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As the hotter weather approaches, people spend more time outdoors, and so do many insects and pests. Among them are ticks, which are small, bloodsucking parasites. Tick bites are often harmless and don’t cause any symptoms, but they can cause allergic reactions, and certain ticks can even pass diseases on to humans and pets. These diseases can be dangerous and even life-threatening when left untreated.
Want to know more? To keep you tick-safe this summer, check out this gallery.
Ticks are small, blood-sucking bugs with eight legs. They’re arachnids, which means they’re related to spiders.
As they take in more blood, ticks grow. They range in size from as small as a pin’s head to as large as a pencil eraser. After a tick feeds for several days, it swells up and can turn a greenish-blue color.
The different kinds of ticks can range in color from shades of brown to reddish-brown and black.
Ticks prefer warm, moist areas of the body. Once a tick gets on your body, it’s likely to migrate to areas such as your armpits, inside your bellybutton, groin, hair, or behind your knees.
However, ticks don’t always migrate. Therefore, it's important to check your entire body.
When a tick reaches a desirable spot, it bites into your skin and begins drawing blood. They typically remain attached to your body after they bite you.
If a tick bites you, you’ll likely know because you’ll find a tick on your skin. They can remain attached to the skin for up to 10 days after they first bite.
Tick bites are usually harmless and don't produce symptoms. But if you’re allergic to tick bites, you may experience pain, swelling, a rash, burning sensations, or even shortness of breath.
If you find a tick attached to your skin, simply remove it as soon as possible. Use clean tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin’s surface as possible. Pull upwards, and try not to bend or twist the tick.
Ticks can pass potentially severe diseases to human hosts. Those diseases include Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Colorado tick fever, tularemia, and ehrlichiosis.
Symptoms of tick-borne diseases will begin within a few days to a few weeks after a tick bite. Those symptoms might include fever, a full body rash, nausea, headache, and muscle pain.
It’s important to contact your doctor as soon as you can after a tick bite, even if you don’t have any symptoms.
A doctor can determine if any treatment is necessary, based on the type of tick that bit you.
If you are planning to stay in an area with a high occurrence of infected ticks, a tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) vaccine is the safest way of avoiding the infection.
Tick exposure can occur year-round, but ticks are most active during warmer months. Click on to discover how to prevent tick bites.
Ticks live in grassy, brushy, or wooded areas, or even on animals. Many people get ticks when they're out in nature, and even in their yards.
Treat clothing and gear with products containing 0.5% permethrin. Permethrin can be used on boots, clothing, and camping gear, and remain protective through several washes.
Use tick repellent that’s at least 20% DEET. Always follow product instructions, and don't use products containing OLE or PMD on children under the age of three.
Any ticks that are found should be removed. Tumble dry clothes in a dryer on high heat for 10 minutes to kill ticks. If the clothes require washing, hot water is recommended, as ticks won't die in cold and medium temperature water.
Ticks can enter the home on clothing and pets, then attach to a person later, so carefully examine pets, coats, and backpacks.
Showering within two hours of coming indoors has been shown to reduce your risk of getting Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses.
Conduct a full body check upon return from potentially tick-infested areas, including your own backyard.
Wear a long-sleeved shirt and pants when visiting the woods or grassy areas where ticks are common.
When it comes to your yard, reduce leaf litter and mow tall grass or brush that may serve as a tick habitat.
Dogs are very susceptible to tick bites and tick-borne diseases. Therefore, it's important to always check your doggo for ticks and use a tick preventive product on them.
Signs of tick-borne disease may not appear for seven to 21 days or longer after a tick bite, so watch your dog closely for changes in behavior or appetite.
Cats are extremely sensitive to a variety of chemicals, so don't apply any tick prevention products without first consulting with your veterinarian.
See also: Celebs who struggle with Lyme disease
Bloodsucking parasites: what you need to know and how to stay safe
Watch out for ticks!
HEALTH Insect bites
As the hotter weather approaches, people spend more time outdoors, and so do many insects and pests. Among them are ticks, which are small, bloodsucking parasites. Tick bites are often harmless and don’t cause any symptoms, but they can cause allergic reactions, and certain ticks can even pass diseases on to humans and pets. These diseases can be dangerous and even life-threatening when left untreated.
Want to know more? To keep you tick-safe this summer, check out this gallery.