Hike Over? Time for Your Tick Check

Tick season is in full force in many places in the United States and a few in Canada. Tick-borne diseases, like Lyme disease, can have serious consequences in previously healthy people.

The five types of tick-borne diseases are:

• Babesiosis
• Ehrlichiosis and Anaplasmosis
• Lyme Disease
• Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever
• Tularemia

Of course, prevention is the best medicine. If you can’t avoid areas where ticks live, there are some steps you can take to reduce the risk of being bitten:

• Avoid sitting directly on the ground or fallen logs
• Avoid sitting on stonewalls or woodpiles
• Walk in the center of trails
• Wear light-colored long pants and long sleeves
• Wear white closely knitted socks when outside and tuck your pant legs inside
• Tuck your shirt into your pants
• Wear light colored gloves
• Wear a hat

Once you’re home from your hike, it’s time for a tick check.

First, know what you’re looking for. Deer ticks are usually very tiny, approximately the size of a fleck of black pepper.

• If possible, have someone else inspect you
• Be sure to check your hairline

If you find a tick:

Don’t just grab at it with tweezers and pull, don’t put anything on it, such as Vaseline or alcohol. Instead, follow these directions:

• Use fine pointed tweezers and grasp the tick as close to the mouth parts as possible
• After removing the tick, call/see your doctor as soon as possible
• Try saving the tick in a plastic container for testing

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Images: Newscom.com and Stock.xchng