I’m from a country where Lyme disease is not really a thing. Why is it such a big thing in the US, and how can I avoid it when I’m there?

41 comments

  2. There’s ticks in certain parts of the US but not the whole. I grew up in North Carolina and got tons of ticks but my husband who grew up in Ohio has never had a tick. We both spent a lot of time outside as kids.

    Wherever you are, stay out of the woods and you should be fine. If hiking is an important part of your trip ask locals if there is a large tick population in the local forests? If there is, wear a head covering for sure, but really I don’t think you can do much but check when your through. Believe me, you need to check EVERYWHERE. They can get under your clothes.

    *edit to say that I don’t have Lyme disease. That’s historically bigger in the Northeastern US

  3. Avoid walking through tall grass and brush. Check yourself for ticks if you come in from the woods or nature areas.

  4. Lyme disease, or more specifically the ticks that spread it, are only found in certain parts of the US. So if you really want to avoid it, you can find a map of Lyme disease prevalence and not visit those states. Otherwise, it’s a tick-borne disease, so you can take standard precautions about ticks, or simply stick to urban areas and don’t go camping.

  5. Spray yourself with insect repellent before running around in the woods. It is a tick borne disease, so you’re only exposed if you plan to be out in nature.

  6. We still have large parts of the country that are heavily forested. It’s caused by a bacteria which is transmitted by ticks. You are unlikely to get bitten by ticks unless you plan on spending a lot of time out in the woods.

    If you do spend time in the woods, use tick spray on your clothes before you go out. Check yourself for ticks when you are done in the woods. It generally takes 36 or more hours of a tick being on your body for it to transmit the bacteria to you.

  7. It’s fairly rare. Just check yourself for ticks if you go in the woods. It’s not a big deal and we don’t really worry about it too much.

  8. It’s spread via tick bites and ticks are common in many areas of the country. Wear insect repellent when outdoors in tick prone areas. Wear long pants and sleeves. Check yourself for ticks at the end of the day.

  9. This is up there in terms of most bizarre questions I’ve seen asked on this thread.

    I’ve certainly never worried about Lyme disease but it exists because we have ticks that spread the bacteria. There’s no full proof way to prevent it but it’s not really even a small concern so long as you stay out of brush and high grass.

  10. It’s not *that* big a thing here. It’s not incredibly common, and most of the time it’s entirely treatable.

    Anyway, while you’re here are you planning to walk through any woodlands areas with things like brush or unmaintained tall grass? Because if you’re not, you won’t really be in any tick habitats, and this isn’t something you really have to worry about. And if you are planning to go anywhere like that, just take precautions you feel comfortable with — wear long pants, use tick repellant, inspect yourself afterwards for ticks, pay attention for any rashes that develop, etc.

    This really isn’t something you need to worry too much about.

  11. I have lived in the US my whole life and I don’t think I have ever thought about Lyme disease until I was reading this thread.

  12. It’s highly unlikely that you will encounter a tick in the winter, much less get bitten by one as they are dormant. It’s not a “big thing” at all in the U.S., especially in an urban area. You would have to be in the tick’s environment or have a combination of factors such as: spending a lot of time outdoors in tall grass, brush, shrubs, or wooded areas, having pets that may carry ticks indoors, activities such as yardwork, hiking, camping, fishing, or hunting in tick-infested areas.

    Only deer ticks (sometimes called black-legged ticks) cause Lyme disease. And most people bitten by one of these ticks don’t usually get Lyme disease because:

    * Only a small number of these ticks are infected with the bacteria that cause Lyme disease.
    * An infected tick must be attached for at least 1–2 days to pass the bacteria.

    If you’re truly worried (which you shouldn’t be, ticks are dormant in the winter) then use a bit of common sense. Stay in the middle of the trail instead of going through high grass or the woods. Wear closed shoes or boots, long-sleeved shirts, and long pants. Tuck pant legs into shoes or boots to prevent ticks from crawling up legs. Use an insect repellent (it’s winter, this would be overkill). Consider treating your clothing and gear with permethrin to repel ticks (again, winter). Wear light-colored clothing to help you see ticks more easily. Shower and wash hair after being outside to remove ticks before they attach (yet again, winter). Remove any ticks you find right away(beyond unlikely, because winter).

