Next week is tick bite prevention week and the early spring weather we've recently experienced means that ticks are already being reported as active.
You can visit the website for more information here
At Out & About we think it's important to take the threat of tick-borne diseases seriously. One of the staff in our Harrogate store suffered a long period of ill-health after contracting Lyme Disease from an infected tick bite and I've also had a brush with complications from a tick bite myself. I picked up a tick after mountain-biking one evening in Glentress and a week or so later began exhibiting the classic "Bull's Eye" rash that can be one of the early signs of a tick-borne infection. When I went to the doctors I was, at first, a little preturbed that my GP needed to use Google to find out more about the symptoms but at the same time felt fortunate that he was open minded and informed enough to prescribe precautionary anti-biotics. I felt pretty rough for a couple of weeks while taking them but had no further ill-effects.
Of course the best way to avoid infection would be to not get bitten in the first place. Which is where the Tick Bite Prevention website comes in, with loads of helpful advice about avoiding ticks while still enjoying your favourite outdoor activities. It also cuts through some of the myths with clear advice about how to check for and remove ticks, rubbishing a few old wife's tales along the way. We find these hooked tweezers from Lifesystems® work well- especially if the tick is small when you spot it and hasn't had a chance to get a good feed.
At Out & About we think it's important to take the threat of tick-borne diseases seriously. One of the staff in our Harrogate store suffered a long period of ill-health after contracting Lyme Disease from an infected tick bite and I've also had a brush with complications from a tick bite myself. I picked up a tick after mountain-biking one evening in Glentress and a week or so later began exhibiting the classic "Bull's Eye" rash that can be one of the early signs of a tick-borne infection. When I went to the doctors I was, at first, a little preturbed that my GP needed to use Google to find out more about the symptoms but at the same time felt fortunate that he was open minded and informed enough to prescribe precautionary anti-biotics. I felt pretty rough for a couple of weeks while taking them but had no further ill-effects.
Of course the best way to avoid infection would be to not get bitten in the first place. Which is where the Tick Bite Prevention website comes in, with loads of helpful advice about avoiding ticks while still enjoying your favourite outdoor activities. It also cuts through some of the myths with clear advice about how to check for and remove ticks, rubbishing a few old wife's tales along the way. We find these hooked tweezers from Lifesystems® work well- especially if the tick is small when you spot it and hasn't had a chance to get a good feed.
 |
| Lifesystems® Tick Remover £3.25 |
The chances of contracting a disease like Lyme from a tick in the UK are small but by taking precautions to avoid being bitten and by acting promptly and effectively if you are, that small risk can be minimised.