Emergency Medical Care for Summertime Sickness
One of the best times of year is the summer; everyone is out and about, enjoying all of nature’s great beauty. This is the time of year when hikes and runs are becoming daily activities. While these are beautiful areas there is something looming in the woods and parks that we are hiking through that we don’t always see. Hidden in the depths of the wooded areas are ticks. Even though when we think of ticks we think of small little harmless bugs, these arachnids, small in their nature, can actually cause a tremendous problem for any person or animal bit by one.
Ticks present such a problem because they are so small and get lost on our clothing or in our pet’s fur before we even know it. Ticks life cycle can last for up to two years as it feeds three different times to progress each life cycle stage. When ticks are attached to humans or larger animals they are normally in their third life cycle, and are considered an adult tick. Once a tick lands on a human or animal it take 5-6 hours for a tick to become attached to the host and anywhere from 8-10 days for it become enflamed with blood.
It is very crucial that you examine yourself and your pets immediately after outdoor activities. Since there is only 5-6 hours that you have before a tick will bury itself it doesn’t leave you with much time, depending on when the tick landed on the skin or fur. Proper tick removal consists of taking small fine tweezers which are used to grasp the tick by pulling backwards. It is vital that you do not jerk, twist, or crush the tick because the tick’s bodily fluids contain dangerous organisms. If this were to happen, go to a walk in medical clinic for proper care. Make sure you take proper care by washing your hands and the area where the tick was found.
Ticks can cause so many detrimental health ailments, both short term and long term. One of the biggest risks is Lyme disease; ticks are the main carrier of it. Lyme disease, when not properly diagnosed or treated, can lead to long term effects in the mind and body. Some of the common symptoms that occur when bitten by a tick are extreme fatigue, skin rash, and common flu like symptoms. If you or your loved one has been bit by a tick get to a walk in medical clinic for proper diagnosis and treatment.