It’s tick season and early indications suggest that it may be worse than usual in Bucks County, and all of Southeastern Pennsylvania which includes Philadelphia, Chester, Montgomery and Delaware counties as well.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Tick Bite tracker, the weekly rates of Emergency Department visits for tick bites are the highest they have been since 2017 in many regions of the U.S. Across Pennsylvania, including Bucks County, there has also been a surge in tick bite-related emergency department visits, according to The Pennsylvania Department of Health.
The most common tick in this area is the deer or blacklegged tick, known to spread Lyme disease and other illnesses like Anaplasmosis and Babesiosis. Tick activity is typically at its height in June and July, so that is when you are at most risk of contracting Lyme disease.
Jonathan Stallkamp, M.D., Chief Medical Officer at Main Line Health told Metro that other types of ticks sometimes found in Southeastern Pennsylvania include the lone star tick, which is a carrier of STARI (Southern Tick-Associated Rash), a rash illness which can cause you to develop a life-threatening allergy to red meat (Alpha-gal syndrome) and the dog tick known to spread Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.
Take extra precautions when you know you will be spending time in grassy or wooded areas. Remember you can get bit by tick in your own backyard, Stallkamp and other experts say.
When in the park, stay in the center of the trail to avoid extra passengers attaching themselves to you.
Always apply Environmental Protection Agency-registered insect spray before leaving the house and wear long pants tucked into your socks and long-sleeved shirts. Wearing lighter colored clothes can also make it easier to spot ticks.
When you come back inside, check your clothing and skin and any gear you were using outside for ticks and remove them immediately. Putting any clothes you were wearing in the dryer on high heat for 10 minutes can help kill any ticks.
You should also shower within two hours of coming indoors, which will help you brush off any unattached ticks.
After the shower, go over your body carefully for any ticks that have successfully burrowed into your skin. These are ones, according to Stallkamp, that can transmit Lyme disease and other illnesses to you.
Common areas on the body ticks like to burrow include under the arms, in and around the ears, the back of the knees, in your scalp and between the legs. Ask someone you trust to check any hard to see areas like your scalp.
An important note about the removal of ticks once they are attached to you: Early removal and detection reduce your risk of developing Lyme disease and other illnesses.
“The tick typically needs to be embedded in you for 36 to 48 hours for it to transmit Lyme disease, studies show,” Stallkamp emphasized. “After the tick is fully engorged with blood, it will spit infected fluid into you as it releases.”
He advises to only remove ticks with tweezers and to make sure you remove the whole body. While leaving pieces of the body in your skin won’t cause Lyme disease, it could lead to other types of infection.
Don’t burn the tick or use bleach or petroleum jelly, he added. These are old wives’ tales.
After being bitten by a tick, you need to observe the bite site for at least two to four weeks.
Stallkamp explained that if you develop the classic bullseye rash then Lyme disease is easy to diagnose. It is when there is no rash or bite mark that diagnosis can be challenging.
“Symptoms of Lyme disease include a circular rash with a bullseye pattern, fever, fatigue, headache, muscle pain and joint swelling or pain. If you see a rash, make an appointment with your doctor. Lyme disease is prevalent in our area. Primary Care Physicians and Urgent Care doctors know what to look for,” he said.
Treatment for Lyme disease focuses on attacking the pathogen responsible. The most common is Borrelia burgdorferi and antibiotics are the standard treatment.
When symptoms are more persistent or treatment is delayed, longer treatment may be necessary. Some people may develop debilitating pain, fatigue, cognitive impairment, nerve palsy or cardiac changes.
While your best protection from Lyme disease is not to be bitten by a tick in the first place, that isn’t always possible. Once infected, early diagnosis and treatment will offer you the best prognosis.
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