TICK SEASON – When are they most active?
They evoke fear and terror, even though they're barely larger than a pinhead, especially when returning from a nature hike or a simple walk in the woods. Ticks emerge from hibernation as soon as the weather warms up, mercilessly attacking anyone who enters their territory. Will they achieve their goal? It's entirely up to you!
How can you protect yourself and your loved ones from ticks and tick-borne diseases? Prevention is better than cure, and the following solid dose of knowledge will help you do just that.
Where do ticks live? When does tick season start?
They typically inhabit green areas—forests, meadows, and wet scrub—but you can also catch a stowaway in a square, park, or even your backyard. Their activity depends on the ambient temperature. Tick season usually begins around March/April and lasts until November. A long, cold winter can significantly reduce tick numbers and effectively delay their appearance. Otherwise, we can expect ticks to appear as early as winter.
How to protect yourself against ticks?
If you don't want to give up the pleasure of communing with nature? You don't have to. Ticks bite through the skin, so it's important to cover it properly when going mushroom picking in the forest. The material is crucial. Ticks dislike synthetic materials, and probably neither do you! But in this case, it's worth the effort and wear long stretchy pants, a fleece sweatshirt, and shoes that fully cover your feet. Taking it a step further, tick-resistant clothing made from specially impregnated materials is becoming widely available. Fabric that's completely safe for humans becomes lethal to ticks, mosquitoes, and other insects, which die upon contact.
Unlike fashion, the color of your clothing doesn't matter. Ticks react to your scent, specifically the smell of sweat. However, it's worth wearing light-colored clothing that your opponent won't be able to hide in.
If you don't want to wear long pants on a hot day, try one of the many repellents available. For natural remedies, try an oil like lavender or clove.
What diseases do ticks transmit?
Ticks feed on blood, which is why they have mouthparts adapted for sucking blood, equipped with numerous teeth positioned opposite the direction of the bite, which allows the tick to anchor itself in the human skin. While sucking blood, the tick injects saliva into the human tissue, carrying pathogens.
Because ticks transmit viruses, bacteria, and protozoa, they act as vectors for numerous diseases known as tick-borne diseases . The main tick-borne diseases in Poland include Lyme disease and tick-borne encephalitis.
A tick is a small arachnid, but the health problems it can cause are truly extensive.
Lyme disease
It is a multisystem disease caused by the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi.
There is no vaccine against Lyme disease, so the only option is prevention, i.e. the use of effective methods to prevent tick bites.
In the event of a tick bite or attachment, remove the tick, observe the site, and/or test for Lyme disease. The disease is so insidious that it can manifest itself years later, often at an advanced stage, before we even remember the tick bite. Non-specific symptoms should alert you, such as:
- chronic fatigue,
- headaches and joint pain,
- inflammation of the joints,
- abnormal heart function.
Long-term Lyme disease can significantly worsen health and even pose a serious threat to life. If you suspect a Lyme disease infection, consider consulting a specialist. At the Luxmed Lyme Disease Treatment Clinic, we offer comprehensive Lyme disease diagnosis, perform rare tests, and develop treatment plans. You can consult with your doctor about the results at every stage of the Lyme disease treatment process.
Tick-borne encephalitis
It is a systemic infection caused by the TBE virus transmitted during the bite of an infected tick.
Vaccination protects against tick-borne encephalitis. The full vaccination cycle consists of three doses administered at intervals according to the manufacturer's recommendations, after which immunity lasts for 3-5 years.
In the context of holidays and vacations, but also short weekend trips out of town to nature, it is worth considering this option and protecting yourself and your children from this dangerous disease.
You can get tested for Lyme disease infection at our laboratory collection points .
The information contained in this article is for general informational and educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. It is recommended that you consult a physician or other qualified healthcare professional for advice regarding specific symptoms, ailments, or health conditions.