When summer season arrives, the weather becomes warm and the days are longer. Even though many love to spend a lot of time on the beaches and in the outdoors, a tick might be waiting nearby to deliver a bite. The deer tick or black-legged tick can transmit Lyme disease to humans with just one bite. It is important that you are well aware of the precautions to observe to avoid tick bites.
Monitor for presence of ticks
It is important to note that ticks can spread the disease by fastening on the body and transferring the virus via a bite. Nevertheless, not all black-legged ticks can spread the infection and it will take 24 hours of attachment to the body before the Lyme disease is transmitted.
Once a tick is discovered and promptly removed, the disease can be prevented. When Lyme disease is left untreated, it can spread to other parts of the body and progress into a chronic condition.
Precautions while hiking
It is important to avoid the outdoors that are wooded, littered with leaf debris and covered in tall grass especially during the spring and summer season. Right after a hiking trek or outdoor adventure, the individual should check the body thoroughly for any ticks. Always be sure to check under the arms, in the belly button, inside the ears, behind the legs, around the waist and in the hair.
Clothing precautions
All outdoor clothing and gear should be treated with permethrin. It is also recommended to utilize pre-treated clothing that will stay protected for up to 70 washes. It is best to utilize a topical repellant when staying outdoors. The individual should shower promptly to wash away ticks that might have crawled on the skin and tumble-dry clothes using high heat for an hour to eliminate any hiding ticks.
What to do if there is a tick?
Once you find a tick on any part of the body, you have to utilize tweezers to hold the tick and pull directly upward. Remember to avoid twisting the tweezers while pulling so that you will not detach the mouth of the tick and leave it in the skin. When the tick is removed, clean the bite site and wash your hands with rubbing alcohol. To learn how to be prepared to remove a tick, register for a first aid course.
When the tick is removed, continue to monitor the bite site for any signs of a rash. Many individuals develop the distinctive painless rash a few days to several weeks after the tick bite. This rash appears as the distinctive bull’s eye with a red center that is surrounded by a clear area and a red-colored ring. Remember that the rash typically appears within 30 days often before the individual develops a fever.
Treatment for Lyme disease
If the individual receives treatment right after being bitten by a tick, he/she can recover within a few weeks. Oral antibiotics such as amoxicillin, doxycycline or cefuroxime are common treatments utilized for the condition.
Safety measures
Anyone can enjoy when outdoors but always stay safe. Lyme disease can be managed at home if discovered early. In case the disease progresses without treatment, it can result to a severe infection that requires hospitalization. The sooner the condition is diagnosed and treated, the more likely for the individual to be cured. Once proper precautions are observed, the condition can be avoided.