Fall Lyme Disease Risk Still High

By Michael Freedman, MD

Checking for ticks in fall? You should.Although the baby ticks (nymphs) are gone, the adult ticks begin to search more for mammals particularly deer and people. Nearly 10,000 new cases of Lyme disease are diagnosed in September and around 5,000 are diagnosed in November.

In the Northeast,most people catch Lyme around their homes while out gardening, playing in their backyard, or mowing the lawn.

You can do a lot to help protect yourself and your family. Preventing tick borne illnesses like Lyme disease is much easier than treating it.

In up to 50% of cases of confirmed Lyme disease, the victim never even saw a tick.

Keep in mind that ticks can attach to any part of the human body butare often found in hard-to-see areas such as the groin, armpits, and scalp.

Check out these 13 simple tips to avoid tick bites

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.

Remains on protective clothing through several washings.

Pre-treated clothing is available and may be protective longer.

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.

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

Classic target or bullseye lesion of Lyme

Red expanding rash(bullseye or solid)

Flu-like symptoms

Headache

Fatigue

Fevers

Chills

Muscle aches

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. It's easier to take two tabs of Doxycycline than to deal with Lyme disease later.