If, after a walk through the forest, a tick was found on the human body, this is an occasion to urgently consult a doctor. After all, as you know, people can get Lyme disease after being bitten by an infected tick or become infected with encephalitis. Adults
ticks climb to the tops of grasses and shrubs, where mammals, both large animals and humans, cling to them. When an unsuspecting person touches tall grass or leaves, the tick clings to clothes, crawls onto the skin or scalp and begins to bite the "host".
Ticks do not bite quickly, such as mosquitoes. Instead, the insect needs to study the surface of the skin, after which it crashes into it for 10-60 minutes. After the skin is cut, the tick immerses the head in it, and leaves the paws and body above the surface to freely feed on blood. Thus, the tick can stay on the skin for up to several days. It is worth considering that the smaller the insect, the weaker it holds on the body and the less harm it does with its bite. But an adult can even penetrate under the skin, which makes its removal very problematic. It is extremely important to remove the tick during the first 48 hours. Ticks can attach to any part of the body, but they are especially attracted to warm, moist places: axillary hollows, navel, back of the knees, ears, neck, inguinal region and so on. This is what a tick looks like on a human body (photo above). A person may not notice a tick bite, since it is practically painless, therefore it is extremely important to inspect after each visit to the forest
your body for these insects.
If, however, a tick is found on the human body, it should be removed immediately. If you can’t get to the first-aid post, use thin tweezers. The tick must be taken as close to the skin as possible. If there are no tweezers, you can use the thread by making a loop out of it and throwing it on the tick. Tightening the loop, twist the insect in a circle, as if twisting from the skin. Another way is to remove the tick with a fat cream or petroleum jelly. It is necessary to lubricate the area around the insect with them, turn it on its back and sharply pull it. The mouth of the tick will be clogged with fat and it will loosen its grip for a while. Check that the tick has been completely removed, sometimes its head may remain inside, which will inevitably cause inflammation and infection. Disinfect the area where the insect was attached with alcohol or other means. Place the extracted tick in a plastic bag and take it to the laboratory as soon as possible to examine the causative agents of encephalitis and Lyme disease.
There are more than one species of ticks. Anybody can meet on the human body. In this case, the doctor usually prescribes a course of antibiotics, for example, doxycycline. Most bites, fortunately, do not lead to infection, but a characteristic rash may appear on the patient's skin. Thus, a tick on the human body is an unpleasant, but by no means fatal, nuisance that can happen to you while walking through the forest.