Ticks are some of the most commonly encountered pests across the United States. Although many tick bites are harmless, these nuisances are known for causing allergic reactions and spreading illnesses, particularly Lyme disease.
With some being as small as a pinhead, ticks are both hard to spot and quick to attach themselves to unwitting passersby. If you have been hiking, trudging through tall grass or just enjoying the back yard, knowing how to check for ticks is critical for their safe and timely removal.
Check for Ticks on Your Body
Ticks are quick to migrate to hidden parts of the body and given their small size, a full body check is necessary to make sure you are tick-free. Go to the bathroom and take off all of your clothes, isolating them to the side to check later.
Visual checks are limited in their ability to pinpoint ticks so feeling all over your body is essential to identify them by texture. Check your hair first, running your finger through your hair and over your scalp, paying close attention to any unrecognizable bumps. This can be difficult so it is often best to have someone assist in viewing the scalp and behind the ears. Take a shower and comb your hair as a first step to removing any loosely-attached ticks.
Continue checking the rest of your body, paying special attention to nooks and crannies of skin folds and joints. Ticks are attracted to warm, moist areas and often find themselves under armpits, behind the knees and around the waist. Run your fingers carefully along your entire body to feel for any bumps, keeping in mind that unfed ticks can be as small as a speck of dirt.
Check Your Clothes and Your Walking Path
Tracing the path you took is essential to a thorough inspection for ticks, as they can stow away until another host comes along. Check any gear you may have been using, such as backpacks, bags and baskets.
To avoid exposure while outdoors, wearing long clothing can seal off your body but still give ticks a ride back home. After doing a full body assessment, take the clothes that you placed to the side and put them in the dryer for 15 minutes. The heat should kill any unnoticed ticks.
Contact a Professional
Finding a tick on your body is concerning but early identification can avoid many of the pains and headaches of many serious diseases they carry. If you find a tick on your body or clothes when you get home there may be more ticks in your area. To avoid your family or furry friends from getting ticks hire a professional tick control company like Yuma Pest to inspect your property for ticks. Don’t risk the health of your family contact Yuma Pest today!