Tick Tips

July 8th, 2017

Summertime is a great time to get out and enjoy the great outdoors.  This year in the Northeast region, we are seeing a higher than usual number of ticks and tick-borne diseases (Lyme, Babesiosis, Erlichiosis, Powassan, just to name a few).  Be sure to protect yourself and your loved ones with these tips:

• Cover up when you are hiking, tuck your pants into your boots or socks.
• Check for ticks after being outdoors, even if it’s just your backyard.  Have a loved one look at your back and the back of your legs.  Ticks prefer armpits, the belt line, groin areas, and the areas around the hairline and the area behind the ears.
• Check your pets regularly for ticks after coming indoors.
• Use an insect repellent containing at least 30% DEET on exposed skin/clothing.  (If you applying sunblock, the sunblock should be applied BEFORE the DEET)
• Plunge into a pool/ocean, take a vigorous shower after being outdoors.  The water can dislodge ticks that are not yet attached.
• Unlike mosquitos, ticks do not typically start feeding until 24 hours after crawling around your body for a nice safe place.  This means you should continually check your body for at least 2 days after being in a tick infested area.  Removing of a tick as soon as possible can dramatically reduce your chance for infection.
• Protect your yard from ticks, trim down any tall grasses, try to prevent animals from getting into your yard.  Most people think deer carry the most deer ticks, but mice and chipmunks are more likely to bring the bugs into your backyard.  If you have an infestation of mice, get an exterminator.  Remove bird feeders that may spill grains onto the ground that rodents can feed on.
• If you do find a tick, remove it very gently with a small pair of tweezers or a specialized tick remover.  I recommend anyone who lives in an area purchase one of these tick removers as they are inexpensive and do not require as much skill.  If you do use tweezers (the ones usually used for plucking eyebrows), you want to be careful to lift it gently by the mouth parts.  Do NOT squeeze the body of the tick, or the blood stored in the abdomen will get “injected” into your body.
• Do not burn the tick, apply vaseline, sesame oil, alcohol or do anything to the tick.  I have heard many of these far fetched “home remedies” in my practice.  None of these are effective and could cause more harm (e.g. burning your skin with a lit match)
• Save the tick and try to identify it by comparing to these pictures on the CDC website.  Deer ticks are the only ones known to spread Lyme disease.  If you do find an engorged deer tick (looks like a white jellybean with legs) on your body, you will need to see a healthcare professional for medication that will prevent you from getting Lyme disease. If you are not sure what type of tick it is, bring the tick with you and your healthcare professional can identify it for you.
• If you develop a rash that looks like the logo for Target stores develop anywhere on the body, see your healthcare provider immediately.  This is the classic rash of Lyme disease that usually appears 1-2 weeks after being infected by a deer tick.  The rash is generally not itchy or painful, and enlarges slowly over days.  Even if you don’t recall being bitten by a tick, you should still see your medical provider.  At this stage, Lyme disease is curable with oral antibiotics.  Later stages of Lyme disease can cause flu-like symptoms, fatigue, nerve issues and joint pain.