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Tick Season! Do you know the facts?

Deer Ticks and Wood Ticks....important to learn the difference!

By Jodi Lorence, Publisher Mom April 28, 2016
There are many misconceptions regarding what type of tick can cause Lyme’s Disease. The type of tick that causes Lyme’s disease are very small, so small that they look like a small freckle on your skin.  Because of their small size they are hard to find and possibly why there are so many cases of Lyme’s Disease. So how do you get Lyme’s disease from a deer tick?
A deer tick must be attached to your skin for 24 to 48 hours to infect someone with Lyme’s Disease. If you get bit by a wood tick (a bigger version of a deer tick) you can’t get Lyme’s disease but there is a chance that if he has attached himself you could get an infection where the tick had been attached. So it is a good idea to learn how to lower your chances of exposure to ticks.
So what ways can you lower your chances of exposure to ticks.
  • Do not play in tall grassy or wooded areas near where deer are located, dress in long sleeves and long pants, tucking your pants under your socks.
  • Use products that contain DEET (20% or higher concentration) use precaution and read warning labels before using.
  • Immediately after coming indoors, check everyone from head to toe over for ticks. Showering and scrubbing your skin with a washcloth will most likely wash ticks off your skin. Check your hair over thoroughly. 
  • If you would like a more natural liquid to deter deer ticks you can mix in a spray bottle 2 cups of white distilled vinegar and then about 20 drops of an essential oil such as peppermint, eucalyptus oil or citrus oils.  Spray this onto your hair and skin before going outdoors.
If you find a Tick embedded in your skin what should you do?

You should use a tweezer and gently squeeze the tick near the head and gently pull it out of the skin. You can put the tick in a sealed baggie to bring to the doctor to see if it is a deer tick or a wood tick. Wood ticks are larger in size and don’t spread the Lyme’s disease. Clean the area with an antiseptic whether it was a bite from a deer tick or a wood tick to stop the chances of getting an infection from the bite.
What are the stages of Lyme’s Disease?
  • The first stage of the disease - large red circular ring that will most likely show up after the tick has been attached for 24 – 48 hours. A lethargic feeling, headache, or stiff neck may also be noticed.
  • The second stage of the disease – Pain and weakness in the arms and legs may be noticed as well as possible memory issues.
  • The third stage – Possible pain and swelling of the joints, inability to control facial muscles, and numbness or tingling in the feet, back, or hands.
There is a chance of no red large ring or that you missed this symptom so you may not have symptoms until the disease reaches stage 2 or 3.
Call your physician immediately if you feel like you or someone has been infected with Lyme’s Disease.
If you do have Lyme’s Disease your doctor will know the protocol for medications but an antibiotic is prescribed and sometimes it is a lengthy round of antibiotics due to the nature of the bite and severity of the symptoms.
Here are some more facts about Lyme’s Disease:
*Lyme’s Disease is not contracted through air. It is contagious through blood.
*Most likely to find wood ticks from the months of May through November but their peak activity is in June and July.
*Fewer than 50% of people get the bulls-eye looking red rash.
*The disease is hard to detect and hard to kill.
*25% of reported cases are those of children.
*Lyme’s Disease has been reported in all states.
 
Click here to be taken to the Center of Disease and Control to read more about this disease.