Along with flossing, washing your face, and brushing your teeth, you may want to add “check for ticks” to your nightly routine: Lyme disease, a bacterial disease spread through bites from infected black-legged-ticks, is becoming a greater threat in many new areas of the country, according to the U.S. Global Change Research Program’s most recent National Climate Assessment (NCA). In fact, Lyme disease cases in the U.S. increased by about 80 percent between 1993 and 2007, according to an article published this spring in CMAJ Open, the Canadian Medical Association’s journal.
Blame Climate Change
Warmer climates allow ticks to inhabit new areas that are farther north and higher in elevation, says CMAJ study author David Fisman, MD, MPH, a professor of epidemiology at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health in Toronto. So in some states where ticks haven’t historically been an issue, the critters can now live longer and reproduce more easily—which means more bites that could lead to Lyme disease. (Check out the red states on this map to see where your state stands).
Meanwhile, Lyme disease rates are dropping in the South, according to Fisman’s study, probably because when it’s sweltering, people spend more time indoors, where ticks are less likely to linger.
What Is Lyme Disease?
Lyme disease is a bacterial infection contracted from an infected tick. The typical warning sign is a bullseye-shaped skin rash that doesn’t itch or hurt, according to data from Harvard Health Publications (scarily, the tell-tale bullseye doesn’t always show up).
Left untreated, the bacterial infection can cause fever, inflammation of the joints and heart, and even neurological problems that stem from brain and spinal cord infection. Early treatment is key: While antibiotics can cure symptoms in as little as two weeks, the infection can survive in your system for years if you don’t start taking meds quickly enough. That’s why news of ticks in new areas is so scary: If you don’t know you’re at risk, you’re much less likely to protect yourself against tick bites and will probably go longer without seeking treatment if you do get Lyme disease.
What to Do If You Get a Tick Bite
A tick bite doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll get sick—only 5 to 50 percent of ticks are infected with the bacteria that causes Lyme disease, depending on the geographical area, says Fisman. Plus, the longer the tick is latched on—and they can feed for days—the more likely it is to infect you, he says. So if you catch and remove the tick soon enough, you’ll minimize your odds of getting Lyme disease. To do this, shower within two hours of when you come inside from any wooded areas (when you strip down, it’s easier to spot ticks). You should also check yourself in the mirror from head to toe—including your hair and the back of your body. If you do see any ticks on you, remove them ASAP: Just use pointed tweezers to grab the tick as close to your skin as possible, and remove it. Then call your doctor, who may want to prescribe preventative antibiotics.
How to Protect Yourself
The best way to reduce your risk is to avoid being bitten in the first place, says Fisman. You don’t have to quarantine yourself indoors to stay safe, though. When you go outside—particularly in wooded areas—just follow these tips from Fisman and the CDC:
Walk in the center of the sidewalk or path to avoid high grass and brush, where ticks are more likely to be located.
Stick to mowed lawns. Ticks tend to hide in unkept areas, so avoid high grass in the spring and summer and leaf piles in the fall.
Wear long sleeves and pants in light colors to make ticks easier to spot.
Tuck your pants into your socks or boots to keep ticks away from your legs, ankles, and feet when you hike.
Use an insect repellant with at least 20 percent DEET. (Find the best brand for you with this tool from the Environmental Protection Agency.)
Treat your clothing and gear with an insect repelling spray that’s made for fabric and other materials. Check the label for permethrin—the odorless ingredient that fends off insects—and follow instructions on the package. Typically, the treatment stays effective even after a few washes.
Inspect clothing and gear when you get inside. Throw anything with a tick onto it into the dryer for an hour; high heat will kill any other hitch-hiking critters.
More from Women’s Health:
Bed Bugs Bite!
Lyme Disease
The Best Ways to Soothe Summer Bug Bites
