Lyme Disease Awareness & Prevention

I write this article knowing that many do not realize how prevalent and devastating Lyme Disease and its co-infections can be. Having suffered for over 15 years with this disease, I know firsthand just how insidious this disease can be. That is why I will share my best prevention tips. A few facts: Over 40% of the deer ticks tested in Maine in 2019 were positive for Lyme, and that number is said to be higher now. White mice spread tick larvae. The larvae fall off the mice and then find a host (a deer, a dog, you). States predict the severity of tick season based on mouse populations. If you are bitten by a deer tick, a bullseye rash will only appear in about 20% of Lyme cases. The Lyme bacteria does not show up immediately in bloodwork. So it is not recommended that you wait for a positive test result before seeking treatment. The tests commonly used are also not very dependable. Lyme is best treated immediately (within 48 hours of a bite) with Doxycycline while the bacteria is still in the bloodstream. Once it moves into tissue, oral antibiotics are far less effective. Lyme-literate doctors recommend NO LESS than 21 days of treatment, often 30 days. When Lyme settles into the body and oral antibiotics are introduced, the bacteria can form a biofilm where it “hides” from the medication. Many people feel better at first, but when antibiotics stop, symptoms often return—joint pain, headaches, fatigue, nausea—without realizing Lyme has resurfaced. For some, antibiotics work. Thank God. For others, they were given it too late or in too small a dose. But let's focus on not getting this disease! Prevention: Clear your yard of the places where ticks can thrive, like brush, leaves, and wood piles. Use cedar chips as a barrier between your yard and wooded areas. Make “tick tubes” (Google it) and place them around your yard—they work so well. Consider hiring services like Mainely Ticks, which use all-natural tick prevention sprays. Harsh chemicals only disrupt the environment more. Deer ticks are most prevalent during spring and early summer. Rainy, wet days are also popular times for tick exposure—ticks sit on the edges of foliage and grass. Treat your shoes, pants, dog collars, and harnesses with Sawyer Permethrin. Use Cedarcide (100% organic, available online) or Sawyer Picaridin (found at Dick’s Sporting Goods) for direct skin application. Rose geranium oil is also effective. Wear long pants and spray-treated socks. After working out in the yard or engaging in any outdoor activity, immediately upon returning home take off your shoes and leave them outside. Remove all clothing and toss it in the dryer for 20 minutes. Take a shower. If you have a dog: Ensure your dog is treated for ticks using Cedarcide or similar product. Place a white sheet where your dog lies in the car—you’ll see any ticks more easily. Before your dog gets back into the car, roll over its fur with a lint roller. This picks up tiny ticks crawling on the surface. During high tick season, avoid bringing dogs into the woods unless on a leash and a wide path. DO NOT let dogs on furniture or in your bedroom— this is how ticks spread inside the home. Proper tick removal: Use fine-tipped tweezers. Grasp the tick by the mouth, close to the skin. Pull straight back with slow, steady force. Avoid crushing the tick’s body. Wash the area and disinfect. Record the location and date of the bite. Save the tick in a Ziploc bag. Don’t squeeze or rupture the tick, pour kerosene or nail polish remover on it, rub Vaseline or petroleum jelly on it, or do anything that might traumatize the tick. Symptoms: Symptoms typically appear within 2–30 days after the bite of an infected tick. Early symptoms include: expanding bullseye rash in 20% of cases; flulike symptoms including fever, malaise, fatigue, muscle aches, and joint pain; in children, a constant headache occurs 71% of the time. As always, be well and take care of yourself!