Early summer. It’s time to go to nature! For relaxation in the arms of greenery to bring pleasure and health benefits, it must be safe. The main threat to health is represented by brownish small insects with the dissonant name of mites. Particularly active in May-June, they live among the grass, on trees and bushes, announcing the hunt for animals and people. Once on human skin, they slowly move in search of “favorite places” – armpits, groin, inner thighs, neck. There, the skin is most delicate, and access to the blood vessels is easy. By itself, a tick bite is almost painless, but the consequences can be dangerous. Some individuals are carriers of encephalitis and borreliosis (Lyme disease). Encephalitis disrupts the work of the central and peripheral nervous systems. Complications of such an infection can result in paralysis and death. Borreliosis affects the skin, nervous and cardiac systems, as well as the musculoskeletal system. Knowing the simple rules of summer walks will help you protect yourself and your children. Remember:
– Wet and shady places with lush greenery are the favorite habitat of ticks. They do not like heat and are especially active in the morning and evening hours when coolness reigns. Going for a walk, try to choose bright groves without shrubs, as well as glades where it is sunny and windy.
– The dress code will not be superfluous at all during the walk. Try to wear trousers with a smooth surface in the forest, clothes with long sleeves and a collar, tight cuffs or elastic bands around the wrists and ankles. Choose closed shoes (ideally – rubber boots), do not forget about a hat. It is advisable to choose light-colored clothes – it is easier to notice a crawling tick on it. It is important to remember that women and children are favorites of ticks because they have more delicate skin and easier access to blood vessels.
– Ticks are extremely slow in moving, and therefore they are able to choose a place for a bite from half an hour to two. This gives a good chance to find an intruder and neutralize it. Conduct mutual inspections every hour, paying special attention to the favorite places of bloodsuckers. Found ticks should be burned, but in no case should they be thrown away or crushed.
– One of the achievements of recent years has been the development of special repellent mixtures that repel insects. Usually they are applied to clothes with a frequency according to the instructions. After a walk, things must be washed. Repellents are sold in pharmacies, differ in composition, price and degree of toxicity. When choosing a protective formula for a child, please note that the label should indicate: “for children”, “suitable for use from 3 years old”, etc.
– Modern medicine recommends carrying out prophylactic vaccination against encephalitis in the autumn, so that by spring the body has developed its own antibodies to the infection. Such a measure will protect against the risk of developing a severe disease, which is especially important in areas with high activity of ticks.
– Do not panic if the tick has stuck into the skin. As soon as possible, seek medical attention. The doctor will treat the bite site, extract the insect, send it to the laboratory for further research.
– Attempts to remove the tick on your own often lead to adverse consequences: the head or other parts of the insect remain in the skin, its body is injured, contributing to the penetration of the infection into the wound.
If you are bitten by a tick, and you do not have the opportunity to immediately consult a doctor, do not panic. Follow these simple tips:
1. Carefully remove the tick. This is best done with tweezers, turning the insect counterclockwise. In no case do not pull the tick – there is a risk of leaving an insect sting in the skin.
Doctors do not recommend the use of folk methods – for example, “fill” the tick with oil – in this case, the tick will release the maximum amount of saliva into your blood, namely, it contains pathogens.
2. After the tick is removed, we carefully examine it for the presence of all parts – the number of legs (the proboscis is indistinguishable from the leg) should be odd. If you counted an even number, it means that the sting remained in the body, and you must urgently go to the emergency room to remove it.
3. Treat the affected skin area with alcohol or iodine.
4. Don’t forget to place the extracted tick in a box to take it to the nearest laboratory for analysis.
5. If a tick has bitten you in an area that is considered epidemic for encephalitis, or if the analysis of the tick shows that it is contagious, you will need an injection of anti-tick immunoglobulin. It must be done within the first 96 hours after a tick bite.
6. Do not put off your visit to the medical center. Talk to your doctor about whether an injection is right for you.
Bright sunshine to you and safe walks!