9 Tips to Prevent
Lyme Disease
responsible for Lyme Disease. Ticks can be a vector for other bacte- ria, parasites or viruses that can cause debilitating illnesses – now categorized as “tick borne diseases.” Alone, Lyme can cause a myriad of symptoms including a rash,
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fatigue, fever, swollen glands, arthritis, sleep disturbances, cognitive changes, and many more. It is not uncommon for an individual to also be co-infected with another bacteria, parasite or virus from the same tick bite. Treatment for Lyme Disease and its co-infections can be long, difficult, discouraging and expensive. Some protocols in- volve drugs, herbs, homeopathics, supplements or any combination of these. To date, doctors are still searching for ‘the one’ treatment protocol that is universally successful. For these reasons prevention is so important.
ince the late 1970s ticks have become a common part of the life of the New Englander. We learned back then that ticks were the vector, or carrier, for Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacteria
Below is a list of 10 things to remember and implement into
your daily living to reduce the risk of tick exposure and infection of tick borne diseases. 1. Daily tick checks. I can’t stress this one enough. According to
research, it appears that the risk for transmission of the bacteria (B. Burgdorferi) for Lyme disease is less than 5% if the tick is attached for only 24 hours. If the tick is attached for 48 hours the risk of transmission increases to 80%. Daily tick checks of the entire body are the best way to keep the risk of transmission low. Parents should implement tick checks as part of bedtime routine or some other daily ritual. It is essential to keep this a daily habit even if you do not spend any time outdoors. Ticks can be carried indoors by pets and mice.
2. Avoid tick habitats. Ticks thrive in humid environments like
wooded and bushy areas with high grass and a lot of leaf litter. If en- tering a tick area, walk in the center of the trail to avoid overgrown grass, brush and leaf litter. 3. Wear clothing that aids tick identification. Wear long pants,
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long sleeves, and long socks to keep ticks off your skin. Light-colored clothing will help you identify the dark and often very small ticks on your clothing. Tuck pant legs into socks or boots, and tuck shirts into pants to prevent ticks from getting access to your skin. Ticks identify potential hosts via thermal detection. Wearing light colored clothing and covering skin helps to disguise your body heat from ticks. 4. Use an effective anti-tick spray. If spending long amounts of time outdoors consider anti-tick bug spray. I am aware of the concern of using chemicals like DEET, but please consider the occa- sional use of a product containing DEET or something else that kills ticks to decrease your risk of getting bit by a tick. Use insect repel- lents containing 20 percent up to 50 percent DEET on exposed skin and clothing. Products containing permethrin are also effective, but are to be used on clothing only. Permethrin kills ticks on contact and one application to pants, socks and shoes typically stays effective through several laundry washings. Read instruction labels carefully before applying any repellents. 5. Dry clothes for an hour. Leave clothes in the dryer for an
hour. Ticks cannot survive an atmosphere with very low humidity. Some extra time in the dryer will help kill ticks that are attached to clothing.
6. Prompt removal of the tick. Remove a tick from your skin as
soon as you notice it. Use fine-tipped tweezers to firmly grasp the tick very close to your skin. With a steady motion, pull the tick away from your skin. Keep the tick. Some public health departments will
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