oh no they found a tick that will single-handedly add 5 years to your life expectancy and save the planet. This is horrible news
oh no they found a tick that will single-handedly add 5 years to your life expectancy and save the planet. This is horrible news
Jokes aside I’m begging and pleading with you to be tick aware, even if you’re “not in a place they live”. Their territory is growing with the shifting ecosystems and Lyme disease sucks, and doctors will spend time gaslighting you rather than giving you the fucking antibiotics. I’ve seen Lone Star Ticks in Illinois (southern, but still), and it’ll only get worse with vector borne diseases.
Just generally be aware of checking oneself if you’re in grass for extended periods of time (even turf). Prevention isn’t difficult, but awareness is
The shifting ecosystems point is really important, I live far enough north that I had never seen a tick in nature before last year and then I got bitten by two in one season
Yeah the first dr. I saw didn’t believe that my symptoms were from Lyme, also didn’t give me the blood panel and just prescribed steroids (foolish move for combatting an autoimmune condition). Fortunately I could get a second opinion, and a blood panel (believe it or not - positive for Lyme!), and antibiotics before it progressed too far. I don’t have any chronic effects - but the acute symptoms of one’s muscles locking up was not fun! I know other people who didn’t catch it and it ends up being a severe long term condition similar to lupus
Oops I’m wrong. Lyme triggers an autoimmune response and potentially symptoms which are similar to lupus - but it’s an infectious disease, and lupus is an autoimmune disease.
I had the same expirience, PCP said it wasn’t lyme, they sent me to a neurologist who said it wasn’t, then I footed the bill for an infectious disease specialist who was like “WTF you should have started antibiotics two weeks ago”
My prevention is simply never leaving the house
Avid indoorsfolk stay winning
I’ve been dealing with tick-borne chronic illness for the past 20 years, shit sucks.
Also, if you’re going through the woods or through high grass, tuck your pant legs into your socks, and your shirt into your pants. Ticks do not climb downward and this trick will funnel them to your neck, where you will more easily feel them.
Killed Leslie Feinberg too, Lyme disease is wild.