If you're climbing at Rumney, do a tick check

Tim McGivern wrote:

You may have missed my point. Here it is: heart disease and accidents are right up there with things that will likely kill you. Lyme may be terrible but not kill you (I know quite a few folks who had it, and are now pretty much back to normal). Bad eating habits and bad exercise are much more likely to really fuck up your life than a tick. Getting in a major car accident is way more likely to fuck up your life than a tick. People are not generally scared of eating poorly or getting in their car. They take precautions such as trying to eat better, exercise more, putting on their seatbelt. if you go outdoors in New England (this is typically taught to children at a young age if parents are outdoor enthusiasts) you check for ticks and if the populations are high, you check more. If you get bit you remove it properly and go to the doctor. in general, getting a disease from a tick as an outdoorsman in New England is low risk if you check and avoid high population areas. There, I had to spell it all out for you. Stay indoors if you can't handle a little risk.

Tim, you are throwing blanket statements down on some of the healthiest people in the world(climbers that is). This is not a forum of fatties, most of us only have ticks(and Grigris of course) to worry about. Some of us may worry about things like heart disease and cancer because its GENETIC but most of us dont care. 

The #1 cause of death in Mexico is diabetes, should I be scared because I put sugar in my coffee this morning?

TICKS ARE THE REASON FOR (my) ARACHNOPHOBIA.

They're gnarly.

Due to climate changes they're populations seem to be increasing/changing/spreading.

Ick.

T Roper wrote:

Tim, you are throwing blanket statements down on some of the healthiest people in the world(climbers that is). This is not a forum of fatties, most of us only have ticks(and Grigris of course) to worry about. Some of us may worry about things like heart disease and cancer because its GENETIC but most of us dont care. 

The #1 cause of death in Mexico is diabetes, should I be scared because I put sugar in my coffee this morning?

Ha ha! maybe. Your point is a good one. I still feel like the point I am trying to make is just simply that being scared is kind of useless. Just be smart and take the precautions to minimize the risk you can control!

I was excited to see a storm about cleaning tick marks and whatnot. But actual ticks are even worse. 

Also if you remove a tick within 24 hours after they bite you are pretty safe from contracting lyme! 

Zoe Klein wrote:

Also if you remove a tick within 24 hours after they bite you are pretty safe from contracting lyme! 

 Not true at all Zoe. People are contracting Lyme with far less than 24 hour attachment, myself included. Please do some research, especially if you live or hang out anywhere in the Northeast. And spread the word... Too many people are ignorant and a lot of people are getting sick because of it

I like taking a lighter to them and turning them into parasite popcorn.

Zoe Klein wrote:

Also if you remove a tick within 24 hours after they bite you are pretty safe from contracting lyme! 

Transmission can occur within 12h. 

What are the best methods for pulling them?  I have tried a number but have never been satisfied.  

Medic741 wrote:

Transmission can occur within 12h. 

Within 12 hours, yes, but possibly far less than that.  See my post and the link upthread.

Pete Spri wrote:

What are the best methods for pulling them?  I have tried a number but have never been satisfied.  

The only safe method is to grasp the mouth parts with a tweezer or special tick-removal gadget and pull the tick out.  Anything that pressures the body may cause the tick to act like a syringe---same for home remedies like heat and oils.

"a lot of people are getting sick"

Lyme does not get diagnosed with definitiveness.  A doctor can't usually tell you with certainty if you have contracted it.  People are often sick or not-well for a number of reasons.  This tick thing has the potential to become mass hysteria.  I think it already is at that level.

Russ, knowing several people with what has been diagnosed as Lyme--whether definitely so or not, and seeing how it has very negatively effected their lives, and knowing others who have been put on anti-biotic regimes because of tick bites (including my wife twice from working in the garden)I don't think it is hysteria at all but is instead a very real concern for those of us who like to spend considerable time in the woods. Even more concerning are some of the even more severe and currently untreatable tick-borne diseases that are now appearing in this region. Add to that such mosquito transmitted joys such as West Nile and EEE and gym climbing becomes increasingly more attractive!!!!

Russ I was a firm believer in your opinion. I even went as far as to post to this thread a week ago mocking the whole situation. Today is day 3 of antibiotics for me, I got blood work done on monday and tested positive for Lyme Disease.

On Saturday I had a headache, fever, muscle soreness and fatigue, I thought i just had the flu. By Sunday the muscle soreness got bad enough that it was difficult to sleep. So i went to the doctor and got blood drawn and tested. 

This by no means will prevent me from going outside, or climbing but, it does suck to take these pills and I hope I don't have some of the lasting effects I know others have suffered from. 

I don't see anything remotely like mass hysteria about ticks and Lyme.  Quite the opposite, lots of people are out in tick country with no precautions like DEET and permethrin.  As DRusso suggests, its all theoretical until you get one of those illnesses.

rgold wrote:

Like most Americans, I've switched from reading news to reading mp forums. 

Mice and rodents are great carriers for ticks. When we leave micro-trash at the crag it attracts rodents. With more rodents it increases tick issues. 

It makes sense that crags that once had no ticks are now filthy with them. Please do a good job of cleaning up your microtrash. NOT disgarding your apple core or orange peel, or bread crumbs at the crag. Now most people on here are pretty good, but it is up to us to educate others.

"put on anti-biotic regimes because of tick bites"

This is precisely the problem.  We now have a situation where anyone bitten by a tick goes on abx.  This is insanity.  The overuse of abx is already a major problem for western medicine.  Not only that, but it's not  good for your overall health to use them except when 100% necessary. 

I understand Lyme exists, but Good Lord it's turning into a circus!

Russ Keane wrote:

We now have a situation where anyone bitten by a tick goes on abx.  This is insanity.

This is wrong.