Tick reports have more than doubled since last year, according to Pennsylvania’s Tick Research Lab. Here’s what you can do to keep yourself safe while enjoying the great outdoors.
Treat Your Clothing (and Garden)
The less skin you have exposed, the harder it is for ticks to find a way to bite you. Deter ticks by using bug spray on your clothes.
Check, Check, and Check Again
After romping around Pittsburgh’s parks, throw your clothes into the dryer on a heated setting, then perform a thorough tick-check on your body. Be sure to examine all of the warmest areas like your armpits, groin, and behind your ears. Ticks can be as small as poppy seeds and easily hide in hair, so the more thorough you are, the safer you’ll be.
Safely Remove Ticks
Use fine-tipped tweezers to pull the tick out of your skin, then clean the area with rubbing alcohol or soap and water. Put the tick in a container with rubbing alcohol or flush it down the toilet to be sure it doesn’t reattach or spread diseases. Or, you can test the tick for diseases by sending it to PA’s free Tick Lab.
Watch Your Symptoms
It can be difficult to diagnose Lyme disease. The symptoms vary widely, and the characteristic bullseye rash doesn’t always show up. Call your doctor to get a one-dose antibiotic to prevent disease after a tick bite.
