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Dealing with Tics - new advice

Dealing with Tics - new advice


Postby RiverSong » Tue Jul 08, 2014 1:14 pm

I've never had a tic bite, and I don't know if this works, but I thought I would post the following piece of advice in the hope it might help anyone who has the misfortune to be bitten. It was passed on by a nurse friend of mine.

1. Carry a small bottle of liquid soap and some cotton wool
2. if you are bitten by a tic, apply a liberal amount of soap to the cotton wool
3. press the cotton wool down on the tic and hold firmly for a few minutes, the tic should release its grip and come off into the cotton wool

If anyone does try this could they please post here and let the rest of us know if this is effective or not. it sounds a much better way of dealing with tics than using tweezers.
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Re: Dealing with Tics - new advice

Postby Sgurr » Tue Jul 08, 2014 1:56 pm

Interesting. I have never met a tick that gave up hope yet (5 in a week on last holiday). Might be worth a try. Tweezers are bad, because they leave the head in. The Tick twister is better

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Re: Dealing with Tics - new advice

Postby Mantog » Tue Jul 08, 2014 2:23 pm

I would if at all possible just stick to using the Tick twister, or similar tools designed specifically for the task rather than using soap/cotton wool.
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Re: Dealing with Tics - new advice

Postby Michael Thomson » Tue Jul 08, 2014 3:10 pm

Suffocating the tick will result in it disgorging it's stomach contents into your bloodstream when it disengages. This is generally reckoned to increase your chances of contracting Lyme disease.

If you don't want to use tweezers, use a dedicated tick removal tool.

The little buggers are particularly abundant this year unfortunately....
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Re: Dealing with Tics - new advice

Postby GillC » Tue Jul 08, 2014 3:40 pm

Lucky enough to have removed one with my finger nails,,complete,,but now invested in both the removal twisting tool AND the special tic tweezers with the hook ends, hopefully wont need them though. Heard a few tips about soap, vaseline, white spirit etc but all seem to encourage the beasty to stress out and send anything it has back in to the host,,will stick with tweezers/hooks for now :?
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Re: Dealing with Tics - new advice

Postby RocksRock » Tue Jul 08, 2014 3:45 pm

The most comprehensive info/advice on ticks that I have found is the Lyme Disease Action website http://www.lymediseaseaction.org.uk

Specifically mentions "DO NOT try to burn the tick off, apply petroleum jelly, nail polish or any other chemical. Any of these methods can cause discomfort to the tick, resulting in regurgitation, or saliva release".

Perhaps soap is similar in effect to petroleum jelly and might therfroe be inadvisable, IMHO
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Re: Dealing with Tics - new advice

Postby scoob999 » Tue Jul 08, 2014 5:16 pm

I find the tick twister the best, quick and simple and always removes the whole tick :D
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Re: Dealing with Tics - new advice

Postby SAVAGEALICE » Tue Jul 08, 2014 5:58 pm

Another vote for the tick twister. Had 4 this year already. No bother getting them out. Used to it with having dogs!
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Re: Dealing with Tics - new advice

Postby Fife Flyer » Tue Jul 08, 2014 8:38 pm

Reading this makes you all itchy :lol:
Luckily so far not come across these little beasties :wink:
Is one answer not to wear shorts or have your arms exposed? Just a thought :wink:
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Re: Dealing with Tics - new advice

Postby Sgurr » Tue Jul 08, 2014 8:46 pm

Fife Flyer wrote:Reading this makes you all itchy :lol:
Luckily so far not come across these little beasties :wink:
Is one answer not to wear shorts or have your arms exposed? Just a thought :wink:


If you read some of the running sites, bare legged people tend to get them badly, but ticks climb up inside your clothing as well, so long trousers don't always work. I got them on our last outing to Islay when the hills were small and I lolled around on grass eating my lunch. Uncomfortable as it might be, sitting upright on a stone seemed better, or just eating on the move :( . Being currently a Marilyn bagger, I am constantly having to push my way through bracken at this time of year which is bad. Believe it or not, we were following a route in a Guide Book here

Image
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Re: Dealing with Tics - new advice

Postby Moriarty » Tue Jul 08, 2014 8:52 pm

RiverSong wrote:I've never had a tic bite, and I don't know if this works, but I thought I would post the following piece of advice in the It was passed on by a nurse friend of mine.


