Spring Is Coming And So Are Ticks...Do You Know About Lyme Disease?

Spring and summer bring with it outdoor fun, beautiful sunsets, and epic picnics to remember for a lifetime, but it also brings insects. We've heard so much about West Nile in recent years and other insect born diseases and we all know about poisonous spiders, but have you heard of Lyme Disease?

What is Lyme Disease?

Lyme Disease is a tick borne illness and is most common in the North East United States. The disease was named after Old Lyme Connecticut, the first place the disease was accurately identified. The black legged tick or deer tick is the carrier of this disease. Lyme Disease is caused by the bacterium  Borrelia burgdorferi, transmitted by the bite of this tick. 

How Do You Get Lyme Disease?

In areas where ticks are prevalent, it is easy to get these little insects in your clothes, socks, or shoes. When ticks get on you or your pets you run the risk of these little critters biting you. Most people don't feel much of anything when they are bitten by a tick and it's possible to bit without knowing it. More often though ticks latch on and take a blood meal or in other words feed until they are engorged with blood. This may take a few days and the tick will typically remain attached throughout this time.

If a tick is found in the clothing of roaming loosely you can grab it with tweezers or several tissues and flush it. However, if the tick is already attached it may take a bit more concentration to get yourself loose from this little pest. It's recommended that you remove a tick with tweezers, pulling gently to avoid leaving any part of the head or body lodged in your skin. Clean the site with warm water and soap then bandage, adding a thin layer of coconut oil over the bite before bandaging to prevent it sticking to the bite itself. Do not burn, flush, or throw out the tick. Instead, submerge the tick in rubbing alcohol with tweezers for a few seconds to allow it to die and place it in a snack baggy in your freezer for identification if you need to later.

What Are The symptoms of Lyme Disease?

• Fever and chills
• Stiff neck
• Joint pain, particularly in the hands, feet, or knees
• A bulls-eye rash near the bite site or on the body 
• Flu-like symptoms
• Brain fog or short-term memory issues
• Diarrhea or stomach upset
• Extreme fatigue

If you have it, you'll know it, that much I can tell you. I contracted Lyme Disease as a child and it was a painful ordeal I have to tell you. Sometimes patients may not get a rash, but other symptoms in the list may be present. When you get bit it's important to mark the date on the calendar and mark the bite site just like you would for a spider bite. If your child has been bitten it's important to pay attention to them when they mention pain or fatigue in the next few weeks. The symptoms can appear with 3 to 30 days after being bitten and maybe even up to 6 weeks later as was the case for me. If you develop these symptoms it's important to let your doctor know and get treatment as soon as possible to avoid later complications. 

How Is Lyme Disease Treated?

If you have any of the above symptoms your doctor will want to see you. Be sure to mention all medications, allergies, date of the bite, and take your tick along for identification as well in your baggy you saved earlier. Diagnoses are made by examining your body, discussing your symptoms, and through a blood test. These tests may also identify other tick-borne diseases as well, but they are often treatable with the same antibiotics that Lyme Disease responds well to.   

Lyme Disease is scary, but it can be treated well in almost everyone. Other health complications or lingering Lyme Disease that is in the later stages without treatment may be harder to treat. However, Lyme Disease can be treated at any point in this illness with great success so it's almost never too late. Antibiotics including Amoxicillin, Doxycycline, Erythromycin, and a few others have been used successfully to treat this problem over the years. Most patients will receive oral treatment unless the disease is very severe and then intravenous drug therapy may be needed with an antibiotic. Most prescriptions will be for 21 to 30 days for most individuals, but this may change based on age or weight. 

How Common Is Lyme Disease?

It seems that around 30,000 people per year will get Lyme Disease according to the CDC. Actually, some think it may be nearly ten times more prevalent than previously thought. It can also have some symptoms not commonly thought as well including facial paralysis and cardiac damage. Arthritis may also be a common after effect. Those affected may feel symptoms for six months or more even after completing a full course of treatment.

Preventing Lyme Disease

While there is no drug or vaccine to prevent this disease, you can prevent it with a bit of caution. When walking in wooded areas or venturing outside use a safe and natural bug repellent that repels ticks. Also, check clothing and hair before coming indoors and removing clothing promptly and put it in the wash. Be sure to look around the scalp, groin, and armpits because ticks love to nestle into these hard to reach areas and latch on. Check your animals too if they've been out with you to keep them safe and keep ticks off of you as well.

Ticks Are Harmful To Animals Too

Ticks may cause disease in pets just like they can in humans. It's important to keep an eye on pets and remove ticks promptly. If your dog develops a fever, rash, or paralysis you need to contact your vet as soon as possible. Some ticks may even be able to consume enough blood from dogs to cause anemia in a few rare cases. So don't follow the old wives tale about dogs being immune to tick-borne diseases.