Lyme Disease: What Is It and How to Avoid it During the Summer

For most people, the idea of summertime conjures up rosy images of outdoor activities, barbecues, hikes, and existing in t-shirts and shorts. Rightfully so. However, it’s important to be aware of the risks that become more prevalent during the summer months as well.

Lyme Disease is a serious illness transmitted by ticks. It can cause serious health implications and be encountered across the United States. It’s very important to be aware of the risks so that you and your family and friends can safely enjoy the summer. Taking necessary precautions will help you avoid the significant detractions that come with contracting Lyme Disease.

What Is Lyme Disease?

Lyme Disease is a bacterial infection carried by ticks. It has been found in multiple types of ticks throughout the United States, though is commonly attributed to deer ticks in particular. The disease can be transmitted when an infected tick attaches itself to the skin.

Ticks thrive in wooded and tall-grassed areas such as prairie and grassland areas. Being in these environments can often result in tick exposure. For all who spend time in these types of landscapes, whether for work or play, it is especially important to understand how Lyme Disease works and make sure they proactively take steps to protect themselves.

Symptoms of Lyme Disease can range widely. A few initial symptoms often include rashes, body aches, or swollen lymph nodes. If the disease is left untreated and progresses into later stages, symptoms can expand to include joint pain, headaches, stiffness, dizziness, facial palsy, insomnia, numbness, and even neurological problems.

It’s important to be aware that common symptoms of Lyme Disease can look similar to a handful of other conditions including rheumatoid arthritis (RA), chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis, and depression. If you visit a medical professional about any of the symptoms listed above and you know you’ve spent time outdoors or in grassy/wooded areas in the recent past, make sure to mention it so that they are aware and can avoid misdiagnosing your condition.

How to Keep Yourself Safe from Lyme Disease

Obviously, contracting Lyme Disease is much more likely when you spend time in environments where ticks live. However, spending any time outdoors during the summer is reason enough to remain vigilant and consider implementing these tips.

Cover up: Ticks require access to your skin to bite you. Limiting skin exposure is one way of protecting yourself against tick bites. As much as possible, wear pants, long sleeves, hats, long socks, and shoes when outdoors and especially when traversing grassy or wooded areas.

Use tick repellent: Tick repellent is inexpensive, and you can often find options that combine it with mosquito repellent. Utilizing tick-specific repellent when spending time outside is an easy way of reducing your risk.

Reduce time of possible exposure: Unlike some other types of biting insects, ticks attach themselves to a host (in this case, you) and usually remain there for days or even weeks. The longer a tick is attached to you, the more deeply they can embed their mouth into your skin and the more susceptible you are to contracting Lyme Disease.

This makes timing a critical part of your efforts to prevent contracting Lyme Disease. Perform thorough checks on yourself after possible exposures or after spending time in outdoor habitats. Check your skin from head to toe, including your scalp under your hair. If you spend long periods of time (e.g. all day or longer) in wooded or grassy environments, it’s recommended that you perform these checks periodically during the day or as often as you can to quickly catch the presence of any ticks.

Check everything: Ticks are non-discriminatory. Check your pets, your children, and any objects you take with you when spending time in outdoor environments. Ticks can drop or crawl onto objects like tents, backpacks, clothing, and more and find their way to human or animal skin later, so it’s important to make sure you check everything that might have been exposed.

The Treatment of Lyme Disease

Lyme Disease can be formidable to diagnose and treat. It can come in different strains and, as mentioned above, can often be misdiagnosed or confused with other conditions.

A key to effectively treating Lyme Disease is making sure it is diagnosed quickly and correctly. Making sure you mention to medical professionals any history of being in wooded areas or previous possible exposure to ticks will greatly aid this process.

If a diagnosis of Lyme Disease looks likely, doctors have a few options for treatment. These depend on the severity of the case, how far it has progressed, and more. The most common treatment methods include oral antibiotics.

If you suspect you may have contracted Lyme Disease or are noticing the symptoms listed above, it’s important to report to a medical professional right away to check for the existence of Lyme Disease.

Though it is not yet developed, researchers are developing a vaccine that will be available in the future. Vaccines have been known to dramatically lessen disease cases and severities in other cases, or even completely wipe out the presence of that disease in some instances. Though a vaccine is not currently available for Lyme Disease, this development could make the dangers of Lyme Disease much less pervasive in the near future.

In the meantime, stay vigilant and proactive about protecting yourself and those you love from the risks of contracting Lyme Disease by being aware of the disease’s characteristics and by following the guidelines listed above. Staying safe and informed is the best way to make sure you and your friends and family can all safely enjoy the summer months.