When most people hear the word ‘tick,’ the thought of Lyme disease arguably comes to mind, and for good reason; specific types of ticks can transmit Lyme bacteria to the host they decide to feed from.
Ticks are not a new concept, and they’ve been around for a while now. But, their prevalence is rising, and more and more people are finding them on their bodies in areas where ticks are not normally known to reside. A lot of people figure they live in long, overgrown grass, and they do; however, they live in a lot more areas than simply long grass, with some examples being near water, in forests and wooded areas, on animals, and within leaf litter.
Ticks are very small, so oftentimes people are bitten without even knowing. They tend to go for areas of the body that are hairy, moist and warm, such as your scalp, groin, in-between fingers and toes, armpits and groin areas.
In my own case, the day I was bitten, I was working in a very grassy area. However, I had pants and rubber boots on, and a tick still managed to find its way inside my pant leg and latch onto my calf, which I found hours later while showering.
Having Lyme disease is an extremely miserable experience, and I find it infuriating when I encounter people who truly do not think ticks are something to be concerned about. They absolutely are, and it should not take a Lyme disease diagnosis to understand this.
If you work outdoors to any extent, check yourself for ticks regularly and frequently. Ask someone else to check you over, too, in areas you can’t access as easily, and if you are heading into an area where ticks live, please take the necessary precautions to avoid having one make you its next victim.
Photo by Erik Karits on Unsplash
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