How to escape from ticks? Forewarned means armed

The tick, as one of the most ancient groups of arthropods on earth, it would seem, should be studied far and wide, especially since they often suffer much more people than from the attacks of large predators. But, apparently, as in the case of small dogs, which according to statistics bite more often, a person is not inclined to attach much importance to small troubles, which, however, can turn into big problems. 

It is still complicated by the fact that there are more than 40,000 varieties of ticks, but they all have a lot in common, which makes it possible to make the coexistence of humans and these small creatures acceptable. Our material today will help you fill in the white spots of awareness in this matter, as well as dispel some myths about ticks.

Ticks are not paratroopers

At their own request, not a single tick will jump down on you from a tree, since they usually do not rise above 1.5 meters above the ground. As a rule, they get on the human body, crawling out of the grass or bushes, so imperceptibly that you may not even feel their presence until they begin to penetrate the skin. The prehensile paws and the weight of the arachnid, which is imperceptible to humans, work for the benefit of its secrecy, and the only way to protect yourself is to wear tight — fitting clothes in the forest and inspect the likely affected areas more often. These include the softest areas on the body: the groin and the area behind the ears, as well as the armpits.

Not bitten does not mean protected

Another myth concerns the fact that only direct bites are dangerous for human health. Nothing like that! Ticks, among which there are often carriers of dangerous diseases, bite all living things, not just humans. A bitten cow, for example, can transmit the disease to a person if its milk is not boiled before use. But the only way to get infected from a person is through the milk of a nursing mother, but not through personal contact. Needless to say, if encephalitis is suspected, the mother should immediately stop breastfeeding until the diagnosis is refuted.

A single vaccination is not a panacea

The most effective means of protection against tick — borne encephalitis is vaccination, but only if it is carried out a couple of months before the start of the season (usually in February) and every year. So if you are calmly walking around the forest, counting on your last year's vaccination, then we have bad news for you.

Ticks are not dangerous with encephalitis alone

In addition to the most dangerous encephalitis and borreliosis for humans, there are a lot of less common diseases carried by ticks. We will not burden you with a long list of difficult-to-pronounce names, but, believe me, there is something to be afraid of. All these infections are transmitted directly at the time of the bite through the arthropod's saliva.

Among the most terrible consequences of encephalitis are irreversible paralysis of the hands, blindness, deafness and, for obvious reasons, also irreversible, the death of the patient. The most terrible statistics of deaths are in Siberia and the Far East, where up to 80% of those bitten die, and Europe with its two percent is in the safest zone. By the way, having suffered encephalitis in a mild form, you can count on lifelong immunity to the disease, but this is rather a pleasant consolation and payment for serious stress for the body.

Borreliosis — unlucky luck

On the one hand, the second most dangerous disease carried by ticks is quite easily treated in the early stages, so if a high temperature and extensive redness appear at the bite site, you should immediately consult a doctor. Procrastination is fraught with paralysis of the facial muscles, joint pain, problems with hearing, vision and normal functioning of the heart. On the other hand, there are no vaccines for borreliosis, as there is no acquired immunity after an already suffered illness.

Forget about vegetable oil!

There is an opinion that, having found a tick that has already got under the skin on the body, you should simply pour it with vegetable oil so that it starts to suffocate and gets out itself. Forget this advice as a terrible dream, because in this case the insect will start to feel terribly sick, and it will release more saliva than could be expected, and it is through it that the infection occurs.

Tweezers — your bro

You should pull out the tick with the same composure with which Rambo sewed up the wound himself, and preferably not on his own. Be glad that you found the scoundrel in time, and ask someone, if it is inconvenient for you, to grab the insect with tweezers and gently, without jerks, pull it out, turning the body counterclockwise. Examine the pulled tick, and if he literally did not lose his head and sting, then, after treating the wound, you can safely go to the emergency room. If something is missing and you are not sure that you can pick out the remains with a needle calcined on the fire,then your path lies there, but in an emergency. 

By the way, if there are no tweezers at hand, then you can try to use a loop of thread to unscrew the tick from the body, but immediately think about emergency escape routes to the nearest medical center.

I pulled out a tick — I did half the work

If you are sure that the pulled tick has a full set of limbs — a head and an odd number of legs (the tick sting is indistinguishable from a paw), then put it in a box and take it to the SES for analysis, where it is examined for portable diseases. Go yourself for an injection, which will need to be done in any case, and then a series of tests lasting a month will follow: after 10 days for infections, after another 14 days for immunoglobulins M for encephalitis and after another week for immunoglobulins M for borreliosis. We agree that all this is long and tedious, but if you do not want to add to the sad statistics, then you will have to do just that.