Help, a tick! What should I do?

Advertorial – Tick season is in full swing. What should you do if you have a tick bite? Druggist Cristina gives advice.

Advertorial

Cristina, licensed druggist: ‘During this season, I often get people in the store with questions about ticks. The bite itself is not serious. It is important to remove a tick as soon as possible, because it can transmit Lyme disease. If you remove the tick within 24 hours after the bite, the risk of Lyme disease is small.'

Remove the tick
'It is important that you remove the tick in the right way; you do this with pointed tweezers or with tick tweezers or lasso. Make sure to grab the tick as close to the skin as possible without squeezing the body. Also, do not irritate the tick with alcohol or oil, as this will prevent the insect from releasing faster. There is even a good chance that the tick will then release its stomach contents, which also increases the risk of infection.'

Disinfect
'Pull the tick out slowly to reduce the risk of breaking it. You can use a light circular motion to loosen the hook from the tick's snout. Make sure you disinfect the spot where the tick was well with iodine or alcohol 70%. Don't forget to disinfect your tweezers! To be on the safe side, make a note of the location and date of the bite in your diary.'

Red circles
'It is important to keep an eye on the spot for 8 weeks. If a red circle develops there (or elsewhere on your body), you should contact your doctor immediately. There are also infections that do not cause a red circle, but symptoms such as flu, sore throat and fever. If you get those symptoms, it's a good idea to see a doctor. As a druggist, I advise customers to always call their doctor for consultation. Some doctors prescribe preventive antibiotics, depending on how long the tick has been in the skin or how many bites you have."

What else I advise my clients:

Always check your clothes and body for ticks if you've been out in the green, especially behind the ears, in the groin, back of the knees or underarms. In children, ticks can often be found on the head:at the hairline and behind the ears.
Avoid contact with undergrowth and tall grass. Stay on the trails as much as possible and cover the skin well.
If you want to be well protected in the green, you can use an insect repellent with DEET. The Recognized Specialist in Self-Care knows what percentage of DEET you can use for adults and children.'

Do you have a health question?
In the coming period, Cristina will answer a reader's question every month. Do you have a question that you would like answered, for example about a cough, hay fever, lice, headache or another health issue? Ask your question here>>

Who is Cristina?
Cristina Knollema-Lertora is a licensed druggist and works in a drugstore with the Certified Specialist in Self-Care quality mark, which is the quality mark for good advice on over-the-counter medicines. On www.erkendspecialistinzelfzorg.nl you can find out which drugstores in your area have this quality mark and what you as a customer can expect from these drugstores.