Ticks: Why you should Avoid Bites

Getting a tick bite can happen to anyone while they are hiking, camping, or working outside. You may not even know that you were bitten by a tick! However, these bites can spread bacteria, viruses and parasites that can make you sick and even cause serious diseases.

What diseases are caused by tick bites?

Tick bites cause skin rashes and mild illness, but sometimes can cause long-term health problems, including those that affect the nervous system, heart, joints, and muscles.

How should you check for ticks or bites?

Ticks attach to your skin to feed on your blood. If infected, the tick can also pass along germs to you during this process. As ticks can remain attached to your body for several days, the sooner it is removed, the less chance there is to cause an infection.

After outdoor activity, but sure to check your body for small, raised bumps or a tick that is still attached to your skin. Carefully check your entire body; a full length or handheld mirror may be useful. Parents should check their children for ticks under the arms, in and around the ears, inside the belly button, behind the knees, between the legs, around the waist, and especially in their hair.

Also be sure to check your pet(s), as ticks may also attach to your animal when they are outdoors.

How should you remove a tick?

If you find a tick on your skin, remove it right away to reduce the chance of infection.

• Using the tweezers, grab the tick as close to your skin as possible.
• Pull upward with steady, even pressure. Don't twist or jerk the tick. You want to remove the whole tick in one piece if you can. If the mouth parts of the tick break off and stay in the skin, try to remove them. But if you can't remove them easily, then leave them in place.
• Thoroughly clean the bite area and your hands with rubbing alcohol or soap and water.
• Never crush a tick with your fingers. Dispose of a live tick by putting it in alcohol, placing it in a sealed bag/container, wrapping it tightly in tape, or flushing it down the toilet.

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What symptoms should you watch for after a bite?

Ticks can cause serious diseases that can have long-lasting health problems. One of the most common tick-borne diseases in the US is Lyme disease – others include Rocky Mountain spotted fever, babesiosis, ehrlichiosis, and tularemia.

Seek medical attention if you have any of these symptoms within several weeks after a tick bite:

• Fever
• Chills
• Aches and pains
• Rash

Be sure to tell your doctor the region of the US where you suspect you were bitten. Your doctor may also do a lab test to help diagnose your symptoms. They may prescribe an antibiotic if they suspect that you are at risk of Lyme disease or certain other tick-borne illnesses.

How do I prevent tick bites?

When you are outdoors:

• Avoid areas that have tall grass, leaf litter or shrubs wher ticks reside.
• Wear insect repellent with DEET, picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus, para-menthane-diol, or 2-undecanone as the active ingredient.
• Wear light-colored protective clothing.
• Treat your clothing and gear with products containing 0.5% permethrin.
• Tuck your pant legs into your socks and your shirt into your pants.

To help prevent tick bites after being outdoors:

• Remove your clothing as soon as possible. Check your clothing for ticks and remove any ticks that you find.
• Wash and dry your clothes at high temperatures or put your dry clothes in a clothes dryer on high heat for 10 minutes.
• Bathe or shower within 2 hours after outdoor activity to remove any ticks that are crawling on your body.

Summary

The best way to prevent tickborne diseases is avoid getting a tick bite. Be sure to follow the precautions when you are outdoors and to check carefully for bites or ticks after each potential encounter.

See also:

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