Tick Bite Prevention 101

An adult and nymph tick (and not my finger, thank goodness).

Though I’m glad we had a mild winter here in NE Ohio, but as a result, I’ve heard that the ticks are supposed to be bad this summer.

If you’re not into covering yourself with chemical tick repellent, there are natural ways to help keep ticks from ticking you off.

• Wear the right clothing. A tinfoil suit isn’t the best wardrobe choice if you plan to be in an area where ticks dwell – wear a hat, pants, and a long-sleeved shirt, if possible. Remember that it’s easier to see ticks on light-colored clothing.
• Take a shower as soon as you come in the house and check your entire body for ticks. Throw your clothes in the washer as well, just in case there are ticks on them.
• Do another tick check before bed. You can get lyme disease if a tick feeds on you for more than 36 hours, so check yourself regularly after you’ve been in wooded areas, around the bottoms of shrubs, or in tall grass. Look for dark dots, especially in body creases and on your scalp.
• If you find a tick, carefully remove it.  Use fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin’s surface as possible. Pull upward with steady, even pressure. (Don’t twist or jerk the tick; this can cause the mouth-parts to break off and remain in the skin.) After removing the tick, thoroughly clean the bite area and your hands with rubbing alcohol or soap and water.
• Keep your yard in shape.  Ticks are less likely to be found in cut, maintained grass, so mow your yard regularly.
• Spray your clothes, not your skin. If you do use a chemical tick repellent, spray your clothing instead of your bare skin.
• If you develop a rash or sore spot after you’ve removed a tick, see your doctor. Early signs of Lyme disease include a round rash and soreness near the tick bite, and can include chills, fever, joint pain, fatigue, and swollen lymph nodes.