SPRINGFIELD – The warmer temperatures have many of us venturing outside, some in search of mushrooms.
Morel Mushroom Hunting season is upon us and many folks have already had some luck.
But Illinois State Representative Dan Swanson (R-Alpha) and health departments around the state, want to remind you, we aren’t the only ones enjoying the outdoors.
When heading back inside you’ll want to be sure to check for tiny hitch-hikers, the same grassy, woodsy natural areas that mushroom hunters frequent are those where ticks lurk.
Because of changes in the weather and climate, ticks are “changing and increasing” their geographical range. And with their increased presence comes the potential for unwanted diseases such as Lyme Disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, anaplasmosis and babesiosis.
Information from the CDC:
How to remove a tick
- Use clean, fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin’s surface as possible.
- Pull upward with steady, even pressure. Don’t twist or jerk the tick; this can cause the mouth-parts to break off and remain in the skin. If this happens, remove the mouth-parts with tweezers. If you cannot remove the mouth easily with tweezers, leave it alone and let the skin heal.
- After removing the tick, thoroughly clean the bite area and your hands with rubbing alcohol or soap and water.
- Never crush a tick with your fingers. Dispose of a live tick by
- Putting it in alcohol,
- Placing it in a sealed bag/container,
- Wrapping it tightly in tape, or
- Flushing it down the toilet.
Follow-up
If you develop a rash or fever within several weeks of removing a tick, see your doctor:
- Tell the doctor about your recent tick bite,
- When the bite occurred, and
- Where you most likely acquired the tick.