WATCH OUT FOR TICKS! - Part 1

The number of ticks carrying Lyme and other diseases is increasing in Massachusetts.  And the unusually warm weather this year is producing expanding insect populations.  So, if you venture off the pavement, be sure to take precautions.

If diagnosed and treated promptly, Lyme disease can often be cured with antibiotics.  Untreated, it can lead to chronic arthritis and neurological problems.  Getting Lyme disease once does not mean that you can't get it again.

The symptoms of Lyme disease vary; they can include:

- a rash that looks like a bull's-eye (however, the rash may not look like this and can still indicate Lyme disease)
- flu-like symptoms such as joint pain, sore muscles, headache, chills, and fever
- shortness of breath and other heart and lung abnormalities
- no symptoms in the initial phase

You should get immediate medical attention for any tick bite, as well as for a rash or other symptoms, which can occur up to a month after tick exposure.  If possible, bring the dead tick with you to the medical facility for lab testing.
Source: UC Berkeley Wellness Letter

Next month - how to protect yourself from ticks . . .


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