A common misconception is that during the winter months there is no need to be concerned. Ticks don’t die in the winter, they only become Dormant. This means in warm weather (over 32 degrees) they will become active again looking for a host. This past winter had many damp warm days in which the ticks were active and will be looking for hosts. This means you and your children along with your pets. To help you prevent being one of the victims of this horrifically depilating disease please take precautions and create your own tick kit.
1- Avoid infested areas if possible (They usually measure human risk in density of infected nymphs. 0.3 infected nymphs per 1000 square meters is considered to be high human risk)
2- Do tick checks not only after being outdoors, but also while outdoors. Catch them before they have the chance to crawl up your pant legs.
3- Wear light colored clothing, long sleeve shirts and pants and tuck your pant legs into your socks.
4- Treat your outdoor clothing, camping gear, Picnic blankets made of nonporous fabric and include your shoes or boots with repellents containing permethrin or purchase treated clothing. ** Do NOT use on your skin, or allow it to be breathed in or ingested, and allow it to dry completely. ** (Permethrin can be found in Walmart, Dicks, Gander Mountain, and other sporting goods shops, as well as purchased on line. Use our promotional code LDCTICKS for 20% off @SawyerProducts. Treated clothing can be found on line) Be sure to follow the mfg. instructions as several are in formulations and need to be applied correctly.
5- Take a shower immediately after returning inside, and leave outdoor clothing outside if possible, or toss them into the dryer immediately on high heat. (tests show at least 10-15 min. and up to an hour to kill ticks depending on the heat settings and the amount of moisture in the clothing.)
6- Do tick checks (Under Arms, In and around ears, Inside belly button, Back of Knees, In Hair, Groin area, Waist,
7- Place tick tubes around your homes. (You can make your own using toilet paper rolls and permethrin treated cotton. Instruction can also be found on line. You can also purchase them by doing an on line search.)
8- Maintain your landscape. Keep grass cut short in and around your homes, garages, shed and work / play areas. Keep brush cut back away from paths, which are best made from stone or concrete that ticks can’t make nesting areas in.
9- Check and treat your pets with collars, sprays and or oils.
10- Ask your vet for best preventive measures for your pets and livestock.
11- Save any ticks found and take them with you to your appointments, as if they only I.D. or if they test the tick and for what pathogens. If your doctor or vet doesn’t test, consider sending them out to a lab yourself. (Links below for some) Be sure of what the labs test for. Some will charge a fee for several tests, and some will accept them for testing in a program administered with funding through their state or organization. Check with your state health department, local universities, and labs.
12- If you’ve been bitten, carefully remove the tick with fine tip tweezers. Grab the tick as close to the skin as possible and gently grasp it pulling up, until it releases. Use antibacterial soap or alcohol to wash the area and your hands. Follow the above advice, and visit your Lyme friendly health care provider right away. (You may see or be told it takes 24-48 hours of attachment for transmission, however new studies are showing the possibility of immediate transmission. However the longer the tick is on the more chance of transmission. If the tick is engorged, it’s taken it’s meal and the chances are much higher.)
13- If you notice symptoms: Skin rash, not always a bulls eye, influenza-like illness: headache, arthralgia, myalgia, fever, lymphadenopathy. Lymphocytic meningitis with episodic headaches, subtle encephalitis with difficult mentation, Motor or sensory radiculoneuritis, Spinal radicular pain or distal paresthesias, Lyme encephalopathy: subtle cognitive disturbances, sexual disturbances, in ability to concentrate or multi-task as you once did. In children ADHD like behavior, bi-polar like personalities, depression, palpitations, facial palsy (stroke like symptoms), just to name a few… visit your health care professional.
14- Print the National Institute of Health guidelines and take them to your health care professional with you to insure they are aware of the new updated treatment guidelines as many are still using the old guidelines very outdated.
15- Continue to treat as your doctor recommends, and if you still have on going or increased symptoms promptly return to your care professional.
16- Attend local meetings and event to learn more and stay abreast of the new updated information as they obtain it.
1- Avoid infested areas if possible (They usually measure human risk in density of infected nymphs. 0.3 infected nymphs per 1000 square meters is considered to be high human risk)
2- Do tick checks not only after being outdoors, but also while outdoors. Catch them before they have the chance to crawl up your pant legs.
3- Wear light colored clothing, long sleeve shirts and pants and tuck your pant legs into your socks.
