The hope is that you would never need any of this information, but as it is not impossible that you may, it could be a good idea to have a quick read and file away the practical tips and heighten your awareness. My awareness of ticks was nil – not anymore!
1) Some facts and figures:
2) Symptoms
3) Preventing Lyme disease
4) What not to do:
5) What to do when you find a tick
6) About getting infected
7) Where in the world do these ticks that carry Lyme Disease lurk?
8) Treatment by your Doctor.
9) Diagnosing Lyme disease
1) Some facts and figures:
• There are many kinds of ticks in different parts of the world.
• Not every tick carries Lyme Disease. Not every bite will transmit the disease, even if the tick is infected and not removed.
• In any given tick population, it’s thought that about 15 to 20 per cent carry Lyme disease. Only a small percentage of tick bites will lead to the condition.
• If no treatment is received, more than 60 per cent of those with Lyme disease will go on to stage 2 of the condition within six months.
Ticks are very small and their bites are not painful, so you may not realise that you have one attached to your skin. However, there is a higher risk that you will become infected if the tick remains attached to your skin for more than 36 hours.
2) Symptoms of early stage Lyme disease
The symptoms of Lyme disease usually fall into three distinct stages – early, mid and late. You should only experience symptoms of mid- and late-stage Lyme disease if you are not treated with antibiotics during the initial stage of the condition.
Early stage Lyme disease - SYMPTOMS
• The rash develops at the site of the tick bite and is often described as looking like a bull’s-eye on a dart board. The affected area of skin will be red and feel slightly raised to the touch. The characteristic pink or red "bull’s-eye" rash of Lyme disease can provide an important clue, and around 90% of people
• In up to a third of people with Lyme disease, the rash may be the only symptom.
• Other symptoms of early stage Lyme disease are flu-like and can include:
• Symptoms similar to meningitis.
• tiredness (fatigue)
• muscle pain
• joint pain
• headache
• fever or chills
• neck stiffness
Mid-stage Lyme disease: The symptoms of mid-stage Lyme disease usually develop many weeks, or sometimes several months, after being bitten by an infected tick. However, they usually only affect people who were not treated with antibiotics at an early stage of the disease.
In around 15% of untreated cases of Lyme disease, people will get neurological symptoms (those that affect the nervous system). Some people may also develop meningitis,
Late-stage Lyme disease: In a minority of untreated cases, the symptoms of late-stage Lyme disease can develop after many months, or even years. As with mid-stage Lyme disease, the symptoms can affect both the joints and the nervous system. Much more info to find on reliable internet pages.
3) Preventing Lyme disease
There is currently no vaccine to prevent Lyme disease. In 2002, a vaccine was introduced in America but it was later withdrawn due to concerns over side effects.
- • The best way of preventing Lyme disease is to avoid being bitten when you are in wooded or heath areas known to have a high tick population.
- The following precautions might help to prevent Lyme disease:
- • Wear a long-sleeved shirt.
- • Tuck your trousers into your socks.
- • Use insect repellent.
- • Wear light-coloured clothing so ticks are easier to see
- • Try not to sit on the ground in areas of vegetation/ Keep to pathways and, where possible, avoid areas of overgrown vegetation
- • Check yourself for ticks. and your children and pets for ticks- regularly and especially before going to bed. Have a companion inspect your back.
- • Remove any ticks found attached to the skin straight away.
- • Once removed save the tick for identification. Accurate identification becomes very important if you or your animals develop disease symptoms.
Never use a lit cigarette end, a match head or essential oils to force the tick out. Don't use your fingers, or apply heat, petroleum jelly or any other creams or chemicals. Do not try to remove the tick with your fingers or attempt to remove with lighted cigarettes, matches, nail polish, or Vaseline.
5) What to do when you find a tick
- • If you do find a tick on your or your child's skin, remove it by gently gripping it as close to the skin as possible, preferably using fine-toothed tweezers, and pull steadily away from the skin.
- • Apply antiseptic cream after removal. Be careful not to squeeze the tick when removing it which could result in more bacteria being injected.
- • If you think you may have been bitten, tell your doctor, and mention where you've been walking, especially if you know that there are ticks in that area.
- • Seek prompt medical attention if any of these symptoms appear, especially after being bitten by a tick or visiting an area where Lyme disease is common.
- • If possible document the presence of the rash by taking a picture because it may disappear before a physician can see it. A picture in this case is worth 10,000 words! (We were advised to use a ballpoint pen and draw around the spread of the rash)
- • Proof of tick bite and the kind of tick doing the biting is especially important to document in areas where Lyme disease is not considered prevalent and doctor suspicion is low.
- • If a rash or 'flu-like illness develops after you have been exposed to ticks, or the site becomes infected, seek medical advice promptly.
Once infected, the bacteria moves slowly through your skin and into your blood and lymphatic system. The lymphatic system helps fight infection and is made up of a series of vessels (channels) and glands (lymph nodes). The bacteria are carried in the tick's gut, and can take some time to move into its mouthparts and then into your body. The risk of infection increases the longer the tick is left in position. Normally, the risk is minimal if the tick is removed or falls off within 24 hours. However, it’s possible to be infected at any time after a bite. A partially fed tick, for example, can pass on the infection relatively quickly. A wide range of symptoms have been recorded including.
7) Where in the world do these ticks that carry Lyme Disease lurk?
It's not just visitors to rural North America who might be exposed to these tick-borne infections. Infected ticks can be found across the UK, and anyone who enjoys exploring our woodlands and uplands may also be at risk. Cases have occurred in urban parks and gardens too. The common factor is the presence of deep vegetation and a supply of mammals and birds for ticks to feed on. Avoid being bitten.
8) Treatment by your Doctor.
• Once Lyme disease has been diagnosed, treatment is with antibiotics which need to be at high dose and may need to be given as a prolonged course , sometimes even intravenously for maximum effect.
• Some complications of Lyme disease need specific treatments – for example if a person develops a slow heart rhythm, they may need a pacemaker
In most cases symptoms settle (even if treatment isn’t given, symptoms may eventually get better) but Lyme disease can cause more serious long term problems. Given the small amount of research in this area, medical opinion is divided as to the cause and best treatment for long term symptoms.
9) Diagnosing Lyme disease
Lyme disease can be a difficult condition to diagnose, particularly in its latter stages. This is because its symptoms are also shared by other, more common conditions such as infections and arthritis. Blood tests are important and useful in acute infection but don’t always confirm the diagnosis. The tests need to be carried out at least a few weeks after you were bitten by the tick because it can take this long for the infection to develop. You may need to be re-tested if Lyme disease is still suspected after a negative test result.
