Backpacking for Beginners

If your backpacking takes you off well groomed trails, and into more wild spots, you increase your chances of dealing with more bugs. One that we all want to avoid is the tick family.

Ticks are miniscule bugs that thrive in tall grass, brush, or woodland areas. Some of these bugs are carriers of Lyme Disease, which, if left untreated, can be quite harmful. They do not fly, but ticks can latch onto your skin if you rub against them. Most people do not notice when they have been bitten and the longer they are attached, the greater risk you run of contracting a tick-borne disease.

You can take these precautions to avoid tick bites and stay healthy:

1. Tuck your lightweight long pant legs into your socks and tuck your long-sleeved shirt into your pants. This will keep ticks on the outside of your clothes. Clothing should also be tightly woven so ticks do not find their way through the clothing to your skin.

2. Wear light-colored clothing so ticks can easily be seen.

3. Wear repellants with DEET and apply to clothing BUT do not spray your child's hands or face. A concentration of 24% DEET has been shown effective for five hours of protection but do not spray more than once each day.

4. Carefully inspect your entire body when you return inside. Deer ticks are especially small so ask someone to help you. Take extra care to check the scalp since hair can easily hide a tick. Repeat this procedure with your pets that go outside. Long fur also provides the perfect hiding place for ticks.

If you are bitten by a tick, carefully remove the tick with tweezers as close to the skin as possible and as quickly as possible. Be sure the entire tick is removed; if you are unsure, seek medical attention. You may also want to keep the tick in a container for identification.

Lyme Disease

The most common symptom of Lyme Disease is a reddish, round bulls-eye mark at the site of the bite. Other symptoms are fever, joint and muscle pain, sore throat, fatigue, swollen glands, and dizziness. If you think you have any of these symptoms, contact your medical provider as soon as possible. The sooner antibiotic treatment begins, the better the chance for full recovery.

There is no need to live in fear of tick bites or to cancel a backpacking excursion. Using some extra precautions can keep you tick-free so you can enjoy your time in the great outdoors.