Adrian, MI – The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services encourages residents to take steps to avoid tick bites while enjoying the outdoors.
People can protect themselves against Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases by following these tips:
- As ticks live in grassy, brushy and wooded areas, individuals should walk in the center of trails to avoid contact with overgrown grass, brush and leaf litter at trail edges.
- Consult a veterinarian about the best tick prevention products to protect pets.
- Use insect repellent.
- Check for ticks on yourself and your animals after being outdoors, including in your own wooded yard.
- To remove a tick, grasp the tick firmly with tweezers as closely to your skin as possible. Pull upward with steady, even pressure. Cleanse the area with an antiseptic.
- Bathe or shower as soon as possible after coming indoors to wash off and more easily find ticks that might be crawling on you.
Michiganders who find a tick attached to their body should take the following steps:
- Promptly remove the tick by grasping firmly with tweezers and pulling upwards.
- If the tick is identified as a deer tick, and you suspect it was attached for more than 36 hours, speak to your health care provider about whether any additional measures are needed.
- Monitor for symptoms. If you begin to experience fever, rash, muscle or joint aches or other symptoms within 30 days of a tick bite, you should consult a medical provider.
- Signs and symptoms of tick-borne disease can be non-specific and include fever or chills, rash, headache, fatigue and muscle aches.
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