As summer arrives and temperatures soar, we may be spending time outdoors hiking or gardening. However, outdoor activities can pose a risk of contracting Lyme disease from a tick bite.
In the United States, Lyme disease is primarily caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi, and occasionally by Borrelia mayonii in the Midwest. It is most prevalent in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and upper Midwest regions.
Ticks that cause Lyme disease are very tiny. Young ticks are as small as poppy seeds when they are young, during which they can also spread disease. Adult ticks are about the size of sesame seeds. Ticks are commonly located in tall shrubs and grass, where they can effortlessly latch onto passing animals and people.
Symptoms of Lyme disease
Symptoms can begin within three to 30 days after the bite of an infected tick and may include:
- ‘Bulls eye’ rash at bite site:
- Flu-like symptoms: fever, chills, headache, muscle and joint aches.
Untreated Lyme disease can cause more serious problems including more severe joint pain/arthritis, neurological symptoms (nerve pain, face paralysis), irregular heartbeat, and fatigue/difficulty concentrating.
Prevention
To prevent tick bites and reduce the risk of Lyme disease:
- Wear shoes, long-sleeved shirts, and long pants outdoors, tucking pants into socks to keep ticks off your skin.
- Use tick-repellent repellant with DEET.
- Apply permethrin-based repellents to clothes and gear.
- Stay in the middle of trails/out of tall grasses.
- Shower within 2 hours of being in tick-prone areas and check your body for ticks, focusing on your scalp, waist, armpits, groin, and the backs of your knees.
- After being outdoors, put dry clothes in the dryer on high for about 15 minutes.
- If you live near deer or mice, take measures to keep them away, as they can carry ticks.
Post-tick bite
If you find an attached tick, use tweezers to gently and slowly remove it, then wash the area with soap and water. Determine if it was attached to your skin or just resting on it and if it was engorged with blood.
Call if you think it was attached for at least 36 hours. We can prescribe preventive antibiotics.
Please call our office with any questions at 202-293-3636.