Sometimes a tick can be missed and so it is important to be aware of the symptoms of Lyme disease. In many cases, but not all, there will be a red bulls-eye rash with a white center that can appear a few days post-bite. Other symptoms include headache, fever, chills, and severe exhaustion. If you suspect that you may have been exposed, it is important to go to your doctor and let her/him know where you have been and what your symptoms are.
When you are getting out with Active Southern West Virginia you can’t check participants for ticks in any personal ways, but you should encourage each other how to prevent tick exposure and how to check post-programming. One of our local National Park Rangers, Joseph Whelan says, “Lyme disease really is not a joke and it is the reality of living in this part of the United States. Any time you go outside, or into the woods, you need to check for ticks and learn how to remove them properly. We all have a tendency to get lazy, but you have to be vigilant.” Communicating tick-safety protocols and awareness is a part of risk-management and leadership that Community Captains will offer Active Southern West Virginia participants. If you would like to learn more about Lyme disease we recommend using the Center for Disease Control as a reliable resource: https://www.cdc.gov/lyme/.
Summer days are upon us and we all want to get active outdoors. The benefits to exercising and playing outside are outstanding for mental and physical health, however, everyone needs to be extremely vigilant about ticks. Black-legged ticks, also known as deer ticks, are the only kind of tick that carry Lyme disease, transmitting the bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi. The number of bites from ticks that are infected are on a rapid rise. Lyme disease is in the news everywhere you look and for good reason. There are constant warnings about the danger and prevalence of Lyme disease. What can we do? Staying away from heavily wooded areas is the number one recommended way to avoid picking up ticks, but that is just not always an option for those of us who enjoy being outside to be active. There are plenty of simple ways to stay safe while still being able to enjoy the outdoors.
Ticks are a threat year-round, however, they are particularly dangerous in the spring when they are nymphs, very small and young. When ticks are nymphs they can be as small as a pin-head, easily missed. The Center for Disease Control states that infected deer ticks need to be latched for about 36 hours or more to transmit disease. It is a good idea to try and have ticks removed well before then.
Sometimes a tick can be missed and so it is important to be aware of the symptoms of Lyme disease. In many cases, but not all, there will be a red bulls-eye rash with a white center that can appear a few days post-bite. Other symptoms include headache, fever, chills, and severe exhaustion. If you suspect that you may have been exposed, it is important to go to your doctor and let her/him know where you have been and what your symptoms are.
When you are getting out with Active Southern West Virginia you can’t check participants for ticks in any personal ways, but you should encourage each other how to prevent tick exposure and how to check post-programming. One of our local National Park Rangers, Joseph Whelan says, “Lyme disease really is not a joke and it is the reality of living in this part of the United States. Any time you go outside, or into the woods, you need to check for ticks and learn how to remove them properly. We all have a tendency to get lazy, but you have to be vigilant.” Communicating tick-safety protocols and awareness is a part of risk-management and leadership that Community Captains will offer Active Southern West Virginia participants. If you would like to learn more about Lyme disease we recommend using the Center for Disease Control as a reliable resource: https://www.cdc.gov/lyme/.
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