Tips for Staying Tick Free this Season

As sunny skies and warm temperatures call us to venture outdoors, lounge on lawns, and hit the trails, it is important to remember that we are not alone out there. In addition to the welcome wildlife we love to see, there are plenty of ticks working hard to not be seen. In fact, according to some research, mild winters are giving a boost to existing tick populations and allowing some species to expand their range further north. The result is a significant jump in the number of people seeking treatment for tick bites.

How significant? An analysis of public health data by the USA TODAY Network found that:

- Emergency Room tick bite reporting in the Northeast hit 69 visits for tick bites per 100,000 ER visits overall in March 2024.

- That's up from the March average of about 43 tick bites per 100,000 ER visits during the prior seven years.

Since staying indoors is not a desirable option during any season, it’s important to take precautions to reduce your chance of becoming another ER stat. 

Dress for Defense

One of the best defenses against ticks is to cover up as much skin as possible when you'll be in grassy, wooded, or brushy areas. Wear long pants tucked into your socks and wear a long-sleeved shirt. Light-colored clothing can also help you spot ticks more easily. As an extra barrier, you can treat your clothes and gear with permethrin, which is an insect repellent.

Use a Proven Repellent  

Applying an EPA-registered insect repellent containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus, or 2-undecanone can protect exposed skin. Just be sure to follow the product instructions carefully. Avoid spraying repellent near your eyes, mouth, or cuts/irritated skin.

Check for Hitchhikers

After being outdoors, it's crucial to do a full body tick check on yourself, kids, and pets. Ticks love to hide in hard-to-see areas like behind the knees, in the armpits, in the hair, and in the belly button. Showering within two hours of coming indoors also helps wash off any unattached ticks.

Landscape Smart

You can make your own yard and outdoor spaces less inviting for ticks. Keep the grass mowed short, remove brush and leaf litter, create wood chip or gravel barriers between lawns and wooded areas, and place children's play equipment in sunny, dry areas.

Know What to Do If You Find a Tick

If you find a tick crawling on your body, you can safely dispose of it by flushing it down the toilet, putting it in alcohol, placing it in a sealed bag, or wrapping it tightly in tape.

If the tick is attached, follow these steps to safely remove it:

1. Use fine-tipped tweezers and firmly grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible.
2. With a steady motion, pull straight up until all parts of the tick are removed.
3. Do not be alarmed if the tick’s mouthparts remain in the skin. Once the mouthparts are separated from the body of the tick, it can no longer transmit the infection. Leave it be and let your body handle it.
4. Once the tick is removed, thoroughly wash your hands, and clean the bite area with soap and water, antiseptic, or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
5. If the tick is engorged or was attached to your body for more than 36 hours, contact your doctor for next steps.
6. Even if the tick was not attached for 36+ hours, watch for symptoms of tick-borne illness over the next several weeks. If you have any flu-like symptoms or a rash in the bite area, contact your doctor.

James Poole, MD, is a Hospitalist and Director of SVMC Inpatient Services.