Warning, the ticks are back!
These filthy critters love to bother us in spring and fall, their 2 favorite seasons.
As a result, the risk of being bitten is particularly high at these times.
And with the current weather, suddenly it's raining, suddenly it's hot... Ticks are enjoying themselves. Result, they proliferate everywhere in France.
Think ticks are a problem that only affects people in rural areas? Think again!
Of course, they are more particularly found in forests, fields and rural areas…
But parks, public gardens and urban areas are no longer spared from this invasion.
The problem is that ticks carry pathogens that can transmit Lyme disease.
But it would still be a shame to deprive yourself of beautiful walks in nature because of ticks...
Fortunately, the National Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety (Anses) has issued recommendations.
Just take a few simple precautions to avoid being bitten by a tick.
Here are 3 effective and essential tips to avoid being bitten by a tick. Watch:
If you have mosquito repellent at home, then you have an effective weapon to repel ticks.
These repellents act against ticks for several hours and protect you from their attacks.
You can also choose a natural and effective solution to do it yourself.
This one, for example, is effective in not attracting ticks.
If you are going for a walk in the forest or the countryside, an anti-tick repellent is not enough.
You must also wear appropriate clothing so as not to bring them home.
For this, you need closed shoes, clothes that cover your arms and legs.
Not to mention that these garments should tighten at the ankles and wrists.
For example, you can wear gaiters or put your socks over your pants.
Of course, you may get hot, but it is better to sweat a little than take the risk of contracting Lyme disease!
Also choose light colored clothes. This is not a mere coquetry, but a very useful precaution.
On light-colored clothes, it will be easier for you to spot a tick trying to get under your clothes.
To discover: Ticks:The Effective Trick To Avoid Being Bitten.
Ticks usually hide in tall grass. It is therefore preferable to walk on cleared and maintained paths.
Because in the tall grass, ticks are on the lookout. They stand about a meter above the ground. And as soon as their prey approaches, it drops on top of it.
A simple brush is enough. And presto, here she is climbing your ankle, your calf or your forearm.
It will look for a hot and humid spot on your body, where the skin is thin.
Yes, she is smart:it will be easier for her to sting you.
So it goes up your leg or arm until it finds the sweet spot.
Often it's in the back of the knee, in the groin, under the armpits...
There she will hold on tight and start sucking your blood.
It is for this reason that a walk in the forest or in the countryside must always be followed by a careful inspection.
Carefully inspect each part of the body.
Pay particular attention to the backs of the knees, genitals, backs of the ears, hair and armpits.
The discovery of a tick on the body is not a very pleasant moment.
But do not panic and do anything.
Don't tug on it to tear it off.
And contrary to popular belief, do not try to put it to sleep with ether.
You can try to remove it with tweezers.
But there is a safer way to gently remove it and be sure not to leave any part of the critter in the skin.
The effective trick is to use a tick remover.
To discover: Ticks:the Best Way to Get Rid of Them WITHOUT Risk.
Usually it's quite easy to remove it this way.
Don't forget to disinfect the bite and then your tick remover.
Did you remove that damn tick? Well done ! Now you have one more thing to do.
Once the tick is dead, do not throw it away, even if it is very tempting!
There is a free application called "Tick Report".
You can download it here for iPhones, and here for Android smartphones), quite simply.
It is an application published by the National Institute for Agronomic Research (Inra).
After downloading the app, you can report that you have been bitten by a tick.
You will then have to put the dead critter in an envelope and send it by post.
Why perform this procedure? Because thanks to your simple gesture, you participate in the Citique project.
This project helps scientists locate ticks in France and find out if they carry Lyme disease.
Don't worry!
In the majority of cases, a tick does not transmit Lyme disease if it has been removed a few hours after being attached.
One of the symptoms of Lyme disease is the appearance of a large, target-shaped red mark around the bite. This mark may appear a few days or even weeks after removing the tick.
If this mark appears, consult a doctor immediately. He will prescribe a combination of antibiotics to prevent Lyme disease from developing.
Be careful, there are exceptions!
And if you are pregnant, or if a tick has been found on a child under 8 or an immunocompromised person...
So, see a doctor right away, even if you don't see that red mark.
Also consult a doctor if the removed tick is already large. This means that it has been stuck on the skin for several days already.
The risk of disease transmission increases.
Anyway, whatever the situation, you can always contact a doctor after removing the parasite.
In some regions, preventive treatment is automatically administered.
