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Last posts on private forums:  sare  2008-06-16 09:56:33 matthew 2008-04-12 21:25:59 pieniadz 2008-04-12 20:52:26
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Last posts on private blogs: matthew 2008-04-12 21:25:17 mary 2008-04-12 19:27:47 |
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You are in: Main Page / Medical articles / Holidays / How to Avoid Tick Borne Disease?
You can be shocked to discover that you have a tick somewhere in your body. Ticks do carry various diseases and you have to prepare before going into the woods. Obviously, there's no need to avoid going out simply because you are afraid to get a tick. Ticks are hazardous to your health and can carry bacteria which cause Lyme disease. However, there are certain tips you can follow to avoid tick bites.
1. Apply the repellent which contains 20% DEET but protect your eyes and mouth. DEET products need to be reapplied every couple hours.
2. Apply permethrin onto clothing, tents, camp chairs or even your boots, don't apply it on your skin.
3. Light-colored clothes mean that you will easily notice a tick crawling somewhere on your body. You will be able to remove it easily.
4. Wear long pants, sneakers and long socks, you can also wear a turtleneck and a shirt put tightly in the waistband. It may look weird but it works well.
5. Ticks hang out in high vegetation waiting for some host to pass by. Walk on a trail, don't meander through meadows and areas rich in ticks. You will minimize the risk of being infected by ticks.
6. Check yourself every day - strip down and search all the places you didn't cover, such as hair, arms, between the legs and behind the knees, check also your belly button.
7. Dry your clothes in a dryer or wash them in high temperature, however, you should know that ticks die in hot, dry air. Some of them are able to survive even hot water of your washing machine.
8. Try checking kids and pets before they enter the house, remove your kid's clothes and check the fur of the pet. Check the creases of their body - body knees, armpits or the groin.
If a tick already bit you it's probably attached to your body, it's lodged in your skin.
How to remove a tick?
Don't crush the tick with your fingers, rub in the alcohol or a fire. Before you apply the alcohol wash the area with soap and water and make it dry. In case of any symptoms of the disease, see a doctor, especially if you notice joint aches or bull's-eye-shaped rash. These could be signs of Lyme disease.
Another disease carried by ticks is Tick borne encephalitis - it is a viral infection which affects the central nervous system and can have really disastrous effects. The disease may mean you won't be able to work, you can lose memory and have seizures.
What are the symptoms of Tick Borne Encephalitis?
- flu like symptoms which appear within 1-8 days from the tick bite.
- a second phase involves raised temperature and inflammation of the brain
- one third develops into encephalitis with seizures, paralysis or possible death
Don't be too panicked because not every tick bite means you have TBE. If you plan visiting a country where ticks live get a vaccine called TicoVac. Even though ticks carry the disease, the chances of contracting the illness are very small.
Added by:
mary
not connected with health care system
Added on:
2009-07-23 15:30:17 ,
Updated:
2009-07-23 15:35:52
Bibliography:
www.webmd.com
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