Ticks!!!
Submitted by Christine Stone, RN Clinical Liaison
To me, ticks seem more plentiful this year (20170 compared to past years. Just thinking of them makes me feel itchy. All I have to do is walk outside, and I find a tick on me. Fortunately, the ticks had not yet attached to my skin. I’ve done some reading on the subject of ticks, the diseases they can transmit to humans and animals, and some ways to prevent and treat tick bites. Here’s a summary of my readings:
Ticks love to hide in grassy, wooded and leaf covered areas. They crawl, rather than fly, or fall from trees. By just walking across your lawn, ticks can land on you. Not all ticks carry the dreaded Lyme disease, but there are a number of different diseases they can carry. If ticks feed on infected mice, they can transmit the diseases to humans and animals. When the tick attaches itself, it “salivates” into the human body – this makes me itchy
Always check yourself and for ticks when you come in from the outside – hair, under arms, groin, under your waistband. Check your pets too. If you find a tick on yourself or your pet, there are very specific ways to remove the insect. Pay no attention to all those “folklore remedies” which recommend using peppermint oil, nail polish, petroleum jelly, apple cider vinegar, or heat. They don’t work, and you’d be wasting precious time. Instead, grab the tweezers, grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible, pull straight up with steady pressure. Then thoroughly clean the area (and your hands) with rubbing alcohol or soap and water. To get rid of the tick, flush it down the toilet, or place in a sealed plastic bag.
Other measures you can take to minimize ticks include:
- Keep grass mowed, remove tall grass/brush and leaves so ticks don’t have dark, wet places to hide.
- Use wood chips or mulch as a barrier around trees and bushes.
- Spraying insecticides is probably the least environmentally-friendly option. Some communities offer neighborhood spraying. Stay indoors when spraying is being done.
- Rather than spraying, treat clothing with chemicals that kill or repel ticks such as DEET or permthrin. This can keep ticks from landing on you and biting.
- Throw clothing in the dryer on high heat after coming inside.
- When walking or hiking, wear light-colored clothing so the ticks can be easily seen. Stay in the middle of the trail
- Check with your veterinarian for appropriate tick and flea treatment for your pet.
If you develop a rash or a fever, seek medical attention right away. Early recognition and treatment can decrease the risk of serious complications later on.