Here’s what you need to know about protecting against Lyme disease

The general public has become more aware of the dangers of Lyme disease in recent years. As frightening as it sounds, protecting yourself from the illness is easy with just a little knowledge and a few simple steps.

Lyme disease affects up to 300,000 people in the United States every year. Reporting and diagnosis of the illness have increased since 1991, when the U.S. established a standardized definition of the disease. Awareness of the symptoms is necessary to catching this highly treatable illness early—if allowed to progress into its later stages, Lyme disease can cause permanent physical and neurological issues, as well as chronic pain.

There are a number of preventative measures people can take against Lyme disease, and it’s important to know what to look out for. The bacteria is most common in the northeast, mid-Atlantic, and Pacific Coast of the United States—and if you frequent wooded areas in those regions, you’re more susceptible. The three states where Lyme disease is most frequently reported include Connecticut, Delaware, and Maine.

If you’re hiking in any of these areas, stick to the center of the trail and avoid brushing up against overgrown brush or grasses. Apply insect repellent if you’ll be outdoors, and treat tents and clothing with permethrin, which kills ticks on contact. (Note, however, that it cannot be applied directly to skin.)

It’s unlikely the disease will transfer to a human if a tick is attached to the skin for less than 24 hours, so if you’ve been outdoors, particularly during May, June, and July when ticks are most active, perform a full-body check and remove any ticks you may discover. Ticks prefer to attach in areas such as the armpits, the groin, and the scalp, so it can be hard to find them with a cursory look. Remove ticks with a pair of tweezers, but avoid crushing them, and always disinfect the area. Check pets and tumble dry clothing on high heat for 10 minutes to kill any ticks that may be hiding on them.

When someone does contract Lyme disease, in around 70-80 percent of cases they will develop a bullseye-like rash that appears three to 30 days after receiving a tick bite. It expands over time and can reach up to 12 inches in diameter. Other early symptoms of Lyme disease include headaches and neck stiffness, as well as swollen joints and muscle fatigue. Those afflicted may also experience flu-like symptoms, including fever, chills, and enlarged lymph nodes.

In the 20-30 percent of people who don’t develop the rash characteristic of Lyme disease, doctors are more likely to misdiagnose their symptoms. If the bacteria that causes Lyme disease isn’t treated before it spreads to the bloodstream, which typically occurs within 30 days, it can cause chronic issues that affect the brain, eyes, nerves, joints, and motor functioning.

If doctors catch Lyme disease early, treatment requires only a round of antibiotics for complete recovery. Should the illness cause cardiac or neurological problems, long-term, intravenous treatment with antibiotics is likely necessary. Diagnosis requires a two-part test that measures the level of antibodies a person produces against Lyme disease. Tests may initially come back negative, as it could take 4-6 weeks for antibody levels to reach the threshold at which testing will detect them.

Armed with a little information, it’s not hard to quickly identify and hopefully to prevent Lyme disease. Knowing you have the tools to stop the bacteria from spreading to you or your loved ones will make your hikes in wooded areas that much less stressful.