CLEVELAND – May is Lyme Disease Awareness Month.
According to a recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report, illnesses caused by a tick bite, like Lyme disease, are rising in the United States.
Believe it or not ticks are everywhere – even the backyard.
Alan Taege, M.D., an infectious disease specialist at Cleveland Clinic, said for people who plan to be outdoors, the first step to protecting against ticks is insect repellent.
“If you are out hiking, camping, or even just working in your yard, the ticks are there all the time,” he said. “You should wear insect repellent for them -the best ones contain DEET.”
Dr. Taege said the clothing people wear outdoors can have an impact on whether a tick will attach itself.
He recommends wearing long clothing – long-sleeve shirts and long pants – which will make it more difficult for ticks to find skin.
Dr. Taege even suggests taking things a step farther and tucking long pants into boots to ensure ticks can’t get inside a pant leg.
There’s also another layer of protection that can be applied to outdoor gear and clothing.
“You can spray your clothing and some of your camping gear with another chemical compound called permethrin, which is not designed for the skin, but can be put on clothing and fabric and such to help repel the ticks,” said Dr. Taege.
Dr. Taege recommends checking the entire body for ticks once someone has come indoors, especially areas that are warm and secluded like the hair.
If a tick is discovered, remove it right away without squeezing it. Dr. Taege said ticks removed promptly rarely cause illness.
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