Taking a Bite Out of Lyme's Disease

Jul 09, 2021

Watch for Ticks

With Covid -19 vaccination status improving, more individuals are taking to the roads to enjoy the great outdoors of beautiful Michigan. Whether you are camping, hiking or just picnicking, it is important to be aware that with outdoor activities, comes the higher likelihood of encountering ticks. Here we will discuss how to prevent tick bites and tick-borne illness such as Lyme's Disease.

Preventing tick bites:

• Ticks live in wooded areas where there is brush or tall grass (although ticks can be found in landscaped areas as well). In fact, many people and pets will encounter ticks in their own yards.
• A good repellent spray should be applied when outdoors in these areas. The CDC recommends repellents made with Deet, IR3535, picaridin, Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus (OLE), para-menthane-diol etc. These should not be applied on children who are under 3 years of age. 
• Wear appropriate clothing that covers skin such as long sleeve shirts and jeans. Before coming inside, remove clothing and inspect for ticks. Check pets for ticks as well.
• Showering within 2 hours after being outdoors has shown to reduce Lyme disease according to the CDC.

What to do if you find a tick:

1. Grasp tick as close to the skin surface as possible using fine tipped tweezers.
2. Do not twist or jerk tick but instead use a steady pressure to pull straight upward. If any part of tick remains, remove with tweezers. If unable to do so, leave area alone,
3. Clean area with soap and water or alcohol.
4. Tick should be disposed of by placing it in a bag with alcohol or flushing down the toilet. If worried about Lyme disease, bring tick in bag to your primary care provider.
5. If a rash develops several days to a few weeks after tick bite, see your primary care provider for evaluation and possible treatment.
 
Want more information?

Here is a list of Michigan sites that are useful and can offer additional education.

• https://www.mlda.org/  (Michigan Lyme Disease Association) 
• https://www.michigan.gov/documents/emergingdiseases/Lyme_risk_map2020_697081_7.pdf  (Michigan Lyme Disease Risk map by location for 2021)
• https://www.uofmhealth.org/health-library/hw77226  (University of Michigan Lyme disease education)

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