Ticks always a concern for LI outdoorsmen
The little buggers finally got me. After forty-some years of traipsing through woods, wetlands, fields and trails, a black legged tick managed to penetrate my defenses and passed along a microscopic parasite that literally knocked me off my feet.
Certainly, this isn't the first time I've been bitten, but it is the first time I've been infected.
Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever are the usual tick-associated fears for outdoorsmen in our area, but ticks carry other diseases as well. This one, Babesiosis, like Lyme disease can sometimes be transmitted without apparent symptoms.
Other times, it hits pretty hard with cold sweats, fever, fatigue and headaches. I got to sample the latter case but it is easily treated (although the price of the medicine is hard to swallow) and I'm already on the mend.
"For outdoorsmen particularly, it's important to know the basic symptoms of tick-related illnesses because the sooner you start treatment, the better," said Dr. Jarid Pachter of Southold Family Medicine, who treats many tick cases a year. "With Lyme disease, specifically, lack of treatment can lead to a number of problems."
"If you hike, fish, scout, hunt or head out into tick-filled areas, you should watch for headaches, muscle soreness or stiffness and flu-like symptoms," Pachter said. "If you know you've been bitten by a tick and exhibit any of these signs -- or the classic bull's-eye pattern rash associated with Lyme disease [not always present], visit the doctor right away."
Summer is peak season for tick bites -- I've had six acquaintances tell me they've been bitten in the past week -- but bites from these tough little creatures occur throughout the year.
In addition to the infamous deer tick, the spreader of Lyme disease, the black legged dog tick can be a problem along with the lone star tick, which produces an extremely itchy rash that many wrongly assume to be a chigger infestation.
According to Pachter, following a few basic protocols can considerably reduce your chances of being bitten and getting sick. For starters, stay on the trails and avoid high grass when afield. Dressing defensively can also help. Pull your sock tops over your pant cuffs as high as they will go and choose silky materials like a nylon jogging suit over well-worn jeans or cotton pants. For a shirt, wear long sleeves with tight-fitting cuffs if the weather isn't prohibitively hot.
According to the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, when it comes to bug spray, choose either a DEET or permethrin-based repellent. DEET sprays and lotions can be used on exposed skin while permethrin sprays are used only on clothing. DEET deters ticks, permethrin kills them on contact.
Lastly, perform frequent body checks for ticks in the field, at the car, back home, in the shower and before you go to bed. Be certain to pay particular attention to the back of the knees, under the belt, under the arms, and around, behind and inside the ears. End your day with an extremely hot shower -- the hottest you can tolerate. Sometimes this will cause ticks that are still hiding on your body but have yet to dig in to hop off.
Check out cdc.gov/ticks for more information about tick-related illnesses and ideas on how to keep the little pests at bay.
Email: outdoortom
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