Protecting Yourself from Lyme Disease

Ticks are always a problem, and the physician members of the Pennsylvania Medical Society remind you to protect yourself and your family from Lyme disease.

Pennsylvania ranks among the highest in the nation for number of Lyme disease cases—most occurring in the southeastern part of the state. In recent years, close to 4,000 Lyme disease cases have been reported annually in Pennsylvania, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health.

Deer ticks, often the carriers of Lyme disease, are very tiny and don’t let you know when they’ve decided to hitch a ride and become “attached.”

Prevention

The best course of action is to exercise caution, according to Erie County Medical Society president and infectious disease specialist Nancy Weissbach, MD. If possible, stay away from wooded areas, high grass, and leaf piles.

Ticks aren’t just a seasonal problem. Deer ticks can be active in temperatures as low as 28 degrees, according to Penn State entomologist Steven Jacobs.

“When outdoors, apply tick repellent. Cover up if you can—tuck your pants in your socks, wear long sleeves and a hat. Think about creating a barrier between you and a tick. And always, always, check for ticks when you come inside. The sooner a tick is found, the better. The risk of acquiring Lyme disease is markedly increased after about two days of attachment,” she says.

If you do find a tick, remove it promptly and carefully, and save it in case it needs to be analyzed by your doctor.

Symptoms

The symptoms of Lyme disease vary from one person to another. Often, patients develop a “bull’s eye” rash at the site of the tick bite. Fatigue, fever, flu-like achiness and joint pain also can occur. As the infection progresses there can be arthritis, neurological and heart related symptoms, and visual impairment.

Treatment

But, even if an infected tick escapes unnoticed and Lyme disease does occur, it’s treatable. “Effective treatment for Lyme disease generally involves a brief course of antibiotics,” adds Dr. Weissbach.

Resources

  • » Good Medicine: Lyme Disease
    Peter Lund, MD, founder of the Institute for Good Medicine at the Pennsylvania Medical Society, and Nancy Weissbach, MD, an infectious disease physician from Erie, provide information on symptoms of Lyme disease and steps to take to avoid contracting it.
Last Updated: 4/28/2010
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