I want to talk about a sensitive subject today – trousers (well ticks really but please bear with me). As most of you know I like to wear shorts (if anyone knows of a clerical shirt that works with shorts please let me know). However, when I’m out walking on the hills I always wear long trousers. This is a nuisance to me and I’d much rather be in shorts and have the breeze cool off my hairy wet legs (sorry, probably too much info). The reason I always wear long trousers walking is that I want to avoid ticks. Of course, if I was really careful I’d wear long sleeves as well but this is my compromise.
Why be so worried? Because of Lyme disease. Knowing what the consequences from the disease are and how hard it is even to identify the disease when you have it – until it is too late – I choose to wear long trousers when I walk.
Of course we must all make our own choices and to help you here are some links to articles about ticks and their removal. And as you brought up the subject of removal the recommended method is with a tick remover, tweezers or as a last resort fingernails. It is better to leave bits behind than leave the tick on (any bits left behind might cause a minor infection but will most likely just work their way out like a small splinter with no repercussions). Anything hot (matches, flames, etc) will distress the tick and might very well cause it to regurgitate into your blood which is the very thing you are trying to avoid (apparently if they get engorged or alarmed they regurgitate and this is what can cause Lyme Disease – which is why you wan’t to get them off but not in a panic). Vaseline (or anything else to smother) can take 24 hours to work, which may be too late and might also cause regurgitation. Yuck!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-22468181
http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Bites-insect/Pages/Treatment.aspx (tick removal at bottom of page)
https://www.thebmc.co.uk/hill-skills-tick-alert (they suggest keeping arms and legs covered but we all make our own choices – I compromise at just my legs.)
http://www.lymediseaseaction.org.uk/about-ticks/tick-removal/
http://kidshealth.org/parent/general/body/tick_removal.html
Here are some tools to remove ticks:
If these links don’t work then use the name to search on Google.
If you get a tick don’t panic! The chances of getting Lyme disease is slim (1 to 3%) so you will probably be fine, however the consequences are such that I think it is worth a few precautions. If you develop flu like symptoms after finding a tick bite please go to your doctor without delay and tell them that you have been bitten by a tick.