Ticks in Ohio
Ticks live in grassy, brushy and wooded areas, and many people pick them up in their own yards. In Ohio, Lyme disease is spread by the blacklegged tick, which thrives in wooded areas. The Ohio Department of Health (ODH) reports that Lyme disease cases in the state have climbed steeply since 2010, and that cases typically peak in the summer months. ODH points to warmer temperatures, more humidity, shorter stretches of extreme winter cold, and forest regrowth near homes as reasons ticks are doing well here.
Lyme disease is only one tick-borne illness. That's why preventing bites matters, whether you're hiking at a local park or working in your garden in West Chester Township.
How to prevent tick bites
The CDC recommends a few simple steps:
- Use an EPA-registered insect repellent. Look for one with DEET, picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE), para-menthane-diol (PMD) or 2-undecanone, and check the label for an EPA registration number. If you also use sunscreen, put it on first.
- Treat clothing and gear with permethrin. Products with 0.5% permethrin can be used on boots, clothing and camping gear, and they stay protective through several washings. You can also buy clothing that is already treated. Don't put permethrin on your skin.
- Avoid tick habitat when you can. ODH suggests walking in the center of trails and avoiding tall grass and brush. Long pants, long sleeves and tucked-in clothing leave less skin for ticks to reach.
Check for ticks after you come inside
The CDC suggests these steps after time outdoors:
- Check your clothing and gear for ticks. Drying clothes on high heat for 10 minutes kills ticks on dry clothing. Damp clothes need more time.
- Shower within two hours of coming indoors. This may lower your risk of tick-borne illness and can wash off ticks that haven't attached yet.
- Do a full body check. Look closely under the arms, in and around the ears, inside the belly button, behind the knees, between the legs, around the waist, and in and around the hair.
- Check children and pets too.
How to remove a tick
If you find a tick attached to your skin, remove it as soon as you can. Don't wait to see a provider to take it out. The CDC's tick removal steps are:
- Use clean, fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin's surface as possible.
- Pull the tick away from the skin with steady, even pressure. Don't twist or jerk the tick.
- Clean the bite area and your hands with soap and water, rubbing alcohol or hand sanitizer.
- Get rid of a live tick by putting it in a sealed bag or container, wrapping it tightly in tape, flushing it down the toilet, or placing it in alcohol. Never crush a tick with your fingers.
Skip the home remedies. The CDC advises against using petroleum jelly, heat, nail polish or other substances to make a tick let go. Check the rest of your body for other ticks.
When to call a provider after a tick bite
The CDC says to see a provider if you develop a rash or fever within several weeks of removing a tick. Tell them about the bite, when it happened and where you most likely picked up the tick.
According to the CDC, early Lyme disease can cause fever, chills, headache, fatigue, muscle and joint aches, and swollen lymph nodes, sometimes without a rash. The typical rash starts at the bite site 3 to 30 days after the bite and slowly gets bigger. It may look like a bull's-eye, but not always. Later signs can include severe headaches and neck stiffness, a drooping face, joint pain and swelling, heart palpitations, and nerve pain, numbness or tingling. Call us if you notice any of these after time outdoors, even if you don't remember a bite.
For a same-day visit, call during office hours. For a life-threatening emergency, call 911.
Persistent symptoms after Lyme disease
Most people treated early with the right antibiotics recover well. Some people still have fatigue, body aches or trouble thinking after treatment. The CDC calls this post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome, and its cause isn't yet known. Other conditions can cause similar symptoms, so a careful look at all possible causes matters. Our practice offers whole-person care for tick-borne illness and persistent symptoms after Lyme disease, and we work alongside infectious disease specialists when that's the right next step.
Found a tick, or feeling unwell after time outdoors? Call Beckett Ridge Family Medicine at (513) 860-4600.
