It's that time of year again, tick season has begun. As if the little animals' blood-sucking wasn't enough, they can also transmit diseases. In this article, we would like to summarize the most important things for you on the topic of “Treating and preventing tick bites” so that you have a guide so that you can react prudently: How to remove ticks correctly, symptoms that you should pay attention to, when you should you should go to the doctor and how you can prevent a tick bite in advance. Because prevention is better than suffering. We wish you a nice summer, if possible without any tick incidents and if there are, you will know straight away what is best to do.
It happened, you were in the park with your family and spent a nice afternoon there. You come home and realizea tickdepends on your body. What to do? Don't panic, stay calm and follow the steps below. It is important to remove the tick as quickly as possible as this will reduce the risk of transmitting disease. If you notice allergic reactions, the symptoms of which are described below, a professional should remove the animal to avoid injecting further allergens by accidentally pushing it in.
How to properly remove a tick
- Put on gloves to ensure you do not come into contact with any pathogens the tick may carry.
- Take a pair of tweezers or small pliers and gently grab the tick directly above the bite site, as close to the surface of your skin as possible.
- Pull the animal out calmly and calmly, using even pulling force upwards, away from the skin.
- Two small craters from the tick's biting tools should now be visible at the bite site.
- Clean the wound with soap and water and use a mild wound disinfectant. This protects youInflammation of the wound, but not from diseases that the tick may have already transmitted. You must monitor the puncture site afterwards.
- Keep the tick in a closed jar for possible future examination.
What you shouldn't do:
- It is very important that you do not twist or pull when pulling out the tick. Twisting can cause parts of the animal to remain under your skin, which can lead to inflammation.
- Make sure you do not squeeze the animal's body when pulling it out. Squeezing can cause you to bring the juices from the tick's body, along with any pathogens, directly into you.
Treating and preventing tick bites: indications of an allergic reaction
If you notice symptoms that indicate an allergic reaction to the bite, you should not try to remove the animal yourself, but rather seek medical help. When you try to remove the tick, you run the risk of accidentally getting more of the tickAllergens into your bodyto push in. Watch out for the following symptoms that could indicate an allergic reaction:
- Pain or burning at the bite site
- The swelling of the bite site
- Blisters near the bite site
- Shortness of breath, if you have a severe allergy
In this case, remain calm and seek medical attention. The doctor will remove the tick and, if necessary, give you an anti-allergic medication.
Observe the bite site for symptoms of the disease
Usually a tick bite is harmless unless:
- Parts of the tick remained in the bite site. This can lead to inflammation.
- You have an allergy.
- Or the tick has transmitted a disease to you.
To be sure that you have not been infected by the tick, it is necessary that you observe the bite site. Tick-borne illnesses manifest themselves anywhere from a few days to a few weeks after the bite. Therefore, observe the bite site every day for up to several weeks. Check for the appearance of the symptoms described below.
Possible symptoms that may indicate tick-borne diseases
Disease transmission does not always occur through a tick bite, but you cannot avoid keeping your body and constitution under observation and keeping an eye out for the following symptoms. According to experts, if the tick has used you as a host for less than 24 hours, there is a low chance that you could have become infected with a disease.
- Redness or color change around or near the bite site
- Fever
- chills
- Body rash
- Stiff neck
- Headache
- nausea
- Weakness or sickness
- Pain or itching in the muscles
- Joint pain
- swollen lymph nodes
If you experience one or more of these symptoms a few days to a few weeks after the bite, please speak to your doctor. Seek medical attention to check everything. It is better to visit the doctor again than to miss an important examination.
Treat and prevent tick bites: Prevention is the best defense
The best way to avoid contracting a tick-borne illness is to avoid being bitten in the first place. Protect yourself and your family from tick bites and follow the following tips. This way you can keep the risk low and not have to worry about possible infections, illnesses and their consequences.
Treating and preventing tick bites: Avoid tick playgrounds
Places in nature with tall grass in the forest and on the meadow are the places where ticks live. If possible, avoid wild gardens or forests with tall grasses and lush bushes. If you are pregnant, you should do this even more urgently becauseTick bites cancan be very dangerous during pregnancy for both the mother and the unborn child. During this time, avoid hiking in such wildly overgrown areas. Choose a park where the lawn is mowed. Ticks can also be found there, but the terrain is clearer, the opportunity to avoid them is greater and the danger is lower.
The right clothing
If you do want to go out into nature or go on a hiking tour, choose the right clothing. To prevent tick bites, proper clothing means that as little bare skin as possible is exposed. The rule is that the less bare skin, the less chance there is for ticks. Your clothing should therefore be long-sleeved. Also wear sturdy high shoes or boots with knee-high socks under the long trouser legs and a hat to cover your head too. Ticks sense the approach of their victims based on the temperature and like to fall on them and then look for a comfortable, naked place to suck on.
Come home and check for ticks or other insects
As soon as you get home, take off all your clothes and put them straight into the washing machine. Check your entire body, including your head, for ticks or other insects. If you had children or pets with you on the hiking tour, do the same. This significantly reduces the risk that a tick has hidden itself and docks with you or your loved ones later.
Wash your clothes immediately
The insects often hide in clothing and wait patiently for the next opportunity. Avoid this by washing your clothes as soon as you get home.
Take a shower
Take a shower to remove any ticks you may have missed. Also wash your hair, as hair is a good hiding place for insects.
Keep ticks out of your garden
If you live in a high-risk area, you should be sure to take some steps to keep the tick population on your property low. Mow your lawn regularly because the animals love tall grass. Use a natural pesticide that does not harm the environment but is effective at keeping ticks away.
Check pets regularly for ticks
If you have pets, it is important to check them regularly for ticks and remove them. It is difficult to prevent a dog or cat from going into the bushes or grass and catching a parasite. That's why it's part of daily grooming in summer to avoid or prevent worse things from happening. There is also the option for pets to use non-toxic and harmless products to keep the parasites away. Talk to your vet about this the next time your four-legged friend visits.
Use insect repellent
Use insect repellent when you are outdoors. Remember that these only work on the skin for a certain amount of time. So you shouldn't forget to spray again if necessary to maintain effectiveness.
Natural insect repellents
If you are not a fan of conventional chemical remedies, you can find many natural ways to keep the insects away. Experts recommend using certain essential oils, whose intense smell keeps insects away. For example, the essential oils would be rosemary, eucalyptus, lemongrass, tea tree oil or citronella. Be very sparing and careful when using essential oils as they are highly concentrated, powerful substances. You should also rule out any possible hypersensitivity or allergy to any of these substances in advance. Apple cider vinegar and coconut oil are also extremely unpopular with ticks and make you unattractive as a victim.
