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Outdoor Shape: Training Tips
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Getting Rid of Ticks
By Hooked Staff
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Nothing can make a grown man squirm like a tick can. I've seen the most fearless of outdoorsmen jump at the discovery of the little bugger crawling on their skin. Perhaps it's the idea of Lyme disease that makes us cautious of ticks. But the thought of them feeding on blood (ticks can take up to 100 times their body weight in blood) and swelling up to the size of a dime makes them even more freaky. Regardless, those little buggers give me the creeps.
Paddlers are often exposed to ticks. You will find them lurking in the brush on the riverside or the seashore, just waiting for their next meal. They live in the tall grass in or near wooded areas and cling to us when we brush by.
Here's a comforting thought: There are more than 850 different species of ticks out there. But only about 100 of these carry disease. The most serious of these are Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. Lyme disease is carried by tiny Deer ticks (usually the size of the head of a pin), which are found mostly in the Northeast and Midwest. Rocky Mountain spotted fever is found throughout the United States, except in Maine, Alaska, and Hawaii. Despite the name, few cases are reported from the Rocky Mountain region. Most cases occur in the southeastern United States. The American dog tick, the lone-star tick, and the wood tick, all of which like wooded areas and tall, grassy fields, spread Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.
You must be bitten by a tick that is carrying Lyme disease to actually get Lyme disease. But Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever can be acquired through touching the tick. Don't remove ticks with your bare hands or crush them between your fingers, since the organisms that cause tick-borne diseases can often pass through human skin.
Ticks must be on your body a long time before they actually bite. You will probably feel them crawling around on you first. A shower will usually remove lingering ticks before they have a chance to bite. But you should always check yourself after being outside for ticks that may have snuck up on you. This is important: If you spend a lot of time outdoors, conduct frequent tick checks!
There are a lot of tick removal "myths" out there from pour gasoline on it, to light a match and burn it off, to smother it with Vaseline. Don't do it! These methods could cause the tick to expel the contents of its stomach into you.
To remove a tick, carefully scoop under the tick's body and pull slowly and gently. A slow and gentle pull will cause the mouth to release so the head doesn't get stuck. Do not twist, this may cause the head to break off. If the head remains, it could cause infection. Blunt tweezers work well (and should be carried in your first aid kit). I've also found that a small pair of clippers (fingernail or those used for clipping fishing line) also help get a good grip on the little suckers. After removing the tick, wash the area with soap and water and douse with some kind of antiseptic. Wash your hands after handling a tick and try not to touch the tick. If the mouthpart remains stuck in the skin, you can try and remove or leave it in and it will eventually fall out. Be sure to disinfect the area and keep an eye on the area to make sure it doesn't get infected.
Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever is treatable with antibiotics. If left untreated, it could become a problem. If you start to exhibit symptoms like fever, body aches, and rash see a doctor immediately.
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Updated: Feb 24th, 2006 - 14:18:11
© Copyright 1999-2006 by Hooked on the Outdoors
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