IT’S LYME DISEASE AWARENESS MONTH, DON’T FORGET TICK CHECKS

Each year, the month of May is dedicated to raising awareness of the threat of Lyme disease. This disease is transmitted via the bite of an infected Blacklegged tick (also known as a deer tick) and unfortunately, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware and the Eastern Shore of Maryland and the eastern coast especially have seen cases of Lyme disease this year. Ticks can be sneaky and some people don’t know they were even bit by a tick until they are suffering severe symptoms of Lyme disease. To help spread awareness and prevent Lyme disease from striking so many people and pets in the NJ, PA, MD, and DE area, the tick control experts at Viking Pest Control would like to share information on how to perform an effective tick check to prevent a tick bite.

How to check yourself for ticks:

1. Right when you get inside from an area that is known to have ticks who carry Lyme disease you should head straight to the bathroom for a tick check.
2. Take off your clothing and place it into the bathtub to trap any ticks that could be trying to escape.
3. Use a full length mirror or a hand held mirror so that you can inspect your body for any black lumps that could be ticks. Remember, ticks are more apt to be in those places that we least want them so you do want to check everywhere.
4. Rub your hands over your scalp to feel for any lumps and then if you have long hair brush through it with a fine toothed comb. Ticks can easily hide out in hair and go unseen so be thorough here.
5. After the body check is complete go ahead and inspect your clothing (hopefully you wore light colors outside as this will be easier to spot dark colored ticks).
6. Once your clothes have been inspected toss them into the wash or at least just the dryer for an hour to kill any ticks that could have gone unseen.
7. Hop in the shower for a final rise to make sure that you are completely free of ticks.

It may seem a little over the top, but Lyme disease is not something to take lightly. In fact last year New Jersey alone had over 3000 reported cases. Symptoms include fever, aches, chills, a rash, headaches, and even neurological problems. By performing regular tick checks you can seek medical help quicker and hopefully avoid Lyme altogether. It is important to remember that if you do happen to find a tick during a check, contact your health care provider right away.