Are You Ready For Tick Season?

By Michael Freedman, MD

Ticks are back! Get ready for ticks by reading and find out what you can do to keep you and your family tick and Lyme free this spring and summer.

The adult deer tick is smalland the baby (called a “nymph”) is even smaller. You won't find them if you don't look closely. In fact, in up to 50% of cases of confirmed Lyme disease, the victim never even saw a tick.

How To Remove a Tick

Use fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick.
Grasp as close to the surface as possible.
Pull upward with steady, even pressure.
Don't twist or jerk the tick; this can cause the mouth-parts to break off and remain in the skin. If this happens, remove the mouth-parts with tweezers. If you are unable to remove the mouth with tweezers, leave it alone and let the skin heal.
Clean the bite area.
Dispose of a live tick by submersing it in alcohol, placing it in a sealed bag/container, wrapping it tightly in tape, or flushing it down the toilet.
Never crush a tick with your fingers.

Lyme Rash

Lyme disease symptoms can be grouped by early (within 3-30 days after a tick bite) and late (days to months after the tick bite). The rash of Lymeoccurs in 80% of infected people, usually at the site of the tick bitewithin 3-30 days.It is circular, warm but not usually painful.

Early Symptoms

Red expanding rash (bull's eye or solid)
Flu-like symptoms (headache, fatigue, fevers, chills, muscle aches)

Late Symptoms

Bell's (Facial) Palsy
Swelling of a large joint (such as knee)
Severe neck stiffness or headache
Additional expanding red rashes (bull's eye or solid)
Heart palpitations or irregular heart beats
Dizziness or shortness of breath which comes and goes
Shooting pains, numbness or tingling in hands and feet
Problems with short-term memory
Pain in tendons, muscles, joints, and bones which comes and goes

Prevent Tick Bites

Ticks can be present all yearlongeven in the winter. As long as the temps are abovefreezing, they can beactive.

Avoid wooded and bushy areas with high grass and leaf litter.
Walk in the center of trails.
Repel Ticks with DEET or Permethrin
Use repellents that contain 20-30% DEET on exposed skin and clothing.
Use products that contain permethrin on clothing.
Treat clothing and gear, such as boots, pants, socks and tents with products containing 0.5% permethrin.
Find and remove ticks from your body.
Bathe or shower as soon as possible after coming indoors (preferably within two hours).
Conduct a full body tick check using a hand-held or full-length mirror.

Parents should check their children for ticks under the arms, in ears, belly button, behind knees, between the legs, around the waist, and especially in their hair.

Examine gear and pets.
Ticks can ride into the home on clothing and pets, then attach to a person later, so carefully examine pets, coats, and day packs.
Tumble clothes in a dryer on high heat for an hour to kill remaining ticks.

What to Do After a Tick Bite

Lyme disease is not usually transmitted within the first 36-48 hours of tick attachment. The likelihood of transmission is increased if the tick is engorged and/or has been attached for at least 72 hours. If you have had a tick bite, get seen right away.