  13. Generally: avoid walking through sagebrush, grasses, etc. Wear good bugs spray in mountains and wilderness. not all ticks carry lyme. I know lots of people who have been bitten by ticks (myself included) and none of them have lyme disease. It really depends on where you are too. Some states have way more bugs. Also, if you aren’t planning on lots of hiking, camping, and backpacking, I wouldn’t worry about it at all! I’ve grown up camping in the mountains and there were only a couple areas we ever worried about ticks. I’m guessing there are whole states where tick/chigger risk is nonexistent

  16. It is spread by ticks. A small arachnid that latches onto people to drink their blood. [Here is a guide from the CDC on how to avoid them](https://www.cdc.gov/ticks/avoid/on_people.html). There are a lot of issues besides Lyme that they can cause, so avoiding them in general is a very good idea.

    The biggest thing is to just be aware of what kind of places are likely to expose you to ticks. They are typically only active in the warmer months (roughly May to September around me). They hop onto people when they brush against things, so anytime you are walking through an area of tall grass or bushes makes ticks a possibility. Avoid these areas when possible and take additional precautions when you are entering these areas.

    The next biggest thing will be performing a tick check. Any time you are in an area that may have ticks, check over your clothing and body afterward to see if you have collected any passengers. You generally want to do this as soon as possible. A tick might have hitched a ride but not bitten you yet. Also, it takes some time for most tick bourne diseases to transmit to removing a tick that has already bitten you quickly is a very good idea. I’ve had some jobs where I kept a lint roller in my truck just for the sake of quickly removing any potential ticks.

    You can also wear clothing that is more tick-resistant. Long pants and long sleeves help, even if they are uncomfortable in warm weather. You can also tuck your shit into your waist and your pant legs into your socks. Overall, this means less exposed skin for ticks to get to and less openings for the ticks to get inside your clothes.

    You can also use chemicals to discourage them. Bug spray (the same as you would use to keep mosquitoes away) is very effective. I have found I prefer DEET and it seems most effective, but any effective bug spray should do something. You can also treat your clothing with permethrin as a long term method to help keep ticks from getting close. There are options for treating any article of clothing and you can also buy pre-treated clothing.

  17. I live in the northeast US and it seems every year I know one or two people who contract it. I have one friend for whom it’s been very serious and life changing. I think it’s easy to treat if you catch it early, so read up on how to check yourself (and your pets/kids) for ticks. It’s not worth seriously stressing out about, just make sure your skin is covered when hiking or walking in tall grass (long pants, no sandals, socks pulled up over your ankles), use insect repellent (usually available at any drugstore or grocery store) and check yourself carefully for ticks when you get in.

  19. Lyne disease isn’t actually super common, nor is it a “big thing,” there are 20-30k cases a year in a country of 330 million people.

    It’s easy to substantially reduce your risk.

    Wear insect repellent, long sleeves and pants, and proper socks and boots if hiking in areas where Lyme disease exists (it’s not everywhere).

    When you get home, inspect one another carefully for ticks.

    If you have Lyme, you’ll likely develop a distinctive bulls eye rash in the area of the tick bite, and you should call a doctor. It’s easy to treat with antibiotics.

    There’s also chronic Lyme disease, which may or may not exist. Maybe that’s what you heard about?

  20. Make sure you wear long sleeve shirt and pants (tucked into socks and/or boots if possible), especially if you plan on being in any grassy or wooded areas, even in someone’s backyard. Wear bug spray with DEET as well, reapplying according to the directions on the bottle to clothes and skin.

    If you’re with a friend, family member, or SO, have them look you over for ticks. If you do get bitten by a tick watch out for a fever, headache, stiffness or aches, swollen lymph nodes or a rash where you were bitten. Symptoms can arise up to a month after you were bitten. If you have one of those symptoms get to a doctor.

  21. If you are spending time in the woods or brush then wear bug spray and long sleeves, and check for ticks after. If you’re not spending time there then you don’t need to worry about lyme disease.

