Ouch...Ticks...Help

[ju-ju-]

Hi de Hi runners....

I wanted to ask you all about ticks....

My son appearred in my bedroom this morning saying 'what are these?' He'd only got 5 ticks burrowing into his lovely young skin.

Having done so well at parkrun yesturday he was rolling around on the grass- thats where he must have got them, and there are deer at Ashton Court Parkrun so I'm a bit worried.

I contacted friends in the know and follwed Youtube advice..I got the b*****s out with the tweezers and put some brandy on ( we've run out of those alcohol wipe things)

I am a bit worried as I have cared for patients with Lymes disease ( I'm a nurse) and its awful....

So, I have been aware that this is a common problem with runners, and wanted to ask you all:

How to prevent?

Best way to treat?

Is there anything that puts them off? ( ie tea tree oil or something???)

Your own experiences and any problems?

Thankyou

Juicy ju

x

[Joel]

Sorry to hear that. Not exactly what you're looking for, but here's the Choices article about ticks- nhs.uk/Conditions/Lyme-dise...

[ju-ju- Graduate in reply to Joel]

Thanks joel...thats really helpful. Yes I'm hoping he'll be ok...

[Joel in reply to ju-ju-]

Yes, I do too. Keep us posted.

[Mitts Graduate]

Oh dear, poor thing... you'll know to keep an eye out for a high temp or vague aches and pains over the next few weeks in case he needs antibiotics. Here in Switzerland we can buy a spray that's supposed to keep ticks at bay but 'they' do say that long trousers tucked into your socks in infected areas is the best bet...

And you can buy special tick tweezers, it's important not to tweeze their heads off apparently. Yuck.

It's even worse here because we're in the region where you can get tick-borne encephalitis too. There's a jab against it and it always amazes me how many people don't get this. I know someone who got meningitis after a tick bite a few years ago. He recovered, fortunately.

Swanscot wrote a blog about this a while ago but whether you'll be able to find it in these enlightened times is another story...

I would just keep a close nursey eye on your son for the next few weeks, chances are he'll be fine. Being aware that there might be a problem is the important thing.

[ju-ju- Graduate in reply to Mitts]

Thankyou for your advice, encephalitis sounds really sinister...I'm going to get some tick tweezers and keep a close eye on my boy...

[Beads Graduate]

One of these is really handy...... ticktwister.co.uk/ .... meant to be better than tweezers.

We got ours from the vet for the dog, thankfully he doesn't pick them up that often. The ratchild has only had one tick, rolling down a hill in the New Forest, he was fine. But keep an eye out, you know the signs and symptoms.

[ju-ju- Graduate in reply to Beads]

brill, thanks Beads, I'll definately get some, my eyebrow pluckers didn't really do the job that well!!

[ancientrunner Graduate]

Hello - patient.co.uk also has good advice under the a-z health information but you need to lookout for a "bulls-eye rash" with central clearing around the tick site. That's often the first sign and he would need antibiotics if he got that.

[ju-ju- Graduate in reply to ancientrunner]

That's really helpful to know, thanks. Looks ok so far.....

[swanscot Graduate]

I seem to be a 'tick magnet' and can easily pick up several when hubby and others I'm hiking/camping with get none!

I think I've had about 10 this year already. I know the advice is to tuck long trousers into socks when hiking, but I'm not going to run in long tights in this temperature. Shorts all the way! When I remember, I apply Mosi-guard insect repellent to my legs, Mosi-guard is recommended by BADA-UK (Borreliosis and Associated Diseases Awareness UK) as being effective at repelling ticks. I always try to remember to check for ticks after my shower and I remove any with the Tom o Tick Twister tool. Just to be 'on the safe side' I apply a wee bit of tea tree oil to the site of the tick bite after extraction.

I'm a bit paranoid about the bloomin things since I was tested positive for Lyme disease in November 2011.

I blogged about Tick prevention in my personal blog with links to BADA-UK site. swanscot.wordpress.com/2012...

[swanscot Graduate in reply to swanscot]

PS I didn't get the typical 'bull-eye' rash. I went to the doctor with a particular spot (where I don't even remember getting a tick!) that was not healing and looking 'nasty'. Thankfully, my GP was fully aware of ticks/Lyme disease and started me on general antibiotics while waiting for the results of the blood test. When it was confirmed I was switched to the specific antibiotic for Borreliosis.