete Lyme panels. They’ll detect completely different borrelia species in addition to co-infections widespread with Lyme illness. These firms permit sufferers to request a house take a look at or ship the tick (lifeless or alive) to have it examined for infections.
Chances are high possible that every one might be nicely if the an infection is caught early and dealt with correctly. However that mentioned, right here’s what to search for:
Signs of Tick-Borne Sickness
Based on the CDC, attainable signs of a tick-borne an infection are:
- A relapsing fever and chills (flu-like signs)
- Achy joints or muscle aches
- Headache
- Fatigue
- A big round rash that appears like a bullseye across the chew web site (referred to as erythema migrans)
The bullseye rash doesn’t all the time happen, so it’s vital to verify for different signs. Youngsters will generally develop tick paralysis, which causes non permanent numbness and tingling. For an entire listing of signs, see the CDC’s tick page.
Dr. Jay Davidson provides {that a} sore sternum (the bone over the breast) could also be one other signal of contracting Lyme.
If you happen to suspect tick-related sickness, seek the advice of with a health care provider instantly, as early intervention could assist. Dr. Davidson recommends taking Ledum palustre, a homeopathic treatment, as a pure first support. An alternative choice is to use andrographis tincture on the contemporary chew to assist forestall illness transmission all through the physique.
Tick Prevention Is the Greatest Remedy (for Now)
You may take some preventative measures to keep away from ticks within the first place, lowering your threat of tick- and different insect bites. The choices for battling ticks aren’t excellent (particularly if you happen to choose to keep away from chemical compounds, as I do), and I can solely hope now we have extra choices for controlling the Lyme outbreak on the horizon.
Till then, listed here are among the steps we will take right this moment to let our children go adventuring without worry:
1. Tick-Proof Your Yard
It’s in all probability no shock that I don’t suggest skilled chemical sprays for the yard, even to scale back ticks. Whereas many firms tout this as “protected,” if it kills ticks, it in all probability isn’t good in your pets or youngsters, not to mention the setting and different innocent bugs in your yard.
There are fairly just a few logical (and pure) steps to discourage ticks:
- Hold the grass quick. Ticks are generally present in lawns, significantly in areas with tall grass, dense vegetation, and leaf litter. Hold your garden well-maintained by mowing frequently and eradicating tall grass, brush, and leaf litter.
- Prune dense landscaping. Trim again overhanging branches and prune shrubs to permit extra daylight to succeed in the bottom. Ticks choose shaded, humid environments, so growing daylight publicity could make the garden much less hospitable for them.
- Mulch with cedar chips. Studies show ticks and cedar oil don’t combine. Since ticks crawl and don’t fly, attempt mulching the perimeter of your yard with cedar chips or between your yard and grassy areas to discourage them from crossing.
- Attempt including nematodes. Nematodes are microscopic worms which might be pure tick predators. You should buy them on-line or at backyard shops and introduce them into your yard, backyard, or surrounding wooded areas whereas watering. Don’t fear — They’re non-toxic and don’t hurt helpful bugs like ladybugs. However they could be a massive assist in controlling tick populations.
- Think about Tick Tubes: Tick tubes are cardboard cylinders crammed with handled cotton that mice convey again to their nests. The handled cotton kills ticks on the mice, lowering the probability of ticks attaching to people.
- Get yard chickens! In addition to offering contemporary eggs, they eat ticks! Chickens are pure foragers and can peck at bugs they encounter, together with ticks. They might help cut back ticks within the areas surrounding your own home.
2. Use Pure Bug Repellent
Though the EWG (Environmental Working Group) concludes DEET is a reasonably safe choice at decrease concentrations, it’s not really helpful for pregnant ladies or kids below six months. Many research additionally level to attainable unwanted side effects from utilizing DEET and different insect repellents like permethrin, together with dizziness, complications, and even seizures.
