Whether you like to hunt, fish, raft wild rivers, climb jagged mountains or hike through the wilderness, ticks can be an unfortunate side effect to the outdoor life.
While many of us have had ticks on either us or our pets, many do not understand just how important it is to properly remove a tick.
Follow these simple steps to help avoid a trip to the hospital.
Proper tick removal:
With clean tweezers, grab the little bloodsucker as close to the skin as possible.
Steadily pull with consistent pressure and make sure not to twist. You don’t want to break it in half with part of the tick still attached.
Clean the bite area with soap and water or rubbing alcohol ASAP.
DO NOT throw away the tick. If you are in the woods wrap it in duct tape. Once you are home preserve it in rubbing alcohol. This sounds crazy right? Well it’s not. If a rash starts to appear within a few weeks you are going to want to have it to show to your doctor. It’s also not a bad idea to try to identify the tick and see if it is one of the species that can carry Lyme Disease or rocky mountain spotted fever.
DO NOT follow any folklore removal recipes. Don’t use a knife, don’t apply heat, don’t try and crush it with your hands, don’t rub random stuff on it such as a little dirt and spit, stove fuel or your famous camping hot sauce. Always remember, the best way to avoid all this hassle is to take the proper steps to avoid tick bites in the first place.
Always remember, the best way to avoid all this hassle is to take the proper steps to avoid tick bites in the first place
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