Tick-borne Illness Prevention

We all love the great outdoors, but along with walks through the woods and football on the front lawn come ticks. “Many ticks carry diseases, including Lyme disease, which is the most common tick-borne disease in the United States,” says Dr. Robert Bessette, Chair of Fallon’s Clinic’s Infectious Disease department. “We are more exposed to ticks in the warmer months, and therefore more vulnerable to tick-borne illnesses.”

Ticks are responsible for carrying such illnesses as Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Ehrlichia and Babesiosis. There are different types of ticks, including larger hard ticks, often seen on domestic pets, as well as deer ticks, which are so small they often go unnoticed. Tick bites are generally painless, so it’s common for people not to realize they have been bitten. This is why it’s so important to check your entire body promptly after being exposed to grassy and woodsy areas where ticks typically dwell, according to Dr. Bessette.

Dr. Bessette suggests five preventative tips to help you avoid tick-borne illnesses:

1. Wear light-colored clothing so that you can easily spot ticks and remove them before they attach to your skin. For further protection, wear long sleeves and tuck pants into socks.

2. Apply insect repellant that contains DEET or permethrin.

3. In heavily wooded areas, stay in the center of paths and avoid sitting on the ground.

4. Check for ticks frequently if you have been in or near tick-infested areas. Don’t forget to check your scalp.

5. Check your pets! Animals can shuttle ticks indoors, which makes family members more susceptible to tick bites.

If you have been exposed to tick environments or if you have found and removed a tick from your body, be aware of these typical symptoms, which can occur days or even weeks after a bite: fever, numbness, rash, confusion, weakness, pain and swelling in joints, palpitations, shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting and headache. Be sure to call your doctor if these symptoms occur. Also, call your doctor if you are unable to remove the tick or if parts of the tick remain in your skin after removal.

“If you know you have been bitten by a deer tick, it’s important to contact your doctor as soon as possible,” advises Dr. Bessette. “Lyme Disease can often be avoided if a regimen of antibiotics can be started within 72 hours of a bite. While many people are under the impression that a blood test is needed to confirm a diagnosis of Lyme disease, physicians should make decisions to institute antibiotics based upon the signs and symptoms, and not rely on the test.”

Despite the presence of ticks, Dr. Bessette encourages people to go ahead and enjoy the great outdoors: “Most tick bites are harmless if they are handled properly and spotted early,” he says.

Fallon Clinic is a medical group practice with service sites in Worcester, Spencer, Westboro, Leominster, Milford, Auburn and throughout Central Massachusetts. For more information about Fallon Clinic, call 1-800-AT-FALLON or visit www.fallonclinic.org.