Preventing Tick-borne Illnesses
6/15/2021
By Jon Rampton, D.O.
As warmer weather approaches, it’s natural to spend more time outdoors. If you’re planning activities outside with friends or family, remember that the insects you encounter may not only spoil your picnic or hike, but may also harm your health.
Ticks – one of the main offenders we come into contact with during spring and summer– carry a variety of bacteria, viruses and diseases. A tick bite can cause an illness that ranges from a mild infection to a serious health emergency.
Ticks are most active during the warmer months, from April to September each year, and tend to gather in wooded or bushy areas, with tall grass or other vegetation, logs or leaf litter – such as hiking trails, forest areas, and in your own back yard. Ticks can also live on the coats of your dog or cat, especially if they are an outdoor pet.
Common tick-related diseases
Common tick-borne diseases are ehrlichiosis, Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. Others include babesiosis, Southern Tick-Associated Rash Illness (STAR1), Tick-Borne Relapsing Fever, and tularemia.
The type of illness contracted from a tick bite depends on the type of tick and the geographical area where you live. Certain types of ticks, and the bacteria they carry, are more common to specific areas of the country. While each disease has unique characteristics, all tick-borne illnesses produce similar, flu-like symptoms: fever, body aches, and chills.
Tick-borne illnesses can produce other symptoms in addition to – or instead of – the telltale circular rash and fever. Other symptoms to look for include:
- Body/muscle aches
- Lymph node swelling
- Small, non-itchy, pink rash on arms, ankles, trunk
- Headaches
- Fatigue
- Joint pain
- Rash
- Stiff neck
- Facial paralysis
If identified early, tick-borne diseases can be treated by your doctor with antibiotics. However, prompt treatment is important. Tick-borne diseases in more advanced stages can be more difficult to treat, and some can cause arthritis, muscle and joint pain, or fatigue for an extended period of time – as well as serious health complications.
Preventing Tick Bites
The best prevention is to take steps to avoid tick bites altogether.
- Avoid places where ticks often live, such as dense woods and brushy areas.
- Use insect repellants containing at least 20 percent or more DEET, or another tick repellant registered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), at http://cfpub.epa.gov/oppref/insect/.
- Treat clothing – boots, pants, socks and tents – with permethrin, an insect repellant, or purchase pre-treated clothing, for use in outdoor areas likely to have ticks.
- Shower as soon as possible after coming indoors (within two hours), and conduct a full-body tick check, paying special attention to areas under the arms, in/around the ears, inside the belly button, behind the knees, between the legs, around the waist, and in the hair.
- Check gear (tents, backpacks, outerwear) and pets for ticks. Tumble clothes in a dryer on high heat for an hour to kill ticks.
If you find a tick on your body, or suspect you’ve been bitten, or you have spent time in areas populated by ticks and develop flu-like symptoms or a rash, seek medical help immediately. Prompt diagnosis and treatment can help prevent the onset of a tick-borne illness, lessen the severity of symptoms, and help prevent any potential long-term complications.
If you need help finding a primary care physician or specialist or to schedule an appointment, contact Moberly Rural Health Clinic at (660) 263-9095 or Chariton Valley Family Medicine at 660-388-7084 or visit www.moberlyphysicians.com.
Remember that this information is not intended to replace the advice of your doctor, but rather to increase awareness and help equip patients with information and facilitate conversations with your physician that will benefit your health.
Sources: Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, www.cdc.gov; National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases, www.niaid.nih.gov; Environmental Protection Agency, www.epa.gov
About the Author: Dr. John Rampton is a Board certified primary care provider and has been a member of the Moberly Regional Medical Center Medical Staff since 2000.
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