By Tai Takatani
They say that every rose has its thorn. That may or may not actually be true, but the saying seems to apply when considering the beauty of wooded and bushy areas. Though many of us enjoy the wonders of nature, being surrounded by trees, the fresh air and all the other beauty that comes with it, being outside does have its thorn ” a tick that carries disease.
A tick is a blood-sucking parasite (think of it as a mite) that normally lives on the blood of large animals such as deer. Unfortunately, ticks also attach to humans. Ticks transmit the widest variety of pathogens of any blood-sucking arthropod, including bacteria, rickettsiae, protozoa and viruses. Contracting Lyme disease is one of many threats of being bitten by a tick.
Lyme disease is more of a threat in the upper Midwest, northeastern coast and northern California. But, regardless of where you live, if there are ticks, then Lyme disease is a potential risk. The disease is not fatal, but it does pose serious health problems such as arthritis, muscle and joint pains, neurological problems, cognitive defects or fatigue if left untreated.
