By DR. KOMOROFF Universal Uclick on Aug 27, 2013, at 2:22 AM Updated on 8/27/13 at 5:50 AM
Dear Doctor K: I live in a heavily wooded area, so I'd like to know the best way to remove a tick.
Dear Reader: The sooner a tick is removed - correctly - the less likely the critter can deliver bacteria that cause Lyme disease or other diseases.
Deer ticks are designed to feed successfully on us. They have a two-pronged mouthpart that sticks to our skin because each part has tiny backward-pointing barbs. Just to be sure that their mouthparts stick to our skin, their saliva forms a sticky glue.
We also have been clever, however: We invented tweezers. To remove a tick, use a pair of fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close to your skin as possible. Then pull it upward, slowly and steadily. (I've put an illustration of how to remove a tick on my website,
tulsaworld.com/DrK.)
If the mouthpart remains in the skin, try to remove it. If you can't, check with your doctor. Try not to crush or squeeze an attached tick.
Once the tick has been removed, clean your skin and wash your hands with soap and warm water. Dispose of the tick by placing it in alcohol or flushing it down the toilet.
The first sign of Lyme disease is often a rash that looks like a red bull's-eye. Keep an eye out for this rash at the site of your tick bite for about one month after you've been bitten. If you notice a rash, contact your doctor right away. Antibiotics can usually cure the illness.
Follow these tips to prevent tick bites in the first place:
1. Avoid woods, high brush and grasses, where ticks hide.
2. Wear light-colored clothing, which makes ticks easier to spot.
3. Tuck your pants inside your socks to create a barrier.
4. Use insect repellent, especially those containing DEET or permethrin.
5. Stay in the sun. Ticks don't like dry, open areas.
6. Thoroughly inspect yourself, your children and pets, especially the legs and groin, after you've been in the woods.
Write Dr. K at
www.AskDoctorK.com or c/o Universal Uclick, 1130 Walnut, Kansas City, MO 64106
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