Tick bites are harmless but can also be very dangerous, so it is useful to know how to prevent them easily to avoid their most serious health consequences.
Did you know that tick bites are usually harmless? However, only in a small percentage of cases can they be dangerous, especially when they contain bacteria that after the sting or bite cause certain diseases, which can cause heart disorders, nervous system, arthritis, kidney damage, liver and adrenal glands and even death.
In fact, when the tick spreads a bacterium called Borelliburgdorferi, it can cause Lyme disease, one of the most serious and well-known. In addition, depending on the type of bacteria spread from the bite, other diseases can arise: tularemia (caused by the bacteria Francis Ella turalensis ), Rocky Mountain spotted fever (caused by the bacteria Rickettsia ), or fever from Colorado ticks (caused by the Dermacentor andersoni tick ), to name just a few of the most common.
For this reason, it is useful to know what the symptoms of tick bites are, and not only to know the symptoms caused by the bites themselves, but also to attend to the symptoms caused by the diseases that they can cause. In this sense, we must remember that in the first case its symptoms are: inflammation, swelling and severe pain at the site of the bite, weakness, blisters and rashes. While, weeks later, if the bite has in turn spread some bacteria, other symptoms may arise, such as: muscle or joint pain, fever, swollen lymph nodes, stiff neck, red spots or outbreaks that arise from the place of the bite, as well as headache.
Helpful tips to prevent tick bites or stings
When it comes to preventing tick bites, we must bear in mind that, in general, they live in areas covered by bushes and grass, where they wait for the arrival of the most suitable animal to ‘stick’ to it with their legs, and then be placed in the hottest and most humid areas (in the human body, especially in the armpits, groin or hair), pierce the skin with its chelicerae and begin to suck blood.
Therefore, it is possible to take into account some basic tips that will be very useful to prevent bites, especially when we go for a walk or for a walk in the countryside:
Wear suitable protective clothing
If you are going to go out into the field, it is advisable to use both pants and long-sleeved shirts. It is advisable to tuck the pants into your socks or shoes and not leave any open spaces. It is also recommended to wear sleeves that fit well over clothing. Also, if you are going to walk through areas where there are trees, it is useful to wear hats or caps.
Regarding the color of clothing, it is best to always wear light-colored clothing, as it will help you find ticks more easily.
Check if you have ticks
If you are outdoors you can check your clothes, your skin and your hair every 3 or 4 hours, paying special attention to the armpits, neck, waist and hair. In this way, in case you find a tick, you can remove it and eliminate it more quickly.
Use insect repellent
Insect repellents in spray form help in a positive way when it comes to preventing the appearance of ticks. For this reason, it is useful to apply it on the bottom of the pants, the cuffs of the shirt and on the top of the boots.
You can also use natural repellents, such as eucalyptus essential oil, chamomile essential oil, and rose geranium essential oil or make a mixture at home with essential oils of cinnamon, cedar, lavender and basil and a little lemon juice, applying it to yourself over all skin.
