LYME DISEASE: EDUCATION and PREVENTION

© Jane and Lino Stanchich, L.N.s

An Introduction

Lyme disease is serious. Tick-borne diseases are at an all time high. Lyme disease is caused by a bacterium known as Borrelia burgdorferi, transmitted by the bites and spirochetes of infected Deer Ticks, parasitic arachnids. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that over three hundred thousand people suffer from this disease every year.* Lyme disease can be potentially severe, yet it is rarely fatal. We have gathered important Deer Tick and Lyme disease prevention information to share with you.

Deer Ticks carrying Lyme disease were originally discovered in Lyme, Connecticut, thus the name. Once mainly found in woods and tall grasses in the Northeast US, now Deer Ticks also live throughout the US and at beaches as far away as California and in Canada, due to global warming’s less frigid winters. In addition, the sheer number of ticks may be forcing their number to move into new habitats, theorizes Mayo Clinic parasitologist Bobbi Pritt, of NPR. Pritt tells us, “Don’t Panic! Every tick does not carry a disease.”

WHAT ARE SOME SYMPTOMS OF LYME DISEASE?

• Fever
• Headache
• Difficulty breathing
• Vision disorders
• Heart complications
• Joint pain
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Hallucinations
• Sleep difficulties
• Paralysis
• Self Abuse behavior
• Memory problems
• Trouble concentrating
• Brain fog
• Panic Attacks

The following information will help keep you and your family safer by helping to prevent tick bites and knowing what to do if bitten. The most important aspects of a healthy lifestyle are, of course: knowledge, prevention and awareness. Forward this information to others.

LYME DISEASE

Read the most frequently asked questions and practical solutions:

WHERE AM I LIKELY TO GET BITTEN BY A TICK?

Ticks are most abundant in the spring and summer when they attach themselves to humans and animals, usually in tall grass, wooded areas, yards, and more recently on beaches. When hiking, stay on marked trails. Ticks can also hitch rides on clothes, hats, shoes and backpacks. Contact your local or county health department to find out the latest tick variety, prevalence, location, and safety information for your area.

WHICH TICKS CARRY LYME DISEASE?

There are many varieties of ticks. The Black-Legged Tick variety, called Deer Ticks, which now live throughout the United States, are the ones that carry Lyme disease. Young ticks (nymphs) are tiny, about the size of a poppy seed and hard to see.

WHAT CAN I DO TO PREVENT TICK BITES?

1. WHAT TO WEAR IN TICK LOCATIONS?

Wear light colored clothing that covers your body. This will enable you to see the ticks better on your clothes than if you were wearing dark colors. Tuck your pants into your socks. (Some people use duct tape to secure their pants in their socks.) We know…it looks dorkey, but it is safer. Wear a hat, along with a neck scarf/bandana.

2. WHAT ARE EFFECTIVE REPELLANTS?

Ticks hate the smell of lemon-eucalyptus, orange, cinnamon, lavender, peppermint, lemongrass, cedar, thyme, and rose geranium, andwill usually avoid latching on to anything that smells of those fragrances. Lemon-Eucalyptus (OLE) seems to be the most recommended. The CDC recognizes its effectiveness of OLE.

Add a fragrant amount to almond oil and rub on exposed skin or add to water as a spray for clothing and hiking gear. Reapply every two hours.

• Do not put undiluted essential oils directly on skin.
• Do not use Lemon-Eucalyptus (OLE) on children younger than age three.
• Repeat safe applications of any essential botanical oils every two hours.

3. WHAT ABOUT DEET AND OTHER CHEMICAL REPELLANTS?

Medical and governmental authorities, as well as the Environmental Working Group generally recommend the common, long lasting, and, they assure us, safe, DEET insect repellants. Like essential oils, DEET emits a fragrance that ticks (and mosquitoes) detest. Many people spray clothing with a chemical permethrin repellent.

Read all product labels carefully, as many chemical products contain allergens or toxic ingredients that can affect skin, lungs, digestion and brain health. Do not use DEET on children under age six months. Never spray DEET directly in the face - apply with cloth or hands and avoid the nose and mouth. The National Pesticide Information Center and EPA can be contacted online or by phone for more information.

https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.epa.gov/insect-repellents/deet%23safety&source=gmail&ust=1682702676562000&usg=AOvVaw33VyVBEqFlUsCqIyq7Pm-l">https://www.epa.gov/insect-repellents/deet#safety

4. WHAT DO WE DO WHEN WE RETURN HOME?

5. WHERE DO I LOOK FOR TICKS ON MY BODY?

Help each other look for ticks or use a hand-held or full-length mirror to fully view your body. Check all over your body and your child’s body for ticks, especially these areas:

• In and around the ears 
• Inside naval
• In the scalp and hairline
• Back of the knees
• Under the arms
• Between the legs
• Around the waist
• The back and neck

Review the CDC’s illustrated body chart for tick detection and recommendations for clothing safety: