Title: Prevention of Lyme Disease
1Prevention of Lyme Disease
Dr. Peter Dobie
2There are three aspects to prevention of Lyme
disease 1) Avoid getting bitten by
ticks 2) Remove the tick prompty, but in the
correct manner, if you get a tickbite. 3) See a
Lyme specialist doctor and get started on
antibiotics if you develop early symptoms of Lyme
disease.
3Early symptoms of Lyme disease, usually in the
first week after a tickbite, are headache, neck
stiffness, fever, fatigue, and muscle and joint
pains. Some patients also get a characteristic
skin rash called a bulls-eye rash.
4- With proper precautions, Lyme disease can be
easily avoided. Here are a few tips - If you go hiking or walking on grassy or wooded
areas, wear long pants instead of shorts and tuck
the pants into your socks. Your clothes should be
tight at the waist, wrists and ankles. - If you are working in a garden for long periods
of time or your work site is near bushes, take a
precautionary medical check-up to detect any
symptoms. - Never use your bare hands to remove ticks.
Instead use a tool like tweezers. Wear gloves if
removing with your fingers wash your hands
thoroughly after removal. By failing to do this
there is a high chance of being infected.
5- You should give extra attention every day to
hairy parts of your body because ticks generally
attach to these areas. The scalp should also be
washed properly. - Lyme disease in Australia is quite widespread
considered to be an epidemic. Places like
marshes, gardens, high grasses and beaches should
be avoided. Do not spend time in tick infested
surroundings or habitats. If possible, cut down
your recreational activities like camping,
hiking, forestry, landscaping and other
activities closely related to nature. - At the end of your daily activities in dense
bushes or garden areas, remove all your clothes
and properly search for any sign of the disease.
6- Minimise the chance of infection by using
repellents on skin clothes and by covering your
body with high quality guarding clothes. If using
repellents on skin, you should wash your body
with soap and water at the end of the day. There
are a number of sprays available which can be
sprayed on clothes and act as tick and insect
repellent. -
- It is highly recommended that you remove things
like woodpiles and leaf litter where ticks may
develop. Keep your garden grass mowed and clear
excess bushes. By using pesticides, you can kill
ticks in large numbers.
7If you need to find a specialist Lyme disease
doctor you can search online. Sydney is home to
some of the most reputed doctors who can deal
with Lyme disease effectively. There is a vaccine
available which is meant for people between the
ages of 16 to 70 years. This vaccine is
considered to be safe and effective for Lyme
disease.
8Thank You
Address SUITE 3A, EDGECLIFF COURT, 2 NEW McLean
ST, EDGECLIFF, NSW 2027 Email
info_at_drpeterdobie.com Telephone 02 9362 0493
Fax 02 9363 0767
Dr. Peter Dobie