Dr. Mary Katherine Maroney

Protect yourself from ticks that may cause Lyme diseaseThis is the time of year when ticks that cause Lyme disease are most active.

Adult ticks are found in grass, brush, shrubs and other wooded areas, particularly along walking and hiking paths. With temperatures climbing, more people are outside hiking in the woods and swimming near areas with tall grasses where ticks may be found. The rainy spring may make the tick population even higher than usual and thus increase the risk of being bitten by a tick.

Outside the parameters of New York City, Lyme disease is the state's most common infectious disease, with more than 23,000 cases reported since 1986. There are many different types of ticks but only deer ticks spread Lyme disease - a bacterial infection that can affect the skin, joints, nervous system and heart.

Deer ticks are small - about the size of a sesame seed - and easily can be overlooked. When a person brushes by an area where a tick is located, the tick lets loose of the plant or grass and attaches to the human. Although most tick bites do not result in disease, it is always a good idea to avoid contact with ticks and be aware of the symptoms of Lyme disease.

Suggestions to protect yourself from tick bites include:

• Wear light-colored long-sleeved shirts and tuck pants into socks to prevent ticks from reaching the skin.

• Apply insect repellent to clothes or exposed skin (except the face).

• Check for ticks (especially hidden in hair) after every outing.

• Remove ticks as soon as possible by grasping their mouthparts with tweezers as close as possible to the skin and pull upward and out with a steady pressure.

• Be careful not to puncture, squeeze or crush the body of the tick in the process.

• Avoid using home remedies such as hot matches or petroleum jelly, which actually may increase the chance of infection. Once the tick is removed, disinfect the bite area.

• Over the next week or two, watch for early symptoms of Lyme disease ("bull's-eye" rash at the bite site, mild fever, fatigue, headache, stiff neck and muscle or joint pain) and contact your physician or nurse practitioner.
Remember, early treatment of Lyme disease from an infected tick usually results in a good chance of complete recovery.

Dr. Mary Katharine Maroney is director and professor of nursing at Utica College. She can be reached via e-mail at: mmaroney@utica.edu.