Let’s face it; deer ticks and people are just not meant for each other. One loves to hike while the other loves to bite and give unwanted diseases like Lyme disease. If you ever get bitten by a deer tick, you better hope it’s a short-lived marriage because Lyme disease is not something you want to get.
The truth is, deer ticks are very sneaky and they like to latch onto you without you knowing it. They secretly want a long marriage so they can suck on your blood! You could be walking in your backyard one day and then boom, you’re married to one.
AFC Urgent Care Natick is currently seeing people coming in for tick bites and “tick removals”…aka your walk-in clinic that’ll help you divorce your deer tick because “Lyme disease is just not for me”.
Avoiding Deer Ticks And Lyme Disease
Massachusetts and other New England states are like deer tick central and people fall for their marriage traps all the time. Hikers are notorious for getting hitched to deer ticks and it usually happens between wooded areas and grassy plains (Aww, how romantic?).
If your plan on spending more time outdoors this spring and summer we recommend these tips to avoid getting bitten by a deer tick:
- Stay on the trail: When hiking, walk in the center of trails and avoid tall vegetation.
- Layer up: Wear long sleeves, socks and pants when in the woods, and when hiking. This includes in your own yard.
- Do a self-inspection: Make sure to check all parts of your body…especially these areas: (use a mirror if needed)
- Under the arms
- Behind the ears
- In the scalp
- Inside the belly button
- Back of the knees
- In and around all body hair
- Between the legs
- Around the waist
- Use Insect Repellent: Use repellents that contain the common ingredient DEET. It provides protection against many biting insects (most importantly ticks and mosquitoes). The Environmental Protection Agency and Center for Disease Protection have tools to help you pick the best insect repellent for you.
Divorcing Your Deer Tick Is Not Always Easy
Deer tick removal or “getting a divorce” from your deer tick is not an easy process. Deer ticks are notorious for their fish hooked mouths that sink deep into your skin. It’s no wonder why they hang on for so long. But, be careful of having one latched onto you for too long. According to the CDC, it can take up to 36-48 hours for you to contract Lyme disease.
But, fear not. The CDC recommends this deer tick removal technique to separate the two of you for good:
- Do not put anything on the tick such as oils, alcohol, etc
- Do not burn it off
- Do not twist it off
- Do not yank it off
- Place fine tip tweezers close to the skin on the mouth part, lift and hold (This may take a few tries as the deer tick is fighting to stay attached to you.)
AFC Urgent Care Natick Can Help You Divorce Your Deer Tick
I hereby announce you, deer tick and host! Just kidding.
Sometimes it’s hard to separate yourself from your deer tick. We get it. They just want to hang onto something that’s just not meant to be. But, it’s okay. Our team at AFC Urgent Care Natick are professionals at removing deer ticks and will help you walk-out single and tick free.
We highly suggest coming in within the first 24 hours so that we can work on extracting the tick as soon as possible. We can also help evaluate you for any tick borne related diseases like Lyme disease.
Walk-in any day of the week with no appointment needed and we’ll unmarry you from your deer tick!