4- Treat your outdoor clothing, camping gear, Picnic blankets made of nonporous fabric and include your shoes or boots with repellents containing permethrin or purchase treated clothing. ** Do NOT use on your skin, or allow it to be breathed in or ingested, and allow it to dry completely. ** (Permethrin can be found in Walmart, Dicks, Gander Mountain, and other sporting goods shops, as well as purchased on line. Use our promotional code LDCTICKS for 20% off @SawyerProducts. Treated clothing can be found on line) Be sure to follow the mfg. instructions as several are in formulations and need to be applied correctly.
5- Take a shower immediately after returning inside, and leave outdoor clothing outside if possible, or toss them into the dryer immediately on high heat. (tests show at least 10-15 min. and up to an hour to kill ticks depending on the heat settings and the amount of moisture in the clothing.)
6- Do tick checks (Under Arms, In and around ears, Inside belly button, Back of Knees, In Hair, Groin area, Waist,
7- Place tick tubes around your homes. (You can make your own using toilet paper rolls and permethrin treated cotton. Instruction can also be found on line. You can also purchase them by doing an on line search.)
8- Maintain your landscape. Keep grass cut short in and around your homes, garages, shed and work / play areas. Keep brush cut back away from paths, which are best made from stone or concrete that ticks can’t make nesting areas in.
9- Check and treat your pets with collars, sprays and or oils.
10- Ask your vet for best preventive measures for your pets and livestock.
11- Save any ticks found and take them with you to your appointments, as if they only I.D. or if they test the tick and for what pathogens. If your doctor or vet doesn’t test, consider sending them out to a lab yourself. (Links below for some) Be sure of what the labs test for. Some will charge a fee for several tests, and some will accept them for testing in a program administered with funding through their state or organization. Check with your state health department, local universities, and labs.
12- If you’ve been bitten, carefully remove the tick with fine tip tweezers. Grab the tick as close to the skin as possible and gently grasp it pulling up, until it releases. Use antibacterial soap or alcohol to wash the area and your hands. Follow the above advice, and visit your Lyme friendly health care provider right away. (You may see or be told it takes 24-48 hours of attachment for transmission, however new studies are showing the possibility of immediate transmission. However the longer the tick is on the more chance of transmission. If the tick is engorged, it’s taken it’s meal and the chances are much higher.)
13- If you notice symptoms: Skin rash, not always a bulls eye, influenza-like illness: headache, arthralgia, myalgia, fever, lymphadenopathy. Lymphocytic meningitis with episodic headaches, subtle encephalitis with difficult mentation, Motor or sensory radiculoneuritis, Spinal radicular pain or distal paresthesias, Lyme encephalopathy: subtle cognitive disturbances, sexual disturbances, in ability to concentrate or multi-task as you once did. In children ADHD like behavior, bi-polar like personalities, depression, palpitations, facial palsy (stroke like symptoms), just to name a few… visit your health care professional.
14- Print the National Institute of Health guidelines and take them to your health care professional with you to insure they are aware of the new updated treatment guidelines as many are still using the old guidelines very outdated.
15- Continue to treat as your doctor recommends, and if you still have on going or increased symptoms promptly return to your care professional.
16- Attend local meetings and event to learn more and stay abreast of the new updated information as they obtain it.
|
Human Testing
Ceres Nanosciences, Inc https://www.lymedx.com/ IGeneX http://www.igenex.com/ |
Repellants, Clothing & Yard Treatments
DEET versus Permethrin as a Tick Repellent By Tom Grier Diatomaceous Earth National Park Service choosing the right insect repellant Picaridin Information EWG'S GUIDE TO BUG REPELLENTS IN THE AGE OF ZIKA Recreational Equipment, Inc. Insect Repellants: How to choose Consumer Reports More on our Facebook Page |
Exterminators
Tick Control Box Pa Installers: Pennsylvania Tick Control, LLC.Web (888) 649 - 8425 Coulter Pest Control Serving Erie CountyWeb (814) 969 - 5963 Fort Pitt Exterminators Serving Western PA(412) 441 - 6300 K-9 Bedbug Detection ServicesWeb (877) 233 - 2459 Leaf Pest ControlWeb Email (724) 774 - 3630 Liberty Pest Management Services Web (888) NOT-1-BUG / 668 - 1284 (609) 268 - 2114 Pointe Pest ControlWeb (610) 277 - 7575 Regional Pest ManagementWeb (800) 36-5 Star (7827) |
