How To Avoid Ticks, And How To Get Rid Of Them

A tick bite can carry disease. However, getting bitten by a tick will not automatically put you at risk. Avoiding ticks is something we would all like to do. No-one wants to look down and find a creature burrowed, and hanging off of our skin. So, with this in mind, here are some tips for avoiding them and getting rid of them if you happen to get a tick on you.

First, you need to know about the preventative measures. Bug spray can be very effective if properly applied. If the bug spray is not properly applied, the tick still can find a dry spot on your skin to use. Ticks are sneaky bugs, so keep one eye consistently on your body, checking at least every 30 minutes. Every 10 minutes or less is better considering how quickly they can attach themselves.

Make sure to keep your legs out of tall grasses. If you cannot avoid putting your legs through tall grass, then wear thick pants. Jeans, cargo pants, and even overalls are all great options. Wearing lengthy clothing is one of, if not the most crucial step in protecting yourself from ticks and bugs in general. If you wear short clothing, you are basically asking for the bugs to bite you.

Also, keep in mind where you are going. You may not be going somewhere with tall grasses, but it might have the perfect environmental conditions for ticks to thrive. Some of these conditions include, but are not limited to, humid environments with sufficient coverage from sunlight, and low-lying vegetation like trees. Some of these conditions can make you an easy place for ticks to land. So you see, unless you live in a very cold climate year-round, ticks are just about everywhere!

Ticks can also carry diseases, here are some examples:

1). Lyme Disease

Lyme Disease is caused by Borrelia burgdorferi and is a potentially serious bacteria that can kill humans and animals alike. If you would like further information on Lyme Disease, you can go to – https://www.cdc.gov/lyme/index.html

2). Anaplasmosis:

Anaplasmosis is a disease caused by the bacterium anaplasma phagocytophilum, from tick bites. This disease is mainly from the tick (Ixodes scapularis and (Ixodes pacificus). Signs of infection include but not limited to: fever, headache, chills, and muscle aches. If you would like more information on Anaplasmosis you can go to – https://www.cdc.gov/anaplasmosis/index.html

3). Babesiosis:

Babesiosis is a disease that comes from tick bites. It is a parasitic lifeform that infects red blood cells. This disease is usually found only in small mammals like white-mice, but babesiosis is being found more and more in humans. If you would like more information on Babesiosis you can go to – https://www.cdc.gov/parasites/babesiosis/index.html

4). Ehrlichiosis:

Ehrlichiosis is a bacterial disease/illness that is transmitted by ticks that can cause flu-like symptoms. Some signs of infection include but are not limited to all the way from small body aches (which is scary, because you might not be able to tell at first!). Fever is another symptom, along with nausea and vomiting. If you would like more information on Ehrlichiosis you can go to – https://www.cdc.gov/ehrlichiosis/index.html

5). Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever

Rocky Mountain spotted fever is a disease that can potentially be fatal if not treated. This is only found in cases where the tick has the bacteria in the bacteria group “rickettsia”. This one may be rare, but it is still one to watch out for. If you would like more information on Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, you can go to -> https://www.cdc.gov/rmsf/index.html

Here Are Some Ways To Get A Tick Off you:

1). Ripping the tick(s) out:

Just reaching and pulling the tick off of you is almost always effective, but usually is not at all efficient in getting rid of the tick completely. In some cases, (which are usually not fatal), the head of the tick you pulled of your skin, can stay in your skin.

This is always bad, but we wouldn’t say it will have any definite consequences. The head of the tick can get into your bloodstream and cause damage or get you sick. So we never recommend getting them off this way unless you absolutely know what you are doing, or if there is no other option at all!

2). Getting The tick(s) Off You With Tweezers:

Tweezers can be very effective at getting tick out of you if you are careful and the tick is in a non-sensitive spot like your genitals, (which is fairly common for them to be there because of the higher blood flow). You can get the tick off with tweezers by getting your tweezers as close as possible to the head of the tick, and carefully pulling on the body of the tick until it is fully out. However, this isn’t the most effective way we have found, but it is definitely a good way to go about getting the tick off of your body.

3). Burning The Tick(s):

Burning the tick off has always been the most effective way that we still use to get ticks off fast and safely. You can use a lighter or a match, it doesn’t matter. (Don’t use a blowtorch obviously). When you burn the tick on its back, it will pull its own head out of the skin to avoid the heat, then flick them off of you, simple as that, you don’t even have to kill it if you don’t want to. The only downside is burning yourself if you are not careful, so practice safety!

4). Natural Tick Repellent:

Natural tick repellents are all over the web, and you probably even have them in your own home! The basic ingredients for most natural tick repellents are typically just vinegar or distilled vinegar, and water. These natural home remedies of sorts can be very effective against ticks.

Ticks hate the smell and the taste of vinegar, so as soon as they smell or taste the vinegar mix, they will turn and run. Make sure to keep this one in mind the next time you go out because you never know when you will need these awesome and easy to make natural ticks repellents!

5). Essential Oils:

It may sound a little crazy, but using essential oils can be a very effective way to keep ticks off of you. Sometimes essential oils are used to repel and even kill ticks on pets! Certain essential oils are even already pre-mixed into some tick repellents! You can put the essential oils right on your clothes to act as a repellent, it is just that easy!

We were just as shocked as you probably are right now when we found out this method works. You are not alone. Even though this method has been around for a long time, not everyone is up to date on this trick. That is why we wanted to share this with you! However, this method is not fool-proof, and it may not always work, so keep that in mind. These oils include but are not limited to:

• Eucalyptus
• Lavender
• Peppermint
• Thyme
• Lemongrass
• Lemon
• Geranium
• Palmarosa
• Penny royal
• Cedar wood

In Summary:

Always remember to protect yourself properly and you should be fine. If you, your friends, or family members get a tick on them, you can always refer right back here! We also hope this helps to better your knowledge of ticks! For more tips, check out the rest of our site!

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