injuries and poisoning
Tick Bites
Treatment of Tick Bites
Removal of tick Application of antiseptic Sometimes an antibiotic by mouth to prevent Lyme disease Tick bites can sometimes be prevented by taking precautions in areas where ticks are common. People can reduce their chances of picking up or being bitten by a tick by doing the following: Staying on paths and trails when walking in wooded areas Walking in the center of trails to avoid brushing up against bushes and weeds Not sitting on the ground or on stone walls Wearing long-sleeved shirts Wearing long pants and tucking them into boots or socks Wearing light-colored clothing, which makes ticks easier to see Applying an insect repellent containing diethyltoluamide (DEET) to the skin Applying an insect repellent containingpermethrinto clothing or wearing clothing commercially pretreated withpermethrin Usually, Lyme disease is transmitted by young deer ticks (nymphs), which are very small, much smaller than dog ticks. So people who may have been exposed to ticks should check the whole body very carefully, especially hairy areas, every day. Inspection is effective because ticks must be attached usually for more than a day and a half to transmit Lyme disease. To remove a tick, people should use fine-pointed tweezers to grasp the tick by the head or mouthparts right where it enters the skin and should gradually pull the tick straight off. The tick's body should not be grasped or squeezed. Petroleum jelly, alcohol, lit matches, or any other irritants should not be used. Tick removalshould be done as soon as possible. Removal is best accomplished by grasping the tick with curved tweezers as close to the skin as possible and pulling it directly out. The tick’s head, which may not come out with the body, should be removed, because it can cause prolonged inflammation. Most of the folk methods of removing a tick, such as applying alcohol, fingernail polish, or petroleum jelly or using a hot match, are ineffective and may cause skin damage or cause the tick to expel infected saliva into the bite site. The best way to remove a tick is with tweezers, directly pulling it off. After the tick is removed, an antiseptic should be applied. If swelling and discoloration are present, an oral antihistamine may be helpful. If the tick appears to have been attached for an extended period (the tick is very swollen) or Lyme disease is prevalent in the area, doctors may give an antibiotic to help prevent Lyme disease. If a tick bite, such a pajaroello tick bite, causes significant skin damage, the doctor extensively cleans and removes any dead skin from the wound. The doctor may apply corticosteroids and antiseptics to the area to prevent further skin damage and infection. 