Lyme Disease and the Wellness Tips That Actually Help

When heading into the outdoors, take steps to protect yourself against Lyme disease. This illness can be transmitted by tiny deer ticks. Therefore, tick pesticides on the clothing you are wearing can help. So can apply tick repellent on your skin. Staying on trails when in the wilderness helps you avoid contact with ticks. Checking yourself for ticks when you return from the wilderness is crucial. Tweezers can be used to remove ticks if you find any on your body.

Seeing a medical professional is advised if you are concerned that you may have Lyme disease. An oft-present initial symptom is a rash. Headaches and nausea can also develop as the illness progresses. Catching the disease early is extremely helpful. A treatment of antibiotics for an early case of Lyme disease often works well.

Information about the Illness

Lyme disease can come from the bite of a deer tick. It is contracted yearly in the United States by a worrisome number of people. The Johns Hopkins Lyme Disease Research Center states that “close to 500,000 annually” contract Lyme disease. This statistic refers to cases specifically in the United States.

The deer tick that transmits this illness is tiny. It is comparable in size to the head of a pin. The sickness comes from bacteria. According to Lifestyle Medical Centers, “four main species of bacteria” can cause Lyme disease. Two types are the main causes of Lyme disease in the United States. The other two types are prevalent as Lyme disease sources in Asia and Europe. The Lifestyle Medical Centers website states: “The most recognized symptom… is a rash.” Erythema migrans is the name of the rash that is symptomatic of Lyme disease.

How to Avoid Lyme Disease

Dressing with care before going outside can reduce your chances of contracting this ailment. Johns Hopkins advises wearing “protective clothing treated with tick pesticides such as permethrin.” Johns Hopkins also advises wearing a tick repellent on skin. While you are outside, you should remain on specified trails as much as possible. 

After coming in from the outdoors, you can put your clothing in the dryer. The dryer heat setting should be set on high. You can heat your clothes for fifteen minutes. You should also check yourself for ticks when you return. If you do find a tick, you should remove it with tweezers right away.

Diagnosis and Treatment

The Lifestyle Medical Centers website advises: “Don’t take your chances.” If you are worried, see a medical professional. If untreated, this illness can grow in complexity. You may develop headaches, weakness, nausea, and other symptoms. If you were bitten by a tick and still have it, you can save it. You can place the tick into a jar. You can also adhere it to a piece of paper. Having the tick present can help with ascertaining the tick species. 

Keep track of your symptoms. Information such as when symptoms began can be useful. You can discuss them with medical professionals. Also, medical personnel can run diagnostic tests. One possible test is a Western blot test. Another is an ELISA test. These diagnostic tests can look for antibody presence. This illness can spread through the body, so early treatment is advised. Antibiotics are often useful for early treatment.

Lyme Disease Overview

Four kinds of bacteria usually prompt the development of Lyme disease. The disease can be spread by deer ticks. Try not to encounter these ticks. Wearing tick repellent on skin and tick pesticides on clothing can help. After coming inside from the outdoors, check to ensure no ticks came back with you. If you do find a tick, use tweezers to remove it. If you are at all concerned about having contracted Lyme disease, seek medical help. Early treatment with antibiotics can be effective for this illness.