| Would you know how to remove a tick? Did you | | | | important. The tick will latch onto you any way it can, |
| know that the old wives' tales for removing them | | | | but its favourite spots to feed are the neck, head, |
| should be avoided? Never attempt to burn them off, | | | | armpits, back of the knees, groin and navel areas. |
| crush them with your fingers, cover them with | | | | Taking a photo of any rash that develops at the site |
| petroleum jelly or apply any other chemicals. These | | | | of the bite before it disappears can help convince |
| methods may actually heighten the risk of infection by | | | | doctors to take symptoms seriously. Many victims |
| causing the tick to produce excess saliva or vomit into | | | | remain undiagnosed or are misdiagnosed because |
| the wound! Yes...Yuk! | | | | doctors are not well educated about tick bites and |
| A tick will remove itself from your body once it is | | | | Lyme disease. It's often up to the patient to be |
| engorged with your blood by simply falling off, but this | | | | pro-active and pursue it by informing the doctor that |
| process can take several hours or even days. As | | | | they have been bitten and requesting tests and |
| revolting as this subject is, it should give backpackers, | | | | treatment. |
| travellers, and even those who think they are safe | | | | Tips to avoid encounters with ticks: |
| pottering in the garden, the urge to read on... | | | | * Wear light coloured clothing and long sleeves. |
| This article is not intended to cause alarm, but to | | | | * Tuck trouser legs into socks and shirt into trousers. |
| heighten awareness of ticks and the potential for | | | | * Wear shoes or boots rather than open sandals. |
| catching the diseases they carry. Fresh air and | | | | * Check yourself after sitting on grass or logs, brushing |
| exercise is good for us, so the outdoors should not be | | | | past branches or leaning against tree trunks. |
| avoided because of the fear of catching something or | | | | * Use a light-coloured picnic blanket to easily spot ticks |
| getting bitten. However, it is better to avoid the bite | | | | and other insects. |
| than deal with possible consequences like Lyme | | | | * Inspect outdoor pets regularly for ticks and keep |
| disease, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (U.S.) or other | | | | them off furniture. |
| tick-borne illnesses. | | | | * Arrange with travel companions to check each other |
| Ticks resemble tiny spiders. There are several types | | | | for signs of ticks (or use a mirror to check the parts |
| of ticks and the diseases they carry depend on the | | | | you can't see). |
| geographical location. Ticks are reported to be the | | | | * Use insect repellents effective against ticks. |
| next most prolific spreader of disease after the | | | | * Check clothing and shoes before entering your car |
| mosquito. Although mainly inhabiting woodland areas, | | | | or home. |
| they are also found in our gardens and city parks. | | | | Education is vital in avoiding and removing ticks. Know |
| They are most active in warm weather but are | | | | the correct method for removing them from the skin, |
| present all year (even in Britain). Lyme disease is | | | | preferably with tweezers or a special removal tool. |
| common across the United States, often transmitted | | | | Keep the tick so that it can be examined if symptoms |
| by deer ticks, with thousands of cases reported each | | | | occur. If head or mouth parts of the tick break off |
| year. It is not as well known in the U.K., but many will | | | | under the skin during removal they must also be taken |
| be surprised to learn that hundreds of cases are | | | | out or medical help obtained as this can heighten the |
| reported each year. Lyme disease is also found in | | | | chance of infection. |
| Europe, especially Scandinavian countries, as well as in | | | | If symptoms occur following a bite, antibiotic treatment |
| Austria, Germany and Switzerland. Cases have been | | | | should begin as quickly as possible. Symptoms of |
| reported in many other parts of the world, including | | | | Lyme disease might include skin rash, headache, |
| Australia, S. Africa, China, Japan, and the former Soviet | | | | fatigue, fever, muscle and joint aches and swollen |
| Union. | | | | lymph glands. Left untreated the disease may spread |
| A tick bite does not automatically mean it will always | | | | to other parts of the body and cause chronic |
| result in Lyme or any other disease. Not all ticks carry | | | | problems. |
| the disease but, unfortunately, some ticks are capable | | | | Apologies to the squeamish and arachnophobic who |
| of carrying more than one disease. Those who are | | | | now have one more thing to worry about! A vaccine |
| bitten and infected do not always experience | | | | against Lyme disease is not available at the time of |
| symptoms, and often are not even aware they have | | | | writing, so backpackers, hikers and campers should be |
| been bitten, so the disease can be hard to pin down. | | | | especially vigilant. It is hoped that this information will |
| Successful diagnosis may hinge upon relating it to a | | | | remind lovers of the outdoors to take extra care and |
| bite - which is why awareness and knowledge is so | | | | avoid unwanted close encounters of the buggy kind. |