Mild winters make it easy for ticks to survive, making a bite more and more likely. If a tick has bitten, it should be removed as soon as possible. Avoid these 4 common tick removal mistakes.
The German Red Cross (DRK) warns of a particularly large number of ticks this year , as they were able to survive better in winter due to the higher temperatures. For this reason, ticks have long since ceased to be just a southern German problem. The problem with ticks is that they can transmit diseases such as Lyme disease and tick -borne encephalitis (TBE) . While there is a vaccination against TBE, Lyme disease can only be treated with antibiotics because it is transmitted via bacteria. Undetected diseases can become dangerous. Therefore, as soon as you discover a tick on yourself, you should remove it immediately and avoid these mistakes.
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Avoid these tick removal mistakes
- Using the wrong tool
In order to remove the tick properly, you should use tick cards , lassos, tweezers or tweezers. These are often available as emergency or first aid kits in pharmacies or drugstores. Fingernails are less suitable for removing the tick and should only be used in an absolute emergency. If you use your fingernails, the tick can be incompletely removed, leaving part of it in the skin. The risk of infection can increase – not only from the tick itself, but also from dirt and germs under the nails.By the way:If you have a tick, you can numb it with a drop of peppermint oil. As a result, she can no longer breathe and does not inject her poison into the bite wound. Instead, she lets go gasping for air. You can then remove the tick with tweezers. - Removing the tick abruptly
Try to remove the tick slowly and in a controlled manner. If it is bruised or crushed, parts of it may remain in the skin. These are often part of the stinging apparatus and usually cannot transmit diseases. If you are unsure, you can have residues removed by a doctor. Otherwise, the body sheds the remains as the skin regenerates. Therefore, grab the tick just above the skin and pull it straight out without turning your body and with an even pressure. - Leave the bite untreated
Remove the tick with a suitable tool, but a small wound remains that germs can get into. Make sure you disinfect the puncture marks on your feet and hands with alcohol or an iodine ointment. A small marking of the spot, e.g. B. with a skin-friendly pen, can help to find the puncture site again, should symptoms of illness as well as redness and swelling occur after a few weeks. - Dispose of the tick incorrectly
When disposing of ticks, serious mistakes often creep in. Ticks are incredibly robust – they would even survive a wash at 40 degrees. So never flush ticks down the toilet or try to step on ticks with your shoes. Crush ticks with your finger? Also not a good idea! If you carry pathogens, you could become infected through micro-injuries in the skin. Better:Render the tick harmless and place it in high-proof alcohol or disinfectant. You can also burn the tick. However, it is even better to store the dead tick in an airtight plastic bag. How so? With the help of the animal, a borreliosis infection can be determined or ruled out 100 percent.
What to do if the tick head gets stuck?
If the tick’s head gets stuck, you can try gently scraping it off with the edge of a credit card that you’ve previously cleaned with soap and water. If that doesn’t work, you should keep your head stuck. He is later repelled of his own accord.
This is how you can prevent tick bites
- If you are out and about in the countryside, you should opt for clothing with long sleeves and trouser legs
- Anti-tick sprays can also deter the small animals, a chemical-free alternative is coconut oil
- Ultrasonic wave devices should also protect against ticks
