Some people suffer pretty awful consequences after getting bitten by a tick. Those little parasitic insects can easily get on our bodies. Our pets can carry them without either knowing or approving. Our furry friends don’t have any intention to do us harm. And come to think of it, neither the ticks!
Ticks are naturally programmed to look for food in order to survive. They’re not looking at someone and say in their tiny heads, “today I’m going to chow down on Brad!”, although Brad may be delicious. No, ticks just follow their survival instincts. The parasitic insects suck the blood of their host slowly for several days.
Thanks to the LiveStrong.com publication, we know what to do in case a tick comes uninvited to feed itself from our blood:
1. Relax!
If a tick feeds on you, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re already infected with Lyme disease. To transmit the disease, a tick must do its thing for over 36 hours. This obviously means that you have plenty of time to feel the tick on your skin and remove it without getting Lyme disease.
2. Remove that nasty tick
Removing the tick is a little harder than it sounds. According to the CDC, doing it the wrong way may cause parts of the critter to get trapped in your skin. Do the following:
a. Grasp the tick with fine-tipped tweezers.
b. Pull upward with steady and even pressure. Avoid twisting or jerking the tick.
3. Clean the wound
Use alcohol or soap and water to clean the wound left by the tick.
4. Observe the tick
Although you may not find the tick cute, you still have to take a good look at it. You’ll need some information about it to share with your doctor. Remember the colouring and size of the insect.
5. Get rid of the tick
Flushing the insect down the toilet will be enough.
6. Contact your doctor
You’ll need treatment, and the doctor knows what to do.
7. Watch out for symptoms
If you don’t need to get treated right away, you’ll have to watch for any symptoms occurring in the next 30 days.
Feel free to read the full article on LiveStrong.com here.
