Tick ​​protection for humans: how to protect yourself from the bites of bloodthirsty parasites

What are ticks and why are they dangerous

Ticks are the largest group of arachnids. Among them are species harmless to humans, such as plant parasites, such as spider mites. There are mites that are not able to bite a person, but provoke allergies and even asthma, they are called dust mites.

People are most worried about blood-sucking parasites, which they encounter every time during the warm season.

Ixodes ticks are dangerous to humans. Common members of the family: taiga and forest ticks. These parasites are capable of carrying serious diseases: encephalitis, borreliosis (Lyme disease), and others that a tick infects a person through a bite.

1. Encephalitis affects the brain and central nervous system and can lead to disability or even death.
2. Borreliosis damages the cardiovascular, nervous and musculoskeletal systems, the possible consequences of which are nerve paralysis, headaches, pain in the chest, spine and joints.
3. A less serious consequence of biting a tick is inflammation at the site of the bite.

Where can you find ticks?

Ticks, including species that feed on human blood, have a wide range of habitats. In Russia, the bloodsucker is the most common:

• in the Central European part of the country;
• in the Far East;
• in the south of Western and Eastern Siberia;
• in the Middle and South Urals.

How to protect yourself from ticks

A tick bite can lead to serious consequences, so it is better to prevent it. Repellents are suitable for protection against ticks. There are also folk remedies that are less effective.

Special drugs

You can find quite a few different drugs for ticks:

• a special cream that can be applied to open, vulnerable areas of the body;
• spray for processing clothes;
• pesticides to treat items used for outdoor recreation.

Some drugs only scare away bloodsuckers, others kill. Some substances should not be applied to the skin to avoid allergic reactions.

There are combination preparations that provide double protection: if a special substance does not scare away the tick, it will die upon contact with the treated surface.

Folk remedies

In terms of effectiveness against ticks, folk remedies are inferior to chemical ones, but still they are able to scare away parasites. Essential oils are the most commonly used:

Their smell is unpleasant for ticks. The oil is mixed with a small amount of water and the resulting liquid is treated with skin and clothes. You can plant the listed plants in the country, or spray the area with infusions of them.

It is believed that mites cannot tolerate the smells of apple cider vinegar, onion and garlic.

How to protect yourself from ticks in the country and in your home

To prevent the appearance of ticks in the country, you need to treat the area with insecticides.

Before the onset of the warm season, in order to protect yourself from parasites, it is necessary to remove plant debris in which they can settle. Periodically, you need to mow the grass, because it is from it that the tick gets on the body, clinging to the legs.

A sunny lawn is not a comfortable environment for bloodsuckers.

As an alternative, a folk method may also be suitable for protecting a summer cottage - planting plants whose smell repels parasites, or treating the area with their infusions. Such protection will be less effective than pesticides. Natural repellents are:

The tick rarely crawls into the house on its own. Usually it is brought in by a person who is unaware of the attached parasite. Therefore, before you go home, you need to inspect the clothes. Sometimes a tick can still get into the room through the window if it is not high from the ground. To prevent this from happening:

• nets should be installed on the windows;
• the branches of the tree leading to the window are trimmed;
• apply insect repellants to exterior window sills.

How to protect yourself from a tick in city parks

Many people think that they can become victims of ticks only in the forest or in the country, but this parasite is also found in city parks and squares.

1. For a walk in green areas, you need to wear safe clothing that covers the body as much as possible. Do not walk in tall grass, as ticks hide in it.
2. Regular inspection of clothes during a walk will help prevent bloodsucker from getting on the body. You also need to examine the body upon returning home.
3. An animal can also become a victim of the parasite, so after walking with a pet, you should also examine it.
4. You can apply special anti-tick products to clothing. There are also preparations for animals that are applied in drops to the withers.

Safety clothing for outdoor activities

Wearing suitable outdoor clothing is the easiest way to protect yourself from a tick by preventing it from getting on your body.

1. Both clothes and shoes should be as closed as possible. T-shirts and shirts must have long sleeves and a collar. All clothing buttons must be fastened. Pants should be worn instead of shorts. The most suitable shoes would be sneakers, boots or boots. Additionally, you can wear outerwear. The head should be covered with a hood into which the hair should be tucked.
2. All clothing should fit well to the body. Sleeves and trousers should be tapered. T-shirt must be tucked into pants. You can also tuck your trousers into your socks, as most often the tick clings to the legs.
3. It is best to protect a special overalls. This option is ideal for those who go to nature for a long time (hunting, fishing or picnic). Special clothing against ticks has a smooth fabric that bloodsuckers cannot climb on.
4. All clothing should be light and plain in order to notice the parasite on it in time.

What methods of protection against ticks are suitable for pregnant women and young children

First aid for a tick bite

When bitten by a tick, it is best to contact the clinic, where they can remove it from under the skin, and later conduct an analysis that reveals the presence of dangerous diseases in the parasite. If this is not possible, you can remove the tick yourself.

1. To do this, you can use a thread or tweezers. From the thread you need to make a loop and fix it on the body of the tick, as close to the head as possible.
2. After tightening the loop, you can begin to pull the parasite by the thread. This must be done carefully and slowly so that his head does not come off and remain under the skin. If this happens, you need to see a doctor, otherwise inflammation will begin.
3. The procedure can also be done using tweezers: they need to grab the tick near the head and carefully pull it out. After removing the parasite, the bite site must be disinfected and treated with iodine.

It is important that after removal the tick remains alive, then it can be taken to the laboratory to check for diseases. The extracted parasite should be placed in a container with a tight lid, put gauze moistened with water in it, and put in the refrigerator. The tick must be taken for analysis within 2 days.

During the first 3 days after the bite, the doctor can inject immunoglobulin to prevent tick-borne encephalitis. In people vaccinated against tick-borne encephalitis, the risk of infection will appear only with multiple bites.