I'm not a happy chap. Yesterday I had a great time with the family bushwalking in the Bunya Mountains. We completed a 5km circuit after a late lunch and arrived back in the carpark just on dark. The rainforest was beautiful, we counted at least 7 different birds by their sounds and the scenery from the lookouts along the walk was breathtaking. All in all one of the best days out in a long time. Unfortunately I returned from the trip with some unwelcome hitchikers. Ticks.
Ticks are tiny. The problems they cause are out of all proportion to their size. 5 of the little bastards managed to get themselves under my clothing and 4 of them buried their horrid little heads in my skin before I noticed. The first indication was an irritation on my hip as we approached Toowoomba on the return trip, about an hour after leaving the mountains. I located the tick under the map light in the car and removed it on the spot. A dull ache began almost immediately, not a good sign. I got the next two in the BP station in Toowoomba, one was attached and sucking, the other still looking for a suitable spot. I found the others after a careful search once I got home. needless to say all the other family members searched themselves, and we made a careful search of our 4 year old. Fortunately I was the only one who picked up passengers that day. Everyone else was clear.
Today I have a lump that feels like a golf ball under my left arm, and several more on my left hip and leg. The lumps hurt when touched and ache when ignored. It seems I'm one of the few who have an adverse reaction to the saliva ticks inject into their prey while feeding. I'm feeling decidedly unwell, but there is nothing I can do except wait for the reaction to die down. It could take weeks.
Ticks usually climb to the top of grass blades and wait for their prey to brush against them. They then scramble onto the host and may wander about for a few hours in search of a likely place to attach and feed. Careful bushwalkers spray their boots, clothing and exposed skin with insect repellant to ward them off. This is by no means certain protection, as I can testify. I sprayed myself before I set off on the walk, as did each member of our group. I was the only one to pick up ticks that day.
The Bunya Mountains are notorious for ticks. All the guidebooks and pamphlets warn about them and encourage people to wear repellant and bring along fine tweezers to help with their removal. Good advice.
I'll probably return to the Bunya Mountains one day, despite being ticked off today. The scenery is wonderful and the bushwalking about as good as it gets. I'll probably make sure I finish my next walk with sufficient light to enable a thorough inspection though. A case of once bitten, twice shy.
Update
I ended up calling the community nurse on 13HEALTH about lunch time on Tuesday. The nurse advised me to see a doctor within 24 hours. The doctor diagnosed a severe allergic reaction to the tick bites and prescribed antihistamine tablets and cortisone cream. He said I should take antihistamine tablets bushwalking in future and take them as soon as I noticed a tick bite rather than waiting for symptoms. I will be doing that.
Ticks are tiny. The problems they cause are out of all proportion to their size. 5 of the little bastards managed to get themselves under my clothing and 4 of them buried their horrid little heads in my skin before I noticed. The first indication was an irritation on my hip as we approached Toowoomba on the return trip, about an hour after leaving the mountains. I located the tick under the map light in the car and removed it on the spot. A dull ache began almost immediately, not a good sign. I got the next two in the BP station in Toowoomba, one was attached and sucking, the other still looking for a suitable spot. I found the others after a careful search once I got home. needless to say all the other family members searched themselves, and we made a careful search of our 4 year old. Fortunately I was the only one who picked up passengers that day. Everyone else was clear.
Today I have a lump that feels like a golf ball under my left arm, and several more on my left hip and leg. The lumps hurt when touched and ache when ignored. It seems I'm one of the few who have an adverse reaction to the saliva ticks inject into their prey while feeding. I'm feeling decidedly unwell, but there is nothing I can do except wait for the reaction to die down. It could take weeks.
Ticks usually climb to the top of grass blades and wait for their prey to brush against them. They then scramble onto the host and may wander about for a few hours in search of a likely place to attach and feed. Careful bushwalkers spray their boots, clothing and exposed skin with insect repellant to ward them off. This is by no means certain protection, as I can testify. I sprayed myself before I set off on the walk, as did each member of our group. I was the only one to pick up ticks that day.
The Bunya Mountains are notorious for ticks. All the guidebooks and pamphlets warn about them and encourage people to wear repellant and bring along fine tweezers to help with their removal. Good advice.
I'll probably return to the Bunya Mