by Welcome back to our blog series on preventing tick bites. In our previous blog, we touched on proper insect repellent and understanding your surroundings. Today, we’ll provide some more details and things to remember as you’re trying to protect yourself from ticks. While treatment for Lyme disease is available, it can take awhile to fully recover — and in some rare cases, Lyme disease can actually be chronic and have symptoms that never fully go away. For this reason, it’s vital to take preventative measures when you’re going to be in areas that ticks love.
Galaxy Diagnostics offers premier pathogenic testing kits for medical professionals and veterinarians alike, but our first priority is always the health of others. For this reason, we find it necessary to provide preventative measures and information that can truly help patients everywhere. We hope you are in the best of health and have no need for a pathogenic test, but if you do, we know that our tests can provide you with the precise answers you’re looking for. Order today from Galaxy Diagnostics, and stay safe from tick bites.
Use Permethrin
Permethrin is an insecticide that can help repel ticks from moving onto your body and clothing. Oftentimes, it’s used to specifically treat clothing and outdoor gear, such as tents and boots. You can actually buy clothing and gear that are already treated with permethrin, but if you simply want to treat your existing clothing, you can do that too. Find products that have .5 percent permethrin, and apply to clothing and gear in a well-ventilated area, such as your yard.
Cover Up
When we’re hiking in those beautiful mountains on a perfect summer Saturday, it’s likely we don’t want to cover ourselves from head to toe. But when spending time in places that ticks love (forests and areas with tall grasses), making sure we’re covering ourselves from head to toe can be an essential way to prevent bites.
Wear long sleeves and pants — if it’s hot, investing in some lightweight clothing can make all the difference — as well as boot socks (socks that come up past your hiking boots). Tuck your pants into your socks, tuck your shirt into your pants, and consider wearing a hat as well.
Take a Shower
Doing a thorough check once you return to the indoors is perhaps one of the most important things you can do to prevent tick bites — and more specifically, Lyme disease. Check all your gear, body, and clothing, and then do another complete check when taking a shower. As the CDC reports, “Showering within two hours of coming indoors has been shown to reduce your risk of getting Lyme disease and may be effective in reducing the risk of other tickborne diseases.”
With the proper knowledge and understanding about how to prevent tick bites, you might never even need to order pathogenic testing from Galaxy Diagnostics. But in the event you do need our test kits — for Lyme disease, bartonellosis, or other infections — we’re here to help. Order today from Galaxy Diagnostics.