How to protect yourself from (and treat) tick bites

There's evidence that tick populations are rapidly spreading north into Canada. As such, anyone who spends time in wooded areas is at greater risk to get bitten. More than a nuisance, tick bites can also pose serious health threats. Here's some advice about how to prevent and treat them.

Certain tick species are known to transmit Lyme disease through their bite. In Canada, the blacklegged tick (or deer tick) is the primary vector for transmitting this disease. If undiagnosed and left untreated, Lyme disease is a serious illness that can potentially cause the following symptoms:

• Neurological disorders
• Fever
• Swollen lymph nodes
• Severe fatigue
• Heart problems
• Symptoms of arthritis

Unfortunately, Lyme disease can become a chronic condition for many people if they don't get proper medical intervention.

The blacklegged tick is found throughout Canada and lives primarily in forests and overgrown, brushy areas, but can still be found outside this range. South of the border, the ticks live in the northeastern, mid-Atlantic, and north-central United States.

• These ticks can be very small, ranging from the size of a pinhead to that of a pea. Their size depends on their life stage and if they have engorged on blood, which sometimes makes detection difficult.
• Older blacklegged ticks and ticks that have just fed are usually easier to spot.

If you're hiking, camping or otherwise spending the day outside, there are a number of steps you can take to help avoid a tick bite. These include:

• Pulling your socks up over your pant legs to ensure ticks don't crawl up your pants
• Use insect repellent, such as DEET
• Dress in long-sleeved shirts
• Wear light coloured clothing to better identify ticks.

It's also important to thoroughly check yourself for ticks, including in areas such as your hair, underneath armpits and other private areas after you return home.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States, the tick must be attached for 36 to 48 hours (or longer) before the Lyme disease bacterium can be transmitted. What's more, most people get infected through the bites of immature ticks, called nymphs, which are less than 2 mm in size and difficult to see.

Ticks don't just bite and jump off of your body. Often, they will attach themselves deep in your skin and feed on blood for a period of time. However, if you spot a tick on your skin you need not panic. However, you should remove it immediately.

To remove a tick the CDC suggests that you:

• Remove the tick with a pair of fine-tipped, clean tweezers. First, grasp the tick as close to the skin’s surface as possible. Then pull the attached tick upward with steady, even pressure.
• Try not to twist or crush the tick in the process, as this could cause the tick's mouthparts to break off and remain under the skin, potentially causing infection.
• Disinfect the bite area as well as your hands after removing the tick. Rubbing alcohol, an iodine scrub, or soap and water work well.
• Drop the tick into a solution of alcohol, a sealed bag, or wrap tightly in tape to ensure it's dead.

If you observe any of the symptoms associated with Lyme disease, it's essential to seek medical treatment immediately.

• Because Lyme disease is caused by a bacterium, antibiotics can be prescribed to help combat the disease. What's more, the sooner you receive treatment, the better are the odds that you won't suffer any ill effects.

Although ticks and Lyme disease are a real threat to Canadians, the risks can be minimized with the proper precautions and know-how. Enjoying nature is important, and with the above information, you won't have to let ticks or their bites get in your way.