Don't get ticked

Over the past couple of summers, there has been an increase in tick populations across the country. A black-legged tick, also known as a deer tick, is the type that typically carries Lyme disease.

Tick bites are common, and people are usually unaware that they’ve been bitten. Be sure to check yourself, your family, and your pets often when coming in from outdoors, especially in the spring and fall months. Do a careful tick check especially in and around the hair and ears, under the arms, inside the bellybutton, around the waist, between the legs, and back of the knees. When they bite you, a tick may stick around drawing your blood for up to 10 days.

Ticks can be found in grassy, brushy, or wooded areas. Fore prevention, treat your clothing and gear with products containing 0.5% permethrin as well as EPA-registered insect repellents.

The odds of catching Lyme Disease

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “In most cases, a tick must be attached for 36 to 48 hours or more before the Lyme disease bacterium can be transmitted. If you remove a tick quickly (within 24 hours), you can greatly reduce your chances of getting Lyme disease.” The risk of contracting Lyme disease from a tick bite depends on three factors: the tick species, where the tick came from, and how long it was biting you. That’s why the sooner you can remove the entire tick, the lower your chances of contracting a tick-borne disease.

“Many people watch for the classic bullseye rash after being bitten by a tick,” said Sydney Cmar, infection prevention and control coordinator at Firelands Regional Medical Center. “It is important to note that only 70-80% of patients will develop this rash, and the appearance can vary widely.” Cmar went on to say, “If you develop any kind of rash around a tick bite, up to 30 days later or after spending time in tick habitats, seek medical attention.” If you spot a tick on yourself or your child after spending time outdoors and have symptoms, seek immediate medical attention from Firelands or the Erie County Health Department/Erie County Community Health Center. If you take a tick in a sealed bag to the health department, your tick can be identified. Most of the time, tick bites are harmless and symptoms are rare.

After the tick is removed, keep a lookout for the following symptoms:

• Rash near the bite site
• Headache
• Fatigue
• Muscle or joint pain or achiness
• Fever/chills
• Swollen lymph nodes

How to remove a tick from your skin

Use a pair of clean fine-tipped tweezers to clench the tick as close to your skin as possible. Pull up with the tweezers using gentle, yet steady, pressure. Don’t twist or jerk the tweezers as these motions can cause the tick to break off and leave fragments in the skin. After removing the entire tick, use rubbing alcohol or soap and water to clean the tick bite. It’s best to avoid any other methods of removal. When in doubt, visit a healthcare professional. Take extra precautions to avoid tick bites this tick season.

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