May is Lyme Disease Awareness Month

May is Lyme Disease Awareness Month and the Maine CDC has helpful hints. Learn how to prevent tick bites.

Early signs and symptoms of Lyme disease begin 3 to 30 days after the bite of an infected tick.

Signs and symptoms may include:

• Bull’s-eye rash
• Fever and chills
• Fatigue
• Muscle or joint pain/soreness

Later signs and symptoms

If not treated, more severe signs and symptoms can develop. Lyme disease is rarely fatal. These can appear weeks, months, or years after a bite from an infected tick and may include:

• Arthritis
• Neurologic, memory, and concentration problems
• Heart problems

Protect Your Yard From Ticks

• Keep the lawn mowed.
• Keep leaves raked and get rid of leaf piles.
• Move wood piles away from the house. Mice like to live here and can bring ticks with them.
• Move birdfeeders away from the house, gardens, and yard toys. Deer and mice like birdfeeders and can bring ticks into the yard.
• Use crushed stone or woodchips to make a tick-safe barrier around your yard. This should be 3-feet wide to separate the yard from the woods and keep ticks from crossing into the yard.

More from the Maine CDC HERE.

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