Watch Out for Ticks in the Summer
Submitted by Denise Bertacchi on June 14, 2010 – 9:57 am
(No Ratings Yet)
Loading ...
Print This
| No Comment
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ... Print This
| No Comment
Image via Wikipedia
Summer isn’t just a season for outdoor adventures–it’s also tick season. If you’re planning on going hiking, camping, geocaching, or heck, just gardening, you’re bound to run into those nasty little bloodsuckers.
According to the CDC, ticks live in moist and humid environments near wooded or grassy areas. They say you can avoid ticks if you restrict your hiking to wide trails, but if you venture into tall grass–beware!
- Use bug spray with DEET, and spray it on your skin AND clothes. Repellents with 20% or more DEET will last several hours.
- Bug spray can be safely used on children, but avoid spraying their face and hands.
- Wear long pants, long sleeves and socks.
- Tuck pants into socks before going off trail–this unfashable look will block access to your skin.
- Wear light colored clothing so you can spot ticks walking on you.
Always check for ticks after walking in tall grass or off trails. Ticks like to be snug, so check places where you have elastic, around socks, under arms and between legs. Ticks also like to migrate upward, so check the hair line too. (No, they don’t drop out of trees.)
Prompt removal of the tick will greatly decrease the chances of catching Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever or Lyme Disease. It’s important to look for ticks if you think you’ve been in a tick infested area because you will not feel a tick bite at first. Change clothes as soon as you get home. Ticks could be hitching a ride! Don’t leave clothes in the hamper–throw them right into the wash. A dryer on high heat will kill ticks.
If bitten by a tick, remove it as soon as you notice it. Pull the tick off gently to get it off in one piece. Use tweezers if needed. Clean the bite to remove any bateria from the tick. Most ticks do not carry disease, but if you do become sick after getting a tick bite, mention it to your doctor.
Related articles by Zemanta
- Ticks Carry Lyme Disease (healthfieldmedicare.suite101.com)
- Lyme Disease and other Tick bite related illnesses (gettheskinney.com)
- Watch Out for Lyme Disease (nlm.nih.gov)
No TweetBacks yet. (Be the first to Tweet this post)
Contributed by Denise Bertacchi (46 Articles)
Denise Bertacchi is a freelance writer who is proud to call St. Louis home. Denise writes for magazines, newspapers and online at Examiner.com.