Do you have one of these incongruous but important tools in your Field First Aid Kit? This is a Tick Remover.

With May being 'Wake Up To Lyme' Lyme Awareness Month, we are sharing some facts about this condition.

 

Lyme disease is a bacterial infection caused by Borrelia burgdorferi that can be spread to humans by getting bitten by an infected tick.

Ticks are often found in grassy and wooded areas, which is also usually where Field Archaeologists are found excavating and surveying!

• Many people with early symptoms of Lyme disease develop a circular red ‘bull’s-eye’ skin rash around the site of a tick bite, but not everyone gets one

• You can be bitten by a tick during any season

• There is no minimum time that a tick needs to be attached to you to transmit the infection

• Infected ticks have been found in every county in the UK

• Lyme disease can be difficult to treat if not diagnosed early

• Treatment, usually a course of antibiotics, should be started as soon as symptoms show for the best chance of recovery

• You don’t have to have been near any deer or livestock to be bitten by an infected tick

• Blood tests cannot rule out Lyme disease and sometimes a clinical diagnosis is needed

• Lyme disease can mimic other conditions including Multiple Sclerosis, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia and can cause a range of neurological problems

 

If you notice a rash or get flu-like symptoms after being out in the field, it’s always worth mentioning to your employer, and also getting checked out by your GP.

If you spot a tick on you that’s actively feeding, this is where a tick remover comes in handy! Pick the most suitable-sized hook for the tick. Then slide the hook under the creature until it is held in the gap of the fork. Next, lift the hook gently and rotate it. The tick will detach itself after a few turns. Once the tick is removed, disinfect the wound and keep the tick in a small plastic bag (or stuck to some tape) so, if needed, it can be taken to your GP to be tested for carrying Lyme disease.