If you spend a lot of time outdoors or with your pets, you must be aware of tick bites and tick-borne diseases like Lyme disease. But research shows that not all tick species can cause Lyme disease; though there are a number of tick species, only the Black-legged ticks are responsible for spreading Lyme disease. There is no need to avoid outdoor events because of these tiny species; there are many ways to prevent tick bites. Here, we will discuss how to check for tick bites and tips to get rid of them.
How to Check for Ticks?
Ticks are mostly outdoors; they will enter your home only when attached to you or your pets. Fleas and ticks are blood-sucking insects that are dangerous to humans and pets. It is important to know how to check for ticks which will help you to remove them and avoid them further. Make use of these tips to find and avert ticks near you,
Before going outdoors
- Know where you can find ticks, primarily near grassy and wooden areas.
- While spending outdoors with your beloved pets, you should be more careful about ticks, which is how many people catch tick bites.
- Always prefer to walk in the center of trails
After Getting Outdoor
Check your clothes for ticks because these tiny insects will stick to the clothes and come inside your home. Make sure to check your body for ticks after being in the great outdoors; follow the instructions below while checking your body,
- Take off your clothes and check for the ticks; dip the cloth into the bathtub if you find any. So they cannot escape from the place.
- Check your hair slowly and move your fingers over the hair to check for any bumps. Maybe a tiny bump can indicate the presence of ticks.
- If your hair is long, use a fine-toothed comb to catch the hiding ticks.
- Place a long mirror and check all body parts, like under the arms, in and around the ears, inside the belly button, between the legs, and around the waist.
How to Remove a Tick if you Find any?
Removing the ticks is the most challenging part; if you find a tick is sticking to your skin, use a clean and fine-tipped tweezer. The tweezer can be used to catch and remove the tick; grab the tick head with the tweezer and hold it smoothly.
Please do not hold it hard because it could be crushed and messy. Catch the tick head and pull out straight. Make sure you do not leave any part of the tick in your body.
Tips to Get Rid of Ticks
- Treat your clothes with a product containing 0.5% permethrin that can effectively defend against the attraction of ticks.
- Use insect repellents containing DEET products like the Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus (OLE) and para-menthane-diol (PMD). Note that you should use these products on children under three years.
- Showering after coming indoors will help you remove all the mess in your body and find the presence of ticks. It will also help reduce the danger of Lyme disease.
Conclusion
The above-listed are effective DIY tips to prevent yourself ticks and tick-borne diseases. I hope the article will help you know some tips on checking the ticks in your body. If you find the infestation is more, hire a professional pest control service to get rid of ticks for years.