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Hints and Tips for dealing with Ticks and Lyme Disease when Walking and Hiking
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Hill walkers in Scotland are at increased risk this year (2007) from ticks. The warmer weather is likely to see an increase in these annoying little blood sucking insects that not only bite but can also be a source of debilitating conditions such as Lyme Disease.
Ticks are parasites that are found in vegetation where they wait to attach themselves to an unsuspecting host - a sheep, a mouse, a deer or increasingly a passing human.
That's bad enough, but probably one in three ticks are thought to carry Lyme Disease which is transmitted by a bite. |
 Image © bbc.co.uk |
Lyme Disease - if left untreated - can have wide-spread effects on the central nervous system and in extreme cases can be fatal.
Worryingly, the incidence of the disease in Scotland is increasing - a decade ago there were 10 cases, but in 2006 the number had risen to 177.
Climate changes resulting in warmer, wetter weather are encouraging growth in the tick population and therefore to the increase in infection rate.
The early symptoms of Lyme Disease are prolonged flu-like symptoms often accompanied by an expanding circular rash.
If you think you have been bitten and infected you should consult your GP mentioning that you have been out in the countryside. This should alert him/her to the possibility of Lyme Disease which can be confirmed with a blood test and treated with antibiotics or other medications.
Clearly it's far, far better to avoid getting bitten at all.
You can reduce the risk of bites by:
- covering up by wearing trousers and long-sleeved tops
- tucking trousers into your socks
- wearing light coloured garments on which you can easily see any ticks
- avoiding sitting in long grass
- staying on pathways if possible and avoiding tramping through overgrown areas.
If you do find a tick on you, remove it by gripping it close to your skin with a pair of tweezers and pull it out with a single, smooth action.
For more information: see here and here
“I seem to get a lot of ticks, I USED to find that the tweezers in a 'Swiss Army Knife' worked best, but now I have bought a 'Tick remover' for £3.50 from my local vet. It is called O Tom click here”
Chris Holloway, Yatton Bristol
“I've just read your article about the dangers Ticks are presenting this year and thought you might be interested in this view. I wouldn't recommend removing an embedded Tick with tweezers because of the danger of it leaving the head or mouthparts behind or, worse, of it bursting, especially if it has fed. My usual walking companion is an English Springer Spaniel, mad as a March Hare even at 13 years of age. He adores mountains, water and the sorts of places you can pick up Ticks; not necessarily in that order. I've been using something called the OTOM Tick Removal Tool on him since he was a pup and of the many dozens of Ticks he's picked up only one has failed to come out cleanly, mouth parts and all (and generally still alive) and that was probably due more to my ham-fistedness rather than any failing of the tool. It's basically a bit of bent plastic with a notch at one end - generally the best tools are the simplest. It's much cheaper to buy then any other tool I've seen and fantastically easy to use, instructions are on their web site. Details can be seen here. They are designed for dogs really but I wouldn't hesitate to use it on myself should I ever acquire a Tick. I've seem them for sale at the large Pet Chain Stores and at a few vets. When I bought mine - being so simple it has lasted quite a while - the vet's recommendation was that she hoped whoever designed the tool had made alot of money out of it as it's that good at what it's designed for. Regards Tim”
Tim Edge, Downham Market
“Live near the NY moors, walk regularly with a mate and his dog. Normally stay in the NE and NY dales, due to [his] dog picking up ticks when [we've] been in the moors. Too much area not walked and would like any suggestions where the dog can be tick free + us. Cheers”
Tim Oakes, Darlington
“A dog-owning friend who regularly holidays in the tick prone area of the New Forest says that flea-powder sprinkled on a tick will make it drop off. This is more reliable than removing with tweezers as the body can break off leaving the head in place which is still dangerous.”
Liz ,
“I recently woke up with a bite on the back of my calf, which was very sore. Over the next 24 hours it became qute uncomfortable to walk so I popped down to see the nurse at the local Health Centre. She expressed concern, and called the doctor, who asked if I'd been walking recently. He explained what to look for in diagnosing a tick bite, and concluded that this was merely a mosquto bite, from an insect with poor oral hygene! ie infected! A course of antibiotics later, it's all cleared up. But if a bite doesn't seem to be behaving in the normal irritating manner, particularly if it's red and inflamed and hurts, then I would recommend a trip to the doctor. It's better than septacemia.”
Fiona Stamp, Andover
“Thanks for highlighting the tick problem (OK, I realise it was a while ago but I've only just got to it in my inbox!). I have been suffering health problems since 2004 and have only just discovered that I have Lyme which was most likely contracted during a holiday in the Lake District, as I became ill as soon as I got home. I am now being treated, though some of the damage is irreparable, unfortunely. If I had any idea at all about ticks and their prevalence, I would not be in this position now. I'm very disappointed that several medical consultants, e.g. neurologists, etc., did not investigate the possiblity of Lyme, despite one of them noticing a bite on my leg:-( Still, at least I know now and hopefully my health will improve. Please keep tick awareness at the top of the agenda.”
Jan Davies, Suffolk
“I would like to recommend the Trix Tick Removal tool. The Trix is a clever design with a spring loaded carbon fibre lasso that adjusts to fit the tick perfectly. I would not say it should be used on very small larval ticks - tweezers are best for these, but compared to the very crude Otom miniature crow bar, the Trix wins hands down. Personally I would rather pay a few extra pounds for a device that actually works.”
David Peters, Oxford
“Have a close friend check you over from all angles when returning from a day out in a known tick area. I had to visit a doctor in the far NW of Scotland recently when I managed to get a few tick bites. He said he'd recently seen someone with tick bites on the scrotum. Moral of that story is wear trousers and not a kilt but seriously NO part of the bod can be ignored.”
Alan Barlow, Loughborough
“I read Jan Davies with interest. There are many who believe that the condition ME also known as CFS (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) is, at least initially, set off by Lyme. The problem is, medics still say that a course of antibiotics sorts the problem, but the pathology is complex. One can test negative for Lyme after antibiotics but the test can check only circulating blood, not the tissues. Thus, there can be a chronic state. In the US, the medical bill for the state would be huge if they admitted that antibiotics don't always solve the problem. Lyme is set to be an increasing problem in our part of the world with global warming. There are others who say that chronic Lyme is not ME. However, the jury is out. So, always visit the doctor for a blood test immediately, cover up and, for any disbelievers out there- ME is REAL!”
Maura Coyle,
“Be prepared for a battle with your GP regarding tic bites and Lymes Disease. I had a battle with mine not too many years ago, he would not believe I could have been infected by a tic in this country! As a result, I now have Bells Palsy, which is facial paralysis. Bells Palsy is the result of stress caused to a nerve in the seventh cranal canal.”
Mike Beaumont, Coventry
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