Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsProtectionBefore Heading OutdoorsWhile OutdoorsAfter Being OutdoorsCreate a Tick-Free ZoneInsect RepellentsIf You Find a Tick
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Protection
Before Heading Outdoors
While Outdoors
After Being Outdoors
Create a Tick-Free Zone
Insect Repellents
If You Find a Tick
Tick-borne diseases like Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever are a public health concern in many parts of the United States. Fortunately, you can repel ticks and help prevent their bites.
Ticks are tiny arachnids (relatives of spiders) that bite and feed on blood.They are more active in the warmer months, but a tick can bite you if the temperature is above freezing.
Ticks begin biting when they are in their early larval stage, and many have a particular kind of animal they seek out. They don’t usually bite humans till they are nymphs (immature ticks) or adults.
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Protect Yourself, Your Children, Pets, and Home
Learn when tick season is in your area and take the following measures to lower your risk of atick bitewhen outdoors. A state’s health department may be a source of this information. You may also use theUniversity of Rhode Island’s interactive tool.
If you’re heading to potentially tick-infested areas, plan ahead. It’s worth the time and effort to do the following:
Look at your surroundings and minimize your time walking through tall grasses and shrubs that harbor ticks. If you go for a hike or walk, stick to the center of the trail and areas that have been mowed.
Ticks can easily live in backyards as well as the woods or other natural areas. So, don’t assume a yard is a safe zone for ticks.
Ticks grab onto potential hosts as they walk past, and they can hide in your clothing. When you go inside, toss your clothes in a tumble dryer on high heat for 10 to 15 minutes.This will kill any ticks on your clothing.
If the clothes are damp, dry them in the dryer until they are both dry and hot. If you wash the clothes first, use hot water. Warm or cold water will not kill ticks.Then dry the clothes in the dryer at high heat until dry.
Examine yourself, your companions, your gear, and your pets tocheck for tickson the skin.
Shower promptly after being outdoors to wash off ticks not attached to your skin. Take this time to do another thoroughtick checkafter you undress. Use a mirror to look at all parts of your body, and pay particular attention to the following areas:
If you find a tick, shower within two hours of exposure to reduce your risk ofLyme disease. It may also protect you against other tick-borne diseases.
Tips for Creating a Tick-Free Zone Around Your House
You can take steps to reduce the number of ticks near your house.
Consider using pesticides that kill ticks outside your home in areas that harbor them, like tall grass or woody shrubs.Check the best time to apply pesticide, and follow the instructions carefully. Use pesticides recommended for your region and follow any regulations about pesticide use. A state’s health department website or county extension service may be a source of this information.
Choosing an Insect Repellent
Select an insect repellent that is effective against ticks with ingredients that are registered with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). These include:
Don’t use repellents containing OLE or PMD on children under 3 years old. On others, follow the instructions for use carefully.
What to Do If You Find a Tick
If you find atick attached to your skin or that of someone else, or if you see one crawling before attaching, stay calm. Ticks are simple to remove, as follows::
If the head of an attached tick doesn’t come off, you can take a sterilized needle and gently scrape a bit of skin away so you can see the head.You may be able to remove it with the tweezers. If you can’t, clean and disinfect the area—as the skin heals it will push the head out.
If you want to keep the tick for examination at a lab, kill it with rubbing alcohol and store it safely in a plastic bag or container. If you choose to dispose of the tick, kill it, put it in a sealed bag, and put it safely in the trash.
For 30 days,watch for symptomslike a rash, fever, headache, or weakness. Contact a healthcare provider if you have anysymptoms.
Summary
Keep your yard mowed, and position your outside activity areas away from areas with trees, brush, or tall grasses.
When you come inside, check your body carefully for ticks that may have attached and remove them with clean tweezers. Try to shower within two hours, which can help wash off any ticks that may be crawling on your skin. If you have symptoms like a rash, fever, headache, or other flu-like symptoms, contact a healthcare provider.
8 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Illinois Department of Health.Common ticks.National Forest Foundation.Here is what you need to know to stay safe during tick season.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Tick lifecycles.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Preventing tick bites.American Forests.Tick checking 101: steps to take for every hike.Nelson CA, Hayes CM, Markowitz MA, et al.The heat is on: killing blacklegged ticks in residential washers and dryers to prevent tickborne diseases.Ticks Tick Borne Dis. 2016;7(5):958-963. doi:10.1016/j.ttbdis.2016.04.016Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station.Tick management handbook.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.What to do after a tick bite.
8 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Illinois Department of Health.Common ticks.National Forest Foundation.Here is what you need to know to stay safe during tick season.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Tick lifecycles.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Preventing tick bites.American Forests.Tick checking 101: steps to take for every hike.Nelson CA, Hayes CM, Markowitz MA, et al.The heat is on: killing blacklegged ticks in residential washers and dryers to prevent tickborne diseases.Ticks Tick Borne Dis. 2016;7(5):958-963. doi:10.1016/j.ttbdis.2016.04.016Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station.Tick management handbook.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.What to do after a tick bite.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Illinois Department of Health.Common ticks.National Forest Foundation.Here is what you need to know to stay safe during tick season.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Tick lifecycles.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Preventing tick bites.American Forests.Tick checking 101: steps to take for every hike.Nelson CA, Hayes CM, Markowitz MA, et al.The heat is on: killing blacklegged ticks in residential washers and dryers to prevent tickborne diseases.Ticks Tick Borne Dis. 2016;7(5):958-963. doi:10.1016/j.ttbdis.2016.04.016Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station.Tick management handbook.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.What to do after a tick bite.
Illinois Department of Health.Common ticks.
National Forest Foundation.Here is what you need to know to stay safe during tick season.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Tick lifecycles.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Preventing tick bites.
American Forests.Tick checking 101: steps to take for every hike.
Nelson CA, Hayes CM, Markowitz MA, et al.The heat is on: killing blacklegged ticks in residential washers and dryers to prevent tickborne diseases.Ticks Tick Borne Dis. 2016;7(5):958-963. doi:10.1016/j.ttbdis.2016.04.016
Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station.Tick management handbook.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.What to do after a tick bite.
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