As spring and summer season method and we spend extra time exterior, we additionally threat encountering ticks. Sadly, ticks aren’t simply biting bugs (technically, they don’t chunk -they sting). However they’re additionally infamous vectors for sicknesses like Lyme illness and Rocky Mountain noticed fever.
Understanding how one can forestall tick bites is essential for staying protected throughout outside adventures. Right here’s how one can keep away from tick bites and benefit from the nice open air worry-free.
Are Tick Bites Harmful?
In a phrase, sure. Not less than, they definitely may be! Many people are conscious of the seriousness and widespread epidemic of Lyme illness, which is now extra frequent 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 known as Borrelia burgdorferi.
Different much less frequent 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 illness. Though these are much less frequent than Lyme, they’re accountable for a number of thousand instances of tick-related sickness in the USA every year.
Lyme illness could cause all kinds of signs. Some individuals develop a persistent fever, rashes, or complications. Others have persistent joint ache and swelling which may 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 on this podcast.
The place Are Ticks a Drawback?
Instances of tick-borne illness are likely to cluster across the northeastern United States. Nonetheless, in response to the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention (CDC), at the 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 via 2021.
Rhode Island, Vermont, and Maine have the best incidence fee of Lyme instances. Information 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 the USA reported the presence of black-legged ticks. The CDC continues to watch the upward development.
Lyme illness is continuous to unfold to different states, so be proactive and do what you possibly can to cut back your probabilities of tick bites. The spring and summer season are the best threat, as ticks are busy hatching and searching for their subsequent meal.
The best way to Verify for Ticks
Engorged ticks are simple to identify, however some may 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, rigorously examine for ticks by totally 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 very best tick identification device I’ve discovered. This useful chart that includes photos of ticks lets you type by area, sort, maturity phases, feeding phases, and even by the illnesses varied kinds of ticks could transmit. The deer tick (black-legged tick) is the principle one to look out for, nevertheless it’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 a number of extra youngsters, I nonetheless don’t like coping with ticks, however I’ve discovered what to do once I encounter one. For those who’re a seasoned father or mother or have pets, you’ve doubtless confronted this example earlier than. Nonetheless, for those who haven’t, right here’s what to do:
Verify to see if the tick is connected. For those who spot a small, flat tick crawling in your garments, pores and skin, or ground, it’s a great signal, because it doubtless hasn’t bitten anybody or fed not too long ago. Nonetheless, for those who 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 particular person within the residence.
If unattached, don’t attempt to kill it. If the tick is unattached, resist the urge to crush, burn, or destroy it. (It’s exhausting, I do know.) Don’t contact the tick together with your naked palms. As a substitute, 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 connected, right here’s what to do (and to not do):
How NOT to Take away a Tick
There are many residence 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. Nonetheless, these strategies can irritate the tick, making issues worse.
I don’t care a couple of tick’s emotions, but when the tick is irritated, it might probably vomit the contents of its abdomen (pathogens included!) into the pores and skin. That’s precisely what we don’t need to occur!
For years, the correct tick elimination code has been to make use of a pair of fine-tipped tweezers and pull it straight out. Whereas this may work, it might probably 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 publish!)
What to Do As a substitute: Protected Tick Elimination
As a substitute, 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 preserve 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.
For those who don’t have a tick elimination device, use tweezers, however make sure you seize the tick as near the pinnacle/mouth as attainable.
The best way to Take away a Tick
- First, attempt to ignore the super-mom adrenaline pumping via your physique!
- Strategy 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 elements left embedded within the pores and skin. If there are, pulling it out with tweezers like a splinter or utilizing a drawing salve may be useful.
- Wash the chunk space with cleaning soap and water and apply an antimicrobial, like rubbing alcohol, to the world. Diluted lavender or this germ-fighting important oil mix are additionally good choices.
How/The place to Ship a Tick For Testing
Testing for tick-borne sickness in people is ceaselessly inaccurate. The ELISA check usually run by healthcare suppliers in native clinics typically comes again adverse when different exams present an an infection. The truth is, it might miss over half of all Lyme instances. A Western Blot check could also be extra correct, however solely when interpreted by totally different requirements than the CDC’s.
One of the trusted laboratories for Lyme illness testing is Igenex.. Along with Lyme, in addition they display screen for different tick-borne sicknesses. One instance is ehrlichiosis, which targets white blood cells. One other is babesiosis, which impacts pink blood cells. Additionally they check for infections like anaplasmosis and Rocky Mountain noticed fever. These co-infections can manifest signs just like Lyme illness.
For a extra budget-friendly various, there’s Vibrant Wellness. Whereas akin to Igenex, it comes at a decrease value. Vibrant Wellness provides complete Lyme panels. They will detect totally different borrelia species in addition to co-infections frequent with Lyme illness. These firms permit sufferers to request a house check or ship the tick (lifeless or alive) to have it examined for infections.
Likelihood is doubtless that each one can be properly if the an infection is caught early and dealt with correctly. However that stated, right here’s what to search for:
Signs of Tick-Borne Sickness
In accordance with 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 chunk web site (known as erythema migrans)
The bullseye rash doesn’t at all times happen, so it’s essential to examine for different signs. Youngsters will generally develop tick paralysis, which causes short-term numbness and tingling. For an entire checklist of signs, see the CDC’s tick web page.
