April showers bring May flowers, but May isn’t only known for spring and Victoria day. May is Lyme awareness month! You may have heard of this disease but what is it really? Characterized by fatigue, fevers, headache, rashes, muscles and joint pain. Symptoms don’t just stop there, with prolonged infection symptoms can range up to numbness, paralysis, abnormal heart beats, heart infections, damage to the musculoskeletal system, reoccurring neurological problems or death.
Lyme disease is a serious illness and shouldn’t be taken lightly. Beyond symptoms that can last from months to years, there have been deaths because of it.
With ticks as a prime carrier, Lyme disease travels. Infecting the bugs when they feed on wild deer, birds, or rodents that have been contaminated. After the ticks have been infected with
Borrelia burgdorferi, they carry the illness and transfer it through their bites
[1]. Within Canada there are 2 types of ticks that act as carriers, in British Columbia, eyes should be kept out for the Western Blacklegged tick. While in other parts of Canada, such as Ontario the
Blacklegged tick would be the one to cause worry. Typically found in forests or overgrown areas between woods and open spaces, ticks are becoming a concern in Ontario. With carriers that are always on the move, the areas for risk are always expanding. So places that used to be “
safe” aren’t that safe anymore. Toronto is a prime example. In Ontario the cases for ticks have doubled, so now there’s a much higher risk of contracting Lyme disease.
Now with these high risks how can you not only protect yourself, but also your family? Although ticks are looking for new homes there are precautions that can be taken. Since Lyme disease is mainly transmitted from tick bites, the best way to prevent the disease is to prevent tick bites. This can be done in a number of ways, wearing closed-toed shoes, long-sleeved shirts and pants, wear light coloured clothes (so it’s easier to spot the ticks), use
insect repellent, and shower within 2 hours of being outdoors (because you need to get out too!). The government of Canada has also created a map of “
problem areas” so stick to trails and just be aware!
What if you find yourself bitten? Remove the tick as soon as possible, but keep it in a pill bottle or something so that it can be taken to your doctor or a health unit for testing
[2]. Removing the tick as soon as possible helps reduce the chances of contracting Lyme disease, as it takes about 24 hours with the tick attached for transfusion. After the tick is removed clean the bite and the area around it with soap and water and don’t forget to schedule an appointment with your healthcare provider!
Now where can you get more information on Lyme? Public health units can be a source of information, treatment, and testing. For a list of all the community healthcare units click
this link for locations, times, and contact information! Beyond your local health unit there are also organizations that are spreading awareness. For instance,
CanLyme is an non-profit organization that runs from coast to coast of Canada acting as supports for those stricken with Lyme disease and driving education, awareness, diagnosis and research. With contacts in every province, individuals must e-mail the contact person that corresponds with their province for meetings and events in their area.
Another organization is
Lyme Ontario, focusing on Ontario this organization holds events all over the province. An even that this organization is holding is the “
Lyme Ontario A walk for Hope” taking place on Saturday May 14, in Burlington this run/walk is hoping to raise awareness and collect donations towards Lyme Ontario for support, research, advocacy and education. This month alone there have been 4 support meetings planned and ready to go, occurring in
Toronto,
Hamilton,
Sun County, and
Kingston.
So join the community effort in reducing the chances of Lyme disease, because the weather won’t stop ticks as they can survive in very cold weathers! With the long anticipated warm weather just around the corner, its important to go out and enjoy it! Just make sure you’re doing it safely!
