First aid with a tick bite

Ixodid mites are blood-sucking parasites. If the tick is infected with a pathogen, the virus enters the blood with saliva when it bites. The two most dangerous diseases carried by ticks, Is tick-borne encephalitis and Lyme disease (tick-borne borreliosis). In some cases, these diseases can even lead to death. So the bite of a tick can in no case be ignored.

Of course, not every tick isa carrier of the disease, but, firstly, you can never know this for sure; secondly, timely assistance with a tick bite will help prevent other troubles, for example, inflammation at the site of the bite. So, how to help with a tick bite?

First aid with a tick bite

There are two peaks of mite activity: the end of spring - the beginning of summer and the end of summer - the beginningautumn. Especially mites like warm and damp weather and shady, but not raw forests. This should be remembered and be especially careful in such weather (in such places).

To feel the bite of a tick is not easy: the tick contains substances that contain painkillers. therefore after a hike in nature (and preferably in time) you need to inspect the whole body for sucking mites, paying special attention to their "favorite" places: head (hairy part and ears), neck, collarbone, armpits, hands, back, chest, groin.

If the mite has not yet poured blood, it will look like a small black or dark gray point 3-4 mm in length. A pissed female tick can not notice hard: it acquires a light gray color and can increase in size to 10 mm.

Having seen a tick, in no case do you need to panic and try to shake off the tick or pull it out with your hand: from careless abrupt movements of the abdomen of the mitecan come off, and the head remains in the skin. Extracting it from there can be extremely problematic, and over time, inflammation and an abscess can form in this place.

but To delay with tick removal: the earlier you remove it, the lessthe likelihood that the pathogens will get into the bloodstream if the tick is still a carrier. Before removing the mite, it is advisable to wear gloves if you have them. To extract the mite, you will need a tweezers or thread - depending on the method that you will use.

To remove a tick first way, grab it with a blunt forceps for the base of the head (by no means for the abdomen!) and remove the parasite in smooth, slow twisting movements. The second way: the tick must be tied with a thread at the suction point (between the skin of the victim and the base of the head) and, stretching the ends of the thread to the sides, pull the mite out of the body.

After removing the tick, treat the bite site with an antiseptic. If you did not have gloves, wash thoroughlyhands with soap. It is advisable not to throw out the mite, but to put it in a clean jar, tightly cover it with a lid and take the mite to the laboratory, where the type of mite is determined and the presence or absence of an infectious agent.

If the tick can not be removed, because itdrank too deeply, try to drip some alcohol on it. But to drip vegetable oil, nail polish, kerosene, etc., or to set fire to a mite match is not advisable. In the event that the tick was removed and it was not possible or you are afraid to do it yourself, as soon as possible, contact the nearest emergency room.

If the abdomen of the tick remained in the wound, and the head came off, need to see a doctor. Also, a doctor's consultation is necessary if the place of the bite has turned red and swollen or if the victim's condition has worsened significantly within a few days after the bite.

For prevention of tick bites It is necessary to put on light clothes (on it it is better visibleticks) with long sleeves and trousers, as well as a headpiece. Be sure to use repellents and regularly inspect clothes while you are outdoors, and at home inspect the entire body for bites.