The Proper Way To Remove A Tick
Published: 06/26/2017
There
is a right way and a wrong way to removing a tick from one’s body or pet and
choosing incorrectly can result in exposure to tick-borne disease.
The
Centers for Disease Control (CDC) warns us to avoid “folklore remedies” such as
“painting” the tick with nail polish or petroleum jelly or using heat to make
the tick detach from the skin. The goal
is to remove the tick as quickly as possible and without irritating the tick.
Applying petroleum jelly or any other wet substance such as an essential oil
only makes the tick slippery and more difficult to grasp in the removal
process.
Many
methods of tick removal have proved to be unsatisfactory in controlled studies,
some even cause harm by inducing the tick to salivate and regurgitate into the
host. Ticks are best removed as soon as possible as the risk of disease transmission
increases the longer the attachment. Antibiotic prophylaxis following tick
removal is a hotly debated conversation among medical providers but may be
considered in regions endemic to tick-borne disease. Per the federal CDC, Maine
is considered an endemic state.
There
are many tick remover products on the market but how effective are they are
removing a tick? I recently spoke with my
friend, Dan Wolfe, owner of Tick Ease, a dual-sided tick
remover designed to safely and effectively remove ticks of all stages
(larval-nymph-adult) from people and pets. He designed his tick remover with a
45degree angle at one end for tight, hard to reach places. The opposite end is
for removing larger embedded ticks. We discussed how a tick attaches and what
the proper and improper methods of removing a tick were and why.
HOW TICKS ATTACH
Ticks first burrow into the host's skin with two telescoping,
“barbed” structures called chelicerae. They then perform a breaststroke
maneuver with the chelicerae, spreading them like arms and pulling them back.
That motion sinks a spiky, swordlike appendage into the host. Positioned
alongside the chelicerae, the shaft, called a hypostome, forms a tube for
withdrawing their bloodmeal.
There
are tick removal gadgets on the market that encourage twisting, however, the
anatomy of the tick reveals that with a barbed mouthpiece, twisting the tick
will ensure breaking off pieces and leaving them impacted in the skin. If you do not have a tick remover on hand, a
plain set of fine-tipped tweezers or a tick spoon or key, when used properly,
will work just fine. If you find getting the tick spoon or key into a small
area is a challenge ~ grab the tweezers!
HOW TO
REMOVE A TICK:
*Using
a set of fine-tipped, pointed tweezers, grasp as close to the skin’s surface as
possible.
*You
want to pull in a steady, upward motion. Do not twist or jerk on the tick as
this can cause the tick to break off into the skin.
*After
you have removed the tick, put it in a ziplock to have it tested. Even if it
breaks into pieces, you can still have it tested.
*Thoroughly
clean the bite site and tweezers with rubbing alcohol, wash your hands with
soap and water.
WHAT
NOT TO DO
*Do not
poke with sharp object (needle, scissors)
*Do not
crush, puncture, or squeeze the tick's body
*Do not
apply substances such as petroleum jelly, gasoline, lidocaine, or essential oils
to the tick
*Do not
apply heat with a match or hot nail
*Do not
use a twisting or jerking motion to remove the tick
Improper
removal can result in exposure to tick-borne disease!
~ Paula
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