May Is Lyme Disease Awareness Month

The Lyme Disease Foundation supports Lyme Disease Awareness Month. It is a campaign that promotes preventative measures that you can take against Lyme Disease. Lyme Disease is an acute inflammatory disease that is caused by a tick bite that is infected with Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria.

Here are some things you can do to prevent getting Lyme Disease:

• If you are in a wooded area it is important to wear protective clothing, especially around your ankles.
• Wearing light colored clothing helps you spot if you have a tick on you.
• Always tuck your shirt into your pants.
• Always tuck your socks over the bottom of your pant legs.
• Insect repellent helps prevent the ticks from wanting to get on you.
• Check your pets for ticks before you enter back into your home after an outdoor excursion in the woods.
• Carry a tick removal kit if you’re planning to be in the woods. Removing the tick as soon as possible may prevent infection. In most cases, a deer tick must be attached for 36 to 48 hours to transit the disease.
• Stick to trails on your hikes. Avoid walking through low bushes and long grass.
• Keep your yard clear of brush and leaves where ticks typically live.
• Check yourself and your children for ticks.

In later stages of Lyme Disease you may develop facial paralysis. If this has happened to you, contact Dr. O at the New York Facial Paralysis Center. We specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of facial nerve paralysis.