| By :
Patricia Strasser
Lyme disease is a bacterial illness that results from the bite of a certain type of tick. This disease happens a lot in America and affects various areas of someone's body such as the joints, skin, eyes as well as the heart. Symptoms of people infected by Lyme disease may include reddish rashes, headaches, fatigue and there are also symptoms that resemble the common flu. This is advice your family needs to know to avoid getting lyme disease. Stay away from grassy, wooded places. Ticks are known to thrive in wooded and grassy places, even leaf litters. Your lawn or garden could be infested with ticks if it is near a wooded area or lacks fencing. Avoid these kinds of places, or if unavoidable, make sure that you stay within the trails and do not venture into the grass where ticks might stick to your clothing or any exposed skin. Stay informed about ticks and the threat they pose in your local area. Ticks are most active in the summer months of May, June and July, so the risk of infection is highest then. Keep up with the news about what areas may be affected. Your area's health department or recreation and parks division will be able to tell you which infested sites to avoid. Spray pesticides in affected areas. If you observe a tick infestation around or encompassing your home, you may want to consider using pesticides in the contaminated area. One pesticide that is very effective and specifically made for exterminating ticks is "acaricide". The correct use of pesticides can dramatically reduce or eliminate ticks. Use a spray tick repellent Tick repellents are available, and you can use them on your clothes and shoes when going into possible infested areas. Any tick repellent you choose should contain at least 20 percent DEET. Wear protective attire when going into infested areas. When you must spend time in wooded and grassy areas, it is necessary to wear clothing that will protect you. Make sure to wear long-sleeved shirts, long slacks, socks, shoes and a hat. Stop ticks from getting under your clothes by pulling your socks over your pants. Avoid exposing any part of your skin or hair. Light colored clothing enable you to quickly detect ticks that may be on it. Completely wash your hair and launder your clothes. After venturing into infested areas it is a good idea to shower and vigorously shampoo your hair in an attempt to dislodge any ticks. The best laundry method is to wash the exposed clothing in hot water for a half hour and then run it through a dryer cycle. Simply washing will not eliminate any ticks that may have attached themselves to your clothing. As with most, if not all, illnesses, prevention is better than cure if you want to steer clear of the adverse effects of Lyme disease.
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