How to prevent a Tick bite and so Lyme disease?

Next week, starting Monday March 31st, it is the Tick ​​Week. This week, extra attention is paid to this small arachnid. Why? Ticks can transmit diseases, including Lyme disease. Approximately 27,000(1) people suffer from this, which can hinder a healthy and vital life. That is why it is important to know how to Tick bite can prevent.

What is a tick?

A tick is a small, parasitic, spider-like creature that feeds on the blood of both animals and humans. There are approximately 15 species in the Netherlands. A tick likes to attach itself to a human or animal to feed on blood. They wait patiently in tall, shady grass and dead leaves near trees and bushes until a potential host passes by. Most tick bites therefore occur in the forest. But you can also find ticks in gardens, parks, dunes, green areas and nature reserves.

The risk of a Tick bite

In the Netherlands, there are approximately 1.5 million tick bites each year. On average, about 2 to 3 out of every 100 people get Lyme disease after a tick bite. Tick bite, which concerns about 27,000 people per year(2). This means that not everyone who is bitten by a tick becomes ill. However, caution is advised. A disease like Lyme is anything but pleasant.

Lyme disease

Lyme disease can manifest itself in many ways. Severe fatigue, joint pain, tingling, dizziness, concentration problems and heart palpitations are just a few examples. This not only makes it difficult to diagnose Lyme disease, but also the way in which the Borrelia spirochete can hide and disguise itself plays a major role in this. The result of this is that people often search for a long time and feel (inexplicably) less vital during this time.

Tick bite prevention: step-by-step plan

Curing a disease like Lyme can be a major challenge. Therefore, the focus should be on preventing a disease Tick bite. Are you going into the forest, the garden or another nature reserve? Then enjoy yourself above all, but do so with the necessary attention to the step-by-step plan below and prevent a Tick bite.

• Wear close-fitting clothing
  The chance of a Tick bite becomes smaller when you wear tight-fitting clothing. Think of closed shoes, long sleeves, long pants and tuck the trouser legs into your socks.
• Wear light colored clothing
  The colour of a tick stands out better against light colours. By wearing light clothing, you will notice the tick faster.
• Use a tick repellent
  Especially in risk areas it is wise to apply a tick repellent. You probably immediately think of DEET. This is a good tick repellent, but it is certainly not free of toxins. A safe alternative for humans and the environment is our natural, herbal Teekaway based on essential oils.
  
• Stay on the paths as much as possible
  By staying on the paths you avoid dense vegetation, tall grass and shrubs, places where ticks like to hide.
• Check after outdoor activities
  Check yourself, family members and pets thoroughly for ticks after outdoor activities, especially in areas with lots of grass, shrubs or woods.

Why is a Tick bite often not noticed or only noticed late?

The last tip in particular is extra important. A tick can bite, or rather sting, anywhere on the body. However, the groin, the hollows of the knees, armpits, the buttocks, the edges of underwear, behind the ears and around the hairline in the neck are preferred. You usually feel little of the sting and the sucking.It often happens that the tick is not noticed (in time), especially because the creature is so small. The sheep tick, for example, is only 0.5 to 3 mm in size. The size increases when the tick sucks itself full of blood. They then swell up to a gray or brown ball. A sheep tick can even grow up to 11 mm in size in this case.

Still a Tick bite? Then it is important to remove it as soon as possible. The chance of disease transmission increases the longer the tick is attached. All supplies, such as a Tick card, you will find in our First Aid Prevention Kit.

Sources
(1) https://www.rivm.nl/ziekte-van-lyme
(2) https://www.expertisecentrumlyme.nl/ziekte-van-lyme