  22. Basically, just check for ticks anytime you’re finished walking around in the woods and you’ll be just fine.

  23. I’m from an area that has Lyme, I also spent my childhood and teen years in the woods and never contracted it—though I know people who have gotten it. Tick repellent spray is a thing you can use. The best way to prevent ticks is that if you’re going in the woods, wear long socks and pants. But otherwise, make sure you do a thorough check of yourself (and make sure you run your hands through your hair. People always forget that one). Ticks like warm, moist areas best, but they can latch on anywhere.

    Lyme can be a big deal because it’s transmitted via deer tick which are the smallest ticks and easiest to miss, It can take months to get over, and it can result in lifelong side-effects. But getting bit by a tick doesn’t mean it’s going to have Lyme—even if it’s a deer tick. Lyme also takes a few days to transmit from the tick to the human, so even if you do get bit by a tick that carries lyme, it doesn’t necessarily mean you will contract it.

    Ticks and lyme are something we are aware about, but it’s not something that’s on my mind constantly nor does it prevent me from having fun in the woods. So wear socks, thoroughly check yourself if you’re going into a wooded area or tall grass, and you will be okay!

  24. 1. You very well may not get ticks at all in the US. They are more common if you are in certain regions and, even then, you tend to only get them when going through tall grass or the woods. If you are in nature in these areas where it may be common, just check your body for ticks next time you change. If you find one, get some tweezers and try to remove it from the base (try not to let any parts stick around) and then clean the area.
    2. If you do find a tick and have to remove it, there is still a pretty decent chance you won’t get Lyme disease. As a kid, I lost count of how many ticks I’ve had because I used to play in the woods. I never got Lyme. Just keep an eye on the area where the tick was. A [bullseye pattern](https://th.bing.com/th/id/OIP.SdlgWj4p0__vqrASCQCi-QHaD4?pid=ImgDet&rs=1) is a common indicator of Lyme but if you see it appear irritated afterwards, check with a doctor.
    3. If you do get it, it’s treatable. You’ll most likely get some heavy duty antibiotics and be sick for a couple weeks.

    Really the main thing is just to be aware. Being in the US, being outdoors, getting a tick and even getting Lyme disease are not something to be super scared about. You just want to catch it early on because the disease will progress if untreated. I have a family friend who did not realize they had it and so it progressed to severe stages. She forgot what a spoon was while trying to make dinner… that’s how bad it was. However, when they caught it and treated her, from what I understand she still made a recovery. As long as you check for ticks if you’re in wooded areas, remove them and see a doctor if the bite shows signs of irritation, you’ll be fine.

  26. Lyme disease has a relationship with animals in the area; ticks don’t carry lyme until they bite a host animal that does during their life cycle. In the United States, that host is typically the white-footed mouse. Areas that lack lyme disease lack some host that carries that bacteria commonly.

    For example, I live in Utah, and no ticks here that I’m aware of carry lyme, because there isn’t a host animal endemic to the area that also carries lyme. There are also relatively few ticks overall.

    Avoiding it isn’t hard: avoid walking through tall grass or brushing up against foliage, and do tick checks twice a day. Keep in mind the ticks that cause lyme can be *really, really small* (like the size of a pin head), and you need to check *everywhere*, including armpits, backs of legs, groin, ass crack, etc.

  28. I’ve gotten a lot of ticks in the Midwest. Walking through brush or long grass anywhere in that region will bring a chance of getting ticks. They are very active in the spring and early summer, but they aren’t common in the second half of summer or fall. Not going to see them at all below zero F and that’s half the year. Ticks won’t bite right away. They crawl on your clothes and skin for several hours. There’s a window of time where you can find and kill them.

  30. Bug spray, avoid tall grass and deep woods in the warmer months. Really depends on what region you’re in though.

  31. If you’re concerned about ticks, do what my grandpa did. Get ducktape, and wrap it around BACKWARDS on areas where ticks can get inside. Shirt holes, pant holes, it’ll trap other insects as well, hes never had issue with ticks while hunting.

  32. The best tickborn illness prevention strategy I’ve learned is that if you’ve been in the woods or tall grass, check yourself like you _know_ there is a tick somewhere until you prove there’s not. Lyme disease isn’t everywhere, but there’s also Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and a variety of other regional illnesses, including one that can give you a lifelong allergy to red meat.

