Tick bite rates are soaring across the U.S. as the hungry arachnids expand their typical geographic areas and stay active for longer periods each year. According to Healthline, that means that Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses are on the rise, too.
Lyme disease is most commonly associated with bites from deer ticks. Before feeding, these sesame seed-sized bugs sport brown or reddish-brown bodies with dark plates that resemble shields on their backs. They're most prevalent in the Northeast and Midwest, particularly in wooded areas.
In humans, Lyme disease can develop as quickly as one day after a bite. The classic early symptom is erythema migrans, which is a bulls-eye shaped rash around the bite. Other early symptoms can include fever, chills, enlarged lymph nodes, vision changes, headache, fatigue, and muscle aches. In its later stages, complications from Lyme disease can include meningitis and heart arrhythmias.
Both early and advanced Lyme disease are treatable with antibiotics, though complications may take time to resolve.
The best way to combat Lyme disease is not to get it in the first place. Wear long-sleeved shirts and pants on walks in wooded areas, ideally in lighter colors that will make it easier to spot a dark-colored tick. Apply bug repellent that contains permethrin to the outside of your clothing, use DEET repellent on your skin, and stay away from areas with heavy undergrowth. After you return home, check yourself (plus kids and pets) for any unwelcome hitchhikers, and throw your hiking clothes in the dryer to let the heat kill any ticks you didn't see.
If you find a tick embedded in your skin, use a tissue to firmly grasp the body and gently pull it out. Don't yank it — this might leave the tick's head still stuck in your skin. Once the tick is out, clean the area and your hands with soapy water (or hand sanitizer if soapy water is unavailable) and flush the tick down the toilet or drown it in rubbing alcohol as soon as possible. If you're out in the woods when you remove the tick, trap it in a sealed container (such as a plastic baggie) until you can safely dispose of it.
