LYME PREVENTION TIPS
Ticks are found in areas with plenty of overgrowth, including: woodlands, fields, meadows, parks, and even our own backyards. Here at LymeBrave Foundation, we believe that education and awareness are the best preventative against Lyme disease, but there are ways to protect yourself and lower your risk of infection!
Below are some of the prevention tips in our toolkit.
Quick Tips
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When hiking through the woods, always walk in the middle of the trail or path. Ticks can’t fly or jump, but they will latch on if you happen to brush up against them.
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Wear light-colored clothing so ticks may be easily spotted.
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When in endemic areas, tuck in clothes to prevent ticks from crawling near the skin.
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Wear a hat and tuck in or tie back loose hair.
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Use tick repellent as a preventative. Clothes pre-treated with the insecticide permethrin are good for up to 70 washings. A spray is also available for personal clothing that will last through six washings. Don’t forget your shoes!
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Do a frequent tick-check and remove all unattached ticks swiftly.
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Throw your clothes directly in the dryer after spending time outdoors. The high temperatures will kill any live ticks.
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Shower or bathe as soon as possible to wash away any unattached ticks and check for ticks that might be embedded. Ticks like damp, dark places, so be especially vigilant around high risk areas such as: groin, armpits, scalp, behind the knees, and other “hidden” areas.
Did You Know?
Children are at high-risk due to increased play in outdoor areas and their low proximity to the ground.
Found an embedded tick? Remove it safely and limit your risk of infection by following these steps:
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Grasp the mouth of the tick or as close to the skin as possible with fine-point tweezers or a tick removal tool.
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Pull straight out with steady, even pressure.
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DO NOT set a match to the tick, squeeze the tick, or try to smother the tick in petroleum jelly or oil. This will make the tick regurgitate, increasing the risk of infection.
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Place the tick in a plastic bag with a damp cotton ball or paper towel and send it to one of the many available labs for testing.
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See your physician immediately for testing and a preventative prescription of antibiotics, and stay alert for symptoms.
Did You Know?
The transmission time of attached infected ticks is less than 24 hours.