Tick Talk: Can I get Lyme disease here in Washington County? It’s not common, but the answer is yes

Perhaps you don’t believe that Lyme disease exists in the Pacific Northwest. And we can argue all day about whether it can cause chronic neurological and inflammatory disease. But hopefully, we can all agree that the best thing to do about Lyme disease is to prevent it.

Springtime and early Summer are the most likely times to get bit by a tick nymph (which is the stage of a tick most likely to spread Lyme disease to humans and animals). A nymph is the juvenile stage of tick development. It is very tiny – the size of a sesame seed – so may not be obvious.

During their first year, the tick larvae feed on songbirds and mice which are the natural reservoirs for Lyme. In the Spring of their second year, during their nymphal stage, they feed on larger animals. This is when they spread the disease. The disease is spread through their saliva.

In most cases of Lyme disease, the tick has been attached for over 24 hours, but it can also spread if the tick has attached, detached and reattached, which will trigger the bacteria to travel from the tick’s abdomen into its mouth.

The common signs of Lyme disease are a bull’s eye rash, acute joint pain and a flu like illness, but actually, the rash is usually only present in 60-70% of cases and can also appear in unusual ways. On a personal note, when my mother got Lyme disease a few years ago, her arm swelled up like Popeye with no rings at all. And the illness symptoms looked a lot like a flu or bad cold.

So, here’s the key: prevention!

• If you find a tick on you, save it and send it to a private commercial laboratory to have it tested for Lyme, ASAP. Most hospitals or health clinics do no provide testing so try Ticknology, IGeneX, or TickCheck
• If you are going off into nature (which I highly recommend), wear light colored clothing, tuck your pants into your socks and do a tick check when you come home. You can also spray your clothing beforehand with tick repellent. There are many types out there but check for safe use ahead of time.
• Remove your clothing when you get home and do a quick tick check. If you put your clothing on high in the dryer, it will usually kill a tick.
• Brush your dogs outside, especially if they sleep with you.
• And, if you are suspicious about Lyme disease, see your doctor as soon as you can and take all of the prescribed antibiotics.
• Early treatment can prevent a long struggle with a disease that many people feel they cannot catch in Oregon.

Dr. Jennifer Means welcomes you for Primary Care for the whole family: Nutrition, IV Therapy, Naturopathy, and Acupuncture. Contact us at 503-641-6400.