Don’t Get Ticked Off, Be Tick Smart
With the warm weather we are all starting to spend more time outside and venturing on to grassy playing fields and into the woods. We are not the only ones who emerge from hibernation with the warming temperatures, ticks also come out to play. We need to be aware of how to prevent tick bites and what to do if we get one!
Prevention:
Prevention is really the best medicine when it comes to tick bites and tick-borne infections like Lyme disease! Lyme and other tick-borne infections can be life altering for some people and never getting infected is the easiest way to make sure that you don’t find out if you are someone who will get really sick. Most of us have heard about tucking our pant legs into our socks when we hike and spraying our shoes (not our skin) with permethrin bug spray can help prevent ticks from getting ahold of your juicy skin for a bite to eat. Other tips for avoiding tick bites include staying out of the tall grass and doing a tick check (every time!) when you get home from being out in a grassy or woodsy area. Make sure to check everywhere, all the nooks and crannies of your body. Ticks usually grab onto your clothing low down and then climb up, so your groin, armpit or behind the ears are a perfect spot for them to hide. They also like your hair, so really, they can be anywhere!
What to do if you get bit:
If you get a bite, save the tick! Put it in a plastic bag or glass jar and contact your doctor. You can send the tick in for testing to see if it was infected with the bacteria that causes Lyme disease or another infection. Testing the tick can get us an answer on whether or not you need aggressive treatment pretty fast. If you have a red bump and don’t know if it is a tick bite, take photos and contact your doctor to discuss the best next steps. There are options for testing and prophylactic treatment to be discussed, but timing really matters so call as soon as you find the bite.
Treatment options:
At the Stram Center we focus on functional holistic medicine, which means there are lots of options for individualizing the approach to your health. We specialized in acute and chronic Lyme and tick borne illnesses. We are up to date on the best recommendations for preventing acute Lyme from becoming a chronic condition. A prescription medication might be right for one patient where a course of herbal medicine might be right for another. There are always options when it comes to addressing your specific health needs. For a tick bite we may recommend prophylactic antibiotics or Lyme testing, we may discuss if another option is right for you. This tick season, enjoy the outdoors but be tick smart! We are here if you get bit!
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