Beware of ticks as warm temperatures lead to more outdoor activities

Imagine you are hiking on a hot summer day and you look down to see an insect burrowing into your skin. It’s not painful, but it can be very dangerous.

“Most people won’t notice they’ve been bitten by a tick. They won’t even know it’s on them,” said San Luis Obispo County Health Officer Dr. Penny Borenstein.

Small creatures can transmit diseases. According to the CDC, Lyme disease is the most common vector-borne disease in the United States.

Although not common on the central coast, the more outdoors you are, the more likely you are to be exposed.

“We have two to three cases a year of Lyme disease,” Dr. Borenstein said.

“From a physician’s perspective, symptoms vary from patient to patient and there’s a tremendous amount of overlap with other illnesses,” said Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center emergency room physician Dr. Scott Bisheff.

Dr. Bishoff says she often sees patients with an embedded tick, but you can also remove them yourself.

“You just want to try and grab it with tweezers and give it a slight pull and try not to rip any of the parts,” he said.

Ticks like to live in grassy, ​​bushy or wooded areas.

You should take precautions to avoid ticks, but this should not prevent you from doing your daily activities.

Dr. Borenstein says it helps to wear long pants and shirts, and it’s important to check yourself in when you return from a hike or walk. Anti-tick sprays are also available.

If you think you have Lyme disease, the tests won’t be positive for weeks.

“The most important thing to know is that it has to stay on the body for at least 24 hours to get transmitted,” Dr Bisheff said.

“Or if you had any of the telltale signs like a rash with central clearing and redness around it, that would be a sign of Lyme disease, and you want to be treated before you test positive,” Dr. Borenstein said.

According to the CDC, exposure to ticks can occur year-round, but ticks are most active during the warmer months.

The CDC also estimates that up to 476,000 people in the United States may contract Lyme disease each year.