Health and insect experts say this year’s tick season might be the worst one in years.
Nicer weather means spending more time outdoors.. which could put you at risk of getting bitten by a tick.
Massachusetts Department of Public health says after being outside you should look along your hairline, inside your ears and even between your toes for ticks. They’re also urging everyone to take tick bites seriously if you find a tick on yourself.
Doctors are urging everyone to do that and they’re also urging you to know the signs of tick born illnesses.
Massachusetts Department of Public Health says you should look along your hairline, inside your ears and even between your toes for ticks after being outdoors.
Doctors are now warning people about tick paralysis which recently left 5-year-old girl from Mississippi temporarily unable to walk or speak.
Usually when a tick is feeding a germ or bacteria is passed but with tick paralysis it’s different.
“It’s what we call a neurotoxin,” Dr. John O’Reilly told 22News. “That salivary gland of the tick will have this neurotoxin and will get into the child’s body and actually block the nervous system at the level of the muscle.”
Dr. O’Reilly said it’s important to be seen right away if you might have been exposed to a tick bite and have trouble walking or feel weak.
He also said tick paralysis is one of the less serious tick born diseases.
O’Reilly said once that tick is removed the temporary paralysis will clear up within a day.