Lyme Disease Alert: I was Bitten by a Tic and You Could Be Too

Because I live in Minnesota and our family has a cabinLyme disease? Mayo Clinic recommends wearing
in the North woods, I'm aware of Lyme disease. Ourlong-sleeved shirts and pants. Spray yourself with
family is so aware of it that one member tacked ainsect repellent before you go outside. If you find a
photo of a tic bite to the kitchen counter. We'vetic on your body remove it carefully with tweezers
found crawling tics on floors, our clothes, our beds,and put antiseptic on the site. Cutting foliage away
and our bodies. Tics are hardy little devils and youfrom your house or cabin may also help to prevent
think you've killed one, only to have it walk away.tic bites.Most important, if you have what I
That's why we wrap tics in cellophane tape, pinch theexperienced - a distinct bite, red skin or rash, and a
tape hard, and seal the edges tightly.A month ago,"bull's-eye" - see your doctor immediately.Lyme
when my husband and I were working at the cabin, Idisease is more prevalent than you may think and
was bitten by a tic. The bite itched, but I didn't payCDC statistics confirm this. In 2004, 19,804 cases of
any attention to it because I thought it was aLyme disease were reported, which works out to 6.7
mosquito bite. (I try not to scratch mosquito bitescases per 100,000 people. In the 12 states where
because the itch goes away faster if you don't.)Lyme disease is most common, the average was
After the skin around the bite turned red I began to27.4 cases per 100,000 people.Being bitten by a tic
get suspicious. Then a red circle appeared, a so-calledhas reminded me that I have to check my body
"bull's-eye," and it became as hard as plastic. My biteoften for tics and bites, something I failed to do. I
looked just like the cabin photo.Antibiotics are thewas so busy stripping wallpaper that I forgot to think
standard treatment for suspected Lyme disease andabout tics. Though I wore long-sleeved shirts and
I started taking doxycycline twice a day. I'm stilljeans while I was at the cabin, these clothes didn't
taking it and will take it for 21 days. The doxycyclineprevent the bite. We've informed all family members
makes me a bit nauseous, unfortunately. Theabout my bite and told them to be on the alert for
American Lyme Disease Foundation (ALDF) hastics.You should inspect your pets regularly for tics as
posted a treatment table of prescribed dosages forwell. After one visit to the North woods we found
adults and children on its website. The ALDF has alsomore than 40 tics on our Golden Retriever and
posted information on Lyme disease tests, thoughremoving them took hours. This brings up another
doctors disagree on their accuracy.According to theprevention tip, which is staying on established trails
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)and paths. Be alert to Lyme disease and do
Lyme disease may cause loss of muscle tone in theeverything you can to protect yourself.Copyright
face (Bell's palsy), severe headaches, a stiff neck,2006 by Harriet Hodgson Hodgson has been a
shooting pains that wake you up, heart palpatations,nonfiction writer for 27 years and is a member of
dizziness from these palpatations and severe jointthe Association of Health Care Journalists and the
pain. About 60% of the patients who weren'tAssociation for Death Education and Counseling. Her
treated for Lyme disease had "intermittent bouts of24th book, "Smiling Through Your Tears: Anticipating
arthritis, with severe joint pain and swelling,"Grief," written with Lois Krahn, MD is available from A
according to the CDC. Additional symptoms includefive-star review of the book is posted on Amazon.
numbness and/or tingling hands and feet,You'll find another review on the American Hospice
concentration problems, and memory loss.I haven'tFoundation website under the "School Corner"
had any of these symptoms, thank goodness, andheading.
don't want you to have them. How can you prevent