Tick ​​bites are sending more and more people to the emergency room. This is how to protect yourself

CLEVELAND — Tick season is in full swing, and this year’s numbers are hard to ignore. The number of emergency room visits due to tick bites is now at its highest level since 2017, according to new data from the World Health Organization Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Each year, an estimated 31 million people in the United States are bitten by ticks. Doctors say too many people still underestimate the risk.

“I just don’t know if we’re taking tick bites and tick bite prevention as seriously as I would like to see. It’s really important,” said Dr. Jennifer Caudle, a family physician and associate professor at Rowan University.

Ticks carry bacteria, viruses and parasites that can cause a variety of diseases. Lyme disease It is the most common, with an estimated 476,000 people treated for Lyme disease in the United States each year. But Lyme disease is far from the only concern. Ticks also spread Ehrlichiosis, Anaplasmosis, Rocky Mountain spotted feverWait for serious situations.

Lyme disease, in particular, can be difficult to detect early. Symptoms are often vague at first—joint pain, fatigue, flu-like symptoms—and a distinct bull’s-eye rash doesn’t always appear.

“The symptoms of Lyme disease often overlap with those of other diseases. Often, the symptoms can start out very vaguely, whether it’s joint pain or fatigue. There’s a classic bull’s-eye rash, but we don’t always see that,” Caudle said. Even for experienced physicians, overlap with other conditions makes clinical diagnosis a challenge.

The best protection is to avoid being bitten in the first place. When traveling to wooded, grassy or shrubby areas, doctors recommend:

• Stay in the center of the trail to reduce contact with vegetation where ticks wait
• Wear long sleeves, long pants and a hat
• Use an Environmental Protection Agency-approved repellent – ​​a full list is available at environmental protection bureau government
• Treat clothing and gear with a product containing 0.5% permethrin to continue repelling ticks even after washing
• If you are using sunscreen and insect repellent at the same time, apply the sunscreen first and then the insect repellent

When you get back indoors, shower immediately. Drying your clothes on high heat will kill any ticks that might hitch a ride home. Don’t forget your pets—dogs and cats who spend time outdoors can bring ticks indoors, where they can then attach themselves to family members.

Check your entire body after any time outdoors, including your hairline, behind your ears, armpits, groin, and behind your knees. “We need to check ourselves and each other in hair and crevices – places where ticks may like to hide,” Dr. Caudle said.

Check in on your kids and each other. Ticks are small and usually painless, so a thorough visual inspection is important. Removing attached ticks within 24 hours can help prevent Lyme disease.

If you find an attached tick, don’t panic, but act quickly. Use pointed tweezers or your fingers to grasp the tick as close to the surface of the skin as possible. Use steady, firm pressure to pull up. Do not twist or pull as this can cause the tick’s mouthparts to break in the skin. Once removed, dispose of the tick properly.

“Depending on when the tick attached, where in the country you live and what symptoms you may or may not have, we may need to take further steps,” Caudle said.

Then call your doctor. Depending on how long ago the tick attached, where you live, and whether you are experiencing any symptoms, your doctor may recommend additional steps.

If you develop a rash or fever in the days to weeks after a tick bite or after spending time in an area where ticks are common, seek immediate medical attention. Don’t wait to see if symptoms get better on their own.

Bottom line: Tick bites are preventable and the steps to protect yourself are simple. Check your repellent, check your clothing and check your body every time you go out.