Watch for ticks this fall
CDC says fall sees uptick in tick bites
Bluefield, W.Va. (WVVA) -It is officially the fall season, and many out there hope that with the decrease in temperature, they’ll see a decrease in bugs as well. However, ticks can be a problem all year long. In fact, the CDC say that the fall season sees the second biggest spike of the year for tick bites.
Ticks can be a carrier of many different diseases, but the most prevalent in this area is Lyme disease. Bonnie Allen, the Administrator for the Mercer County Health Department says that she sees over a hundred cases of Lyme disease in mercer county in one year with many of these cases not realizing they have been bit at all.
“The interesting thing that I’ve found is that a lot of people that are diagnosed with Lyme disease don’t realize that they have been bit... That there was no tick that they saw, so if you start having joint pain... Feeling really tired and achy, go to your doctor.”
There are many different ways to prevent yourself from getting bit by ticks. Some of these ways include:
- Wearing long sleeves
- Using bug spray that contains Permethrin
- Washing clothes with hot water after being outside
The most important thing you can do, however, is simply check yourself for ticks. They like to hide in areas on your body where you might not usually look like under the arms, in the ear, around the waist, or around the groin.
Symptoms of Lyme disease include fever, chills, fatigue, muscle, joint aches, and possibly a rash around where the bite took place. If you believe that you are experiencing symptoms of Lyme disease, go to your doctor. Lyme disease can be more easily treated if caught early on.
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