Like many individuals in healthcare it sounds as though your nurse friend went to the School of "My Mum said" on this subject.

You might wish to direct him/her to the NHS advice on this subject.

Best advice is to remove ticks with a tick tool/fine tweezers ASAP and not to try any technique to distress them to release.
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Re: Dealing with Tics - new advice

Postby spiderwebb » Tue Jul 08, 2014 10:09 pm

Fingernails for me, with a twist.
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Re: Dealing with Tics - new advice

Postby RyanfaeScotland » Tue Jul 08, 2014 10:13 pm

RocksRock wrote:The most comprehensive info/advice on ticks that I have found is the Lyme Disease Action website http://www.lymediseaseaction.org.uk
...


Wow, is it just me or does that web site comes across as really condescending? Looking at these parts in particularly:

http://www.lymediseaseaction.org.uk/resources/for-the-public/ wrote:If you have, or think you may have, contracted Lyme disease you need to consult your GP in the first instance. He or she may know little about the disease and so you need to be prepared with information.

In the UK, the most helpful official web site for GPs is NICE Clinical Knowledge Summaries and you can refer your GP to this.


And after reading though I'm still not too sure why I should be that concerned about Lyme disease? Is there some sort of long term health complications it can make? All I found is it presents with a rash and flu like symptoms. Fairly certain I could handle that for the week or so it takes to get a doctors appointment anyway!

And thanks RiverSong for sharing what I'm sure you thought was good advice, just goes to show you should always get multiple opinions on advice!
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Re: Dealing with Tics - new advice

Postby Sgurr » Tue Jul 08, 2014 11:08 pm

I know of people who have got Lyme's disease, and think I could do without the following (Obtained from googling long term effects)


"Symptoms that affect the Nervous system

Neuro-psychiatric symptoms tend to develop after early signs and symptoms of the infection have occurred, although they may be the earliest and/or only signs, possibly occurring as early as one week after infection. Whilst this stage, termed early Lyme neuroborreliosis (< 6 months) can be painful and debilitating, it may not progress to late Lyme neuroborreliosis if properly treated.

After what is often a flu-like start to the infection, patients may develop arthritic, cardiac or early neurological problems. Neurological problems may include:

Meningitis – inflammation of the brain’s enveloping membrane, though neck stiffness may be minimal or absent.
Painful radiculitis – inflammation of the nerve roots.
Cranial neuritis – inflammation of the cranial nerves.
This combination of meningitis, painful radiculitis and cranial neuritis is known as Bannwarth’s Syndrome.

Encephalopathy – cognitive inefficiency.
Myelitis – inflammation of the spinal cord.
Encephalitis – inflammation within the brain.
Encephalomyelitis – inflammation of the brain and spinal cord.
Peripheral neuropathy – particularly small fibre damage.
Lyme associated neurological symptoms may include:

Facial palsy/weakness (Facial nerve palsy = VII cranial nerve palsy).
Headache/neckache.
Double vision (VI cranial nerve palsy and III cranial nerve palsy).
Sensory disturbances – eg parasthesia, resulting in tingling, numbness and pain, often in a dermatomal distribution.
Dizziness, tinnitus and vertigo.
Excessive sensitivity to noise or light.
Shoulder droop
Debilitating fatigue.
Suspected gastrointestinal motility disturbances
urinary problems eg retention or incontinence"
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Re: Dealing with Tics - new advice

Postby Challum » Wed Jul 09, 2014 12:02 am

The trouble with tick bites is that the symptoms appear long after you have been bitten - you may even have forgotten you were bitten - so it's really important to give all facts to your GP. If you think this problem is being hyped up, please Google Nicola Seal and read her story.
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