6 VITALITY Summer 2024 When you’re heading outside, be ready for ticks. Ticks will hitch rides on animals and humans, and a tick bite can lead to illness. How to avoid ticks and bites ● Don’t walk through high grasses, brushy areas or fallen leaves. Stay on the center of trails. ● Go outdoors often? Treat your clothing with a tick repellent that has permethrin. That way you don’t have to put a bug repellent like DEET on your skin. ● Check your clothing for ticks when you come inside. Remove unattached ticks and throw your clothes into a hot dryer for at least 10 minutes. ● Check your dog and other outdoor-venturing pets daily. Ask your vet to recommend tick-protection products. ● Shower to wash off unattached ticks. ● Check your body for ticks. Use a mirror to make it easier. Tick-proof your property Many people get ticks from their own yard. Mow often and reduce tall grasses, brush and leaf piles. Remove old furniture and other trash items where ticks can hide. Check with local officials to weigh the benefits and risks of pesticides. If you get a tick bite Seek care soon if you: ● Can’t remove the tick. ● Haven’t had a tetanus shot in 10 years. ● Get a rash or fever within 2 to 14 days after the bite. ● See swelling or redness that spreads. ● Feel weak and your face, eye or mouth droops. ● Have an attached, swollen deer tick for more than 36 hours. For help treating a tickborne illness, ask your doctor for a referral to Eric Fulnecky, M.D., an infectious disease specialist at the CMH Infectious Disease Clinic in Bolivar. Protect yourself from ticks Meet our infectious disease expert Eric Fulnecky, M.D., is a board certified and fellowship-trained infectious disease physician. He manages IV antibiotic treatments and immunosuppressive therapies. He also diagnoses and treats a variety of illnesses, including: ● Bloodstream infections. ● Bone and joint infections. ● C. difficile. ● Central nervous system infections. ● Unknown fevers. ● Fungal infections. ● Hepatitis C. ● HIV disease and AIDS. ● Infections in patients on immunosuppressive therapy. ● Malaria. ● Mycobacterial infections. ● Parasitic diseases. ● Post-operative infections. ● Tuberculosis. For more information, go to citizensmemorial.com or contact the CMH Infectious Disease Clinic at 417-328-7985.
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