IN THE CEMETERY – TICK TIME: TIPS TO PREVENT LYME DISEASE
Spring is finally here– and summer’s just around the corner. You know what that means. Flowers, Sun showers, picnics, cemetery hikes. And… an uptick in deer ticks-those sneaky little bugs that can spread Lyme disease and other infections.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently called Lyme disease a “tremendous health problem,” estimating 3000,000 people in the U.S. Ard diagnosed with it each year.
What can you do to lower your risk? Here are some tips from the CDC and the Tick-Born Disease Alliance:
: Avoid tall grass and wooded areas, Aren’t all Morgan County Cemeteries in or near WOODED AREAS? YA gotta be careful.
: Be extra careful in May, June and July.
Thats when ticks are most active.
: Use insect repellent (containing ingredients like DEET) on exposed skin. Prefer organic products? Try essential oils like Lemon, Eucalyptus or cedar.
: Wear long pants, long sleeves and long socks. Tuck pants into boots or socks. Wear light-colored clothes so ticks are easier to spot.
: Check skin and clothes for ticks before going indoors-and again at bed time. Use a mirror. Check everywhere: between toes, behind knees, under arms, around ears-even inside your belly button.
: Treat and check pets.
If you find a tick, use fine-tipped tweezers to carefully remove it. Make sure you don”t leave parts of the bug in your skin. Clean the area with soap and water or rubbibg alcohol.
Chances are slim you”ll get Lyme disease if a tick been attached to your skin for les than 24 hours. But call your doctor if you suspect you’r infected.
SYMPTOMS: Symptoms may include a bull’s eye rash, fever, chills, headache, fatigue and aching, redness or swelling in one or more joints (especially the knees).
TREATMENT: Most cases of Lyme can be treated successfully with antibiotics. Untreated, the infection can spread to the joints, heart and nervious system. And result in complications like arthritis.
SO HAVE FUN OUT THERE IN THE CEMETERIES. BUT BE CAREFUL
FROM THE MORGAN COUNTY GENEALOGICAL & HISTORICAL SOCIETY – CEMETERY CONSERVATION AND ADVOCACY GROUP