test the tick for B. burgdorferi for a minor fee. This lab result can be very helpful when considering treatment options. 7. Only use appropriate methods. Don’t use petroleum jelly, a


match, nail polish or any other method to remove the tick. Research shows that these methods will alarm the tick and provoke the tick to vomit its stomach contents into you – essentially this allows for transmission of any bacteria, parasites or viruses that the tick may be carrying. 8. Avoid crushing the tick. When removing the tick just focus


on grasping the tick as close to the skin as possible. If small pieces of the tick remain attached to the skin after removal, do not be alarmed. They are likely just the mouthparts and should be treated as splinters – the mouthparts are not the reservoir for bacteria or other infectious agents. If the body of the tick (with or without mouthparts) is intact then the tick can be tested for bacteria. 9. Clean your skin. After tick removal clean your skin with soap


and warm water. If you accidentally crush the tick, clean your skin with soap and warm water. Let’s discuss a few other points. Ticks have many reservoirs, animals that the tick will feed on during its life cycle. Among these are squirrels, birds, deer, cats, dogs, and mice. We must recognize that we may invite some of these animals into our home and others come in uninvited. The risk for exposure to a tick can occur in and out of the home and all times of the year. (On a personal note – we have found three ticks in our home this winter.) Vigilance in daily tick checks for everyone in your home needs to be a habit. As was mentioned above, ticks enjoy humid environments such


as groves of trees, forests, shrubs and other shaded and wooded ar- eas. Some property management can help lower the tick population in your own yard; we call this creating a tick free environment. This is accomplished by keeping the grass mowed, trimming tree branch- es around the lawn to allow for more sun exposure, and removing brush and leaves around stonewalls and wood piles. Scientists have learned that ticks do not migrate well over wood chips and gravel surfaces. Creating a barrier of wood chips or gravel around the perimeter of your lawn will inhibit tick migration into the tick free environment. Once again remember to wear light colored clothing and cover up while working out in the yard. In 2007 The State of Connecticut put together an effective educational resource about ticks and how to reduce tick preva- lence in and around your home. It is called the “Tick Management Handbook.” This handbook is available for download on the Con- necticut Department of Public Health website, search Tick Manage- ment Handbook (www.ct.gov/dph). This handbook is the best single source for general information about ticks, tick borne diseases, incubation, and prevention. Following the steps listed above and the other guidelines will help reduce the risk of exposure to tick-borne diseases for you and your family. Finally, a tick bite demands attention. It becomes a precarious decision point. Rash? No rash? Engorged? Partially engorged? Antibi- otic therapy? Alternative/Naturopathic therapy? Whichever direction you choose to take, prompt prophylactic therapy with any tick bite may reduce years of pain.


Submitted by Dr. Benjamin Stratford, a board certified and CT licensed Naturopathic Physician. Dr. Stratford has lectured across the state to physicians and the public about Lyme Disease. Practicing in Connecticut for years utilizing homeopathy and botanical medi- cine, he has treated adults and children with a myriad of acute and chronic diseases. For more information, visit www.ctnaturalhealth. com or call 860-533-0179. See ad on page 35.


NaturalNutmeg.com 31 Lg


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