Lyme disease cases are on a rise in Australia. So, you need to be aware of this disease and know how to stay safe. Lyme disease can become a chronic disease and affect your body quite drastically. Here are top tips to stay safe from Lyme disease.
Today, Lyme disease is one of the fastest growing diseases in Australia. A few decades back, Lyme disease was only prevalent in the Northern Hemisphere, especially in the USA. However, now Lyme disease cases have been reported quite frequently in Australia and other parts of the Southern Hemisphere as well.
The Lyme disease bacteria can be transmitted to human by a bite of an infected tick. If a person gets infected, then he/she would develop various symptoms such as a bull’s eye rash, fever, arthritis, and etc. If proper treatment isn’t provided at the right time, then the patient could develop an altered level of consciousness.
Remember, it not necessary that all tick bites must result in Lyme disease, but it’s always better to get proper checkups to make sure you don’t have it.
Check out these few suggestions that will help keep you tick-free.
Make Your Yard A Tick-Proof Area – Do you know that moisture is the reason for attracting ticks? So, make sure that you move loads of grass and wood to sunny areas, so that they dry out immediately. Don’t forget to consider getting your property professionally cleaned with insecticides. If you have the yard, garden, backyard, or patio treated & cleaned at least twice a year, then you could reduce the chance of ticks significantly.
Wear Clothes With Light Colours/Shades – When you plan to visit places that are seen as high-risk areas of getting a tick bite, then simply by wearing light-coloured clothing you can increase the chances of spotting ticks easily. Don’t forget to wear sleeves shirts, full length pants, and tuck your pants into your socks. Try not to wear sandals, and go for fully protected shoes, so that fewer patches of skin are exposed.
Put Spray On Your Clothing – If you’re making plans to visit or stay in a high-risk area and want to stay safe from Lyme disease, then you can effectively repel ticks by spraying the clothes clothing and outdoor equipment with a repellent that has a chemical known as permethrin in it.
Try Scented Oil – Are you planning to visit a grassy, wooded, or bushy area, you can use a product with oil of lemon eucalyptus on your skin. These types of products not only repel ticks, but leave behind a nice & fresh smell as well.
Check Your Pets – You need to take proper care of the pets (especially dogs) in your family, if you wish to keep ticks away from your family. To reduce the risk of infection from your pets, you need to check them thoroughly before they come inside. This will not only lessen the risk of infection for you and your family, but it’s also quite beneficial for the pets as well. Consult a veterinarian if you wish to use flea and tick collars on your pets.