Dr. Jay Davidson provides {that a} sore sternum (the bone over the breast) could also be one other signal of contracting Lyme.
For those who suspect tick-related sickness, seek the advice of with a physician instantly, as early intervention could assist. Dr. Davidson recommends taking Ledum palustre, a homeopathic treatment, as a pure first support. Another choice is to use andrographis tincture on the recent chunk to assist forestall illness transmission all through the physique.
Tick Prevention Is the Finest Remedy (for Now)
You possibly can take some preventative measures to keep away from ticks within the first place, decreasing your threat of tick- and different insect bites. The choices for battling ticks aren’t good (particularly for those who choose to keep away from chemical compounds, as I do), and I can solely hope we have now extra choices for controlling the Lyme outbreak on the horizon.
Till then, listed below are a number of the steps we are able to take right this moment to let our children go adventuring with out fear:
1. Tick-Proof Your Yard
It’s in all probability no shock that I don’t advocate skilled chemical sprays for the yard, even to cut back ticks. Whereas many firms tout this as “protected,” if it kills ticks, it in all probability isn’t good to your pets or youngsters, not to mention the atmosphere and different innocent bugs in your yard.
There are fairly a number of logical (and pure) steps to discourage ticks:
- Preserve the grass brief. Ticks are generally present in lawns, notably in areas with tall grass, dense vegetation, and leaf litter. Preserve your garden well-maintained by mowing recurrently and eradicating tall grass, brush, and leaf litter.
- Prune dense landscaping. Trim again overhanging branches and prune shrubs to permit extra daylight to achieve the bottom. Ticks choose shaded, humid environments, so rising daylight publicity could make the garden much less hospitable for them.
- Mulch with cedar chips. Research present 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.
- Strive including nematodes. Nematodes are microscopic worms which are pure tick predators. You should purchase 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 useful bugs like ladybugs. However they could be a huge assist in controlling tick populations.
- Take into account Tick Tubes: Tick tubes are cardboard cylinders full of handled cotton that mice deliver again to their nests. The handled cotton kills ticks on the mice, decreasing the chance of ticks attaching to people.
- Get yard chickens! In addition to offering recent eggs, they eat ticks! Chickens are pure foragers and can peck at bugs they encounter, together with ticks. They may help scale back ticks within the areas surrounding your own home.
2. Use Pure Bug Repellent
Though the EWG (Environmental Working Group) concludes DEET is a moderately protected possibility at decrease concentrations, it’s not beneficial for pregnant ladies or youngsters below six months. Many research additionally level to attainable negative 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 may be as efficient as DEET. My pure 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 efficient) for repelling these tiny nymph ticks you can not see in a tick examine. 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 Drugs that will assist repel ticks whereas supporting the immune system. Lyme professional Stephen Buhner recommends adults take 1,000 mg of Astragalus every day to thrust back ticks.
3. Verify for Ticks Every day
I do know it’s not enjoyable, however, with apply, it turns into a behavior. Put a full-length mirror within the lavatory, and/or educate youngsters to examine themselves and one another. The black-legged tick nymph most frequently transmits Lyme illness, and it’s solely in regards to the measurement of a poppy seed. That is probably the most complete checklist I’ve discovered for how one can conduct a full tick examine.
I do know it’s not simple 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 palms/brush tooth step. This web site has a free exercise e-book for educating younger youngsters how one can examine 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 mountaineering, tenting, and simply being open air in the summertime. Be sensible when mountaineering and observe the following tips for avoiding ticks:
- Put on protecting clothes: Put on long-sleeved shirts when mountaineering in a high-tick space and tuck pants into socks. This apply may help forestall ticks from crawling onto uncovered pores and skin. Mild-colored clothes additionally helps make ticks extra seen.
- Select excessive boots quite than athletic sneakers: Once more, you’ll need to keep away from simply accessible pores and skin.
- Put on a wide-brimmed hat: Vast-brimmed hats can preserve ticks from crawling from tall brush onto the again of your neck or hair.
- Take into account permethrin clothes: I don’t love the concept of utilizing chemical compounds, however I really like the concept 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 examine: Verify 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 mountaineering garments and put them instantly within the dryer for 10 minutes on excessive warmth to kill ticks.
- End up with a great soak: Bathe or bathe as quickly as attainable after mountaineering. Be certain to take action inside 2 hours of coming inside.
It would seem to be a wierd household exercise, however we preserve robes within the mudroom! That manner, we are able to strip off after mountaineering, throw all the pieces within the dryer, and head proper for the showers.
5. Defend Pets
Pets are additionally prone to tick-borne illnesses, and it’s typically more difficult to find ticks due to all that fur. Verify canine and cats totally earlier than permitting them in the home. You can even attempt making use of a number of 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 may help scale back your threat of tick bites, it’s nonetheless essential to do common tick checks, particularly throughout peak tick season (Could via August). For those who discover a tick connected to your pores and skin, take away it instantly –the precise manner– to cut back your threat of tick-borne illnesses. For those who do develop signs, like rash, fever, or muscle aches, search medical consideration instantly.
Have you ever ever had a tick chunk? What did you do? Do you could have different concepts to forestall them?