Whereas I take ticks and the specter of Lyme illness critically, I favor utilizing pure bug repellents, particularly since research present important oils like citronella might be as efficient as DEET. My natural bug spray recipe makes use of a number of important oils proven in research to repel ticks: geranium, citronella, and lemon eucalyptus.
Pure bug repellent is particularly helpful (and effective) for repelling these tiny nymph ticks you can not see in a tick verify. In spite of everything, it’s higher to be distasteful to ticks so that you don’t get bitten within the first place!
Taking sure herbs as a complement could assist from the within out. Astragalus is an herb from Conventional Chinese language Medication that will assist repel ticks whereas supporting the immune system. Lyme skilled Stephen Buhner recommends adults take 1,000 mg of Astragalus day by day to push back ticks.
3. Examine for Ticks Each day
I do know it’s not enjoyable, however, with apply, it turns into a behavior. Put a full-length mirror within the rest room, and/or educate youngsters to verify themselves and one another. The black-legged tick nymph most frequently transmits Lyme illness, and it’s solely concerning the dimension of a poppy seed. That is probably the most complete listing I’ve discovered for the way to conduct a complete tick check.
I do know it’s not straightforward to get youngsters to cease what they’re doing and sit nonetheless, so we construct it into the routine earlier than lunch, dinner, and bedtime, together with the wash arms/brush enamel step. This web site has a free activity e-book for educating younger kids the way to verify for ticks.
4. Apply Good Climbing Hygiene
Ticks love wooded trails, tall grassy fields, and areas with dense brush.
However I refuse to let ticks spoil our love for climbing, tenting, and simply being open air in the summertime. Be good when climbing and observe the following tips for avoiding ticks:
- Put on protecting clothes: Put on long-sleeved shirts when climbing in a high-tick space and tuck pants into socks. This apply might help forestall ticks from crawling onto uncovered pores and skin. Gentle-colored clothes additionally helps make ticks extra seen.
- Select excessive boots quite than athletic sneakers: Once more, you’ll wish to keep away from simply accessible pores and skin.
- Put on a wide-brimmed hat: Vast-brimmed hats can hold ticks from crawling from tall brush onto the again of your neck or hair.
- Think about permethrin clothing: I don’t love the thought of utilizing chemical compounds, however I like the thought of Lyme illness even much less! Permethrin is an artificial model of a pure insecticide present in chrysanthemum flowers. It kills ticks on contact and could also be price contemplating for these adventuring in high-risk areas.
- Keep on the paths: Ticks love the comb and tall grass. They’re simply ready so that you can enterprise off into the rugged terrain!
- Do an after-hike tick verify: Examine for ticks earlier than getting within the automobile after a hike, or use a sticky lint curler on garments to catch tiny ticks.
- Head to the laundry room! Take away climbing garments and put them instantly within the dryer for 10 minutes on excessive warmth to kill ticks.
- End up with soak: Bathe or bathe as quickly as attainable after climbing. Make sure to take action inside 2 hours of coming inside.
It would appear to be an odd household exercise, however we hold robes within the mudroom! That method, we will strip off after climbing, throw the whole lot within the dryer, and head proper for the showers.
5. Defend Pets
Pets are additionally vulnerable to tick-borne illnesses, and it’s typically tougher to find ticks due to all that fur. Examine canines and cats completely earlier than permitting them in the home. You may also attempt making use of just a few drops of geranium important oil round a canine’s collar however don’t use this technique (or any important oils) on cats.
Closing Ideas
Whereas these strategies might help cut back your threat of tick bites, it’s nonetheless essential to do common tick checks, particularly throughout peak tick season (Could by way of August). If you happen to discover a tick hooked up to your pores and skin, take away it instantly –the correct method– to scale back your threat of tick-borne illnesses. If you happen to do develop signs, like rash, fever, or muscle aches, search medical consideration instantly.
Have you ever ever had a tick chew? What did you do? Do you could have different concepts to forestall them?