    As for why, part of it is just that ticks are really good hosts for bacteria that makes humans sick. The problem is worst in the Northeast US, where the suburbs and forests run against each other and humans and wildlife frequently share space. This is prime territory for the ticks that spread Lyme disease.

    Be cautious when you’re in tick territory, but don’t worry too much. Even if you are bit and that specific tick has the bacteria, it doesn’t mean you’ll get Lyme, and you cut the chances considerably by removing the tick early. It’s just a potential hazard to look out for.

  33. I’ve avoided it my entire life, it’s not an imminent threat or anything. If you’re spending time in the woods, check yourself for ticks. Remove them if you find them. Keep an eye out for any unusual swelling or redness around the bite site.

    I have had only about a dozen tick bites in my life, the last one was over a decade ago. I have never had Lyme disease, and never really worried about it. When I was in Boy Scouts and camping often, ticks were no big deal. It was Black Widows we were afraid of.

  34. Spread by ticks. The ticks can hop onto you if you brush against foliage in natural spaces.

    Avoidance:

    * Avoid natural spaces.
    * Cover as much skin as possible if you’re in natural spaces.
    * Check your body for ticks when you’ve finished spending time in natural spaces, remove if applicable. They can get under clothes.

    If infected, the classic first symptom is a bullseye-looking rash. Go to doctor, get antibiotics.

  35. This is the first I’m hearing of Lyme disease being an issue in the US. I didn’t even know it was carried by ticks until now

  36. Everyone saying avoid tall grass and check for ticks etc are all correct so follow all that.

    I also just wanted to say getting Lyme Disease is like #373 on the list of things Americans worry about on a daily basis on average. So it isn’t really something to be super concerned with.

  37. It’s interesting to see so many people say “what is Lyme disease?” or “I have never thought about this.” I grew up in the northeast and ticks were everywhere in summer – I removed a couple almost every time I went into the woods or tall grass. Lyme is/was relatively rare but still an ever-present danger.

    Over the years the range of Lyme disease has grown a lot – it is present now in places it was not present before.

    If you catch it, it is usually easily treatable.

    A lot of the attention and “big deal” around Lyme disease is a result of people with a mysterious long-term illness that seems to manifest after a Lyme diagnosis, in some cases. This is often called “chronic Lyme.” For a long time doctors absolutely dismissed anyone who claimed to have a Lyme-related chronic illness and it was widely considered to be a delusion but that is not so much the case anymore.

  38. It’s not really that big of an issue. It happens but it’s pretty easy to prevent. Wear insect repellant, long pants if you’re in brush areas, check for ticks. I know a lot of people who have found ticks on them but I don’t think I’ve ever met more than one person who actually got Lyme disease.

  39. It takes a while for the tick to transmit to the disease to you. On the scale of 12-24 hours.

    The best precaution is to avoid tall grass, check yourself for ticks after being in the woods or grass, and remove the tick as soon as you see it with tweezers pulling it out by the head (you don’t want to squish the body because it can push fluids in to you). Also, there are specific tick repellents you can buy to treat clothing that also kill the ticks.

    [Here is why it is a big deal](https://media.wbur.org/wp/2012/02/Screen-shot-2012-02-01-at-11.05.30-AM.png)

    That high risk area on the east coast correlates with our largest population centers.

    Europe also just has a much lower incidence overall.

    Lyme is a bacterial infection that often goes unnoticed early on. Chronic Lyme infection can cause severe tiredness and joint pain. It is also fairly resistant to antibiotic treatment.

  40. When you go on hikes or walks in the outdoors, just do a tick check on you, pets, children, etc. when you come inside. Typically, we remove our clothes and shower immediately upon return. I’m in the northeast, so a hotbed for ticks and you just get used to always keeping an eye out for them.

    Not all ticks carry Lyme. Dog ticks are common and do not carry the disease. A tick also has to be attached to you for some time before you contract the disease (over a few hours I believe), so that’s why it’s important to look as soon as you are indoors. And I mean LOOK, like everywhere

  41. It’s actually not that big a deal, you just hear about it from the woo woos who blame other illnesses on it.

Leave a Reply
You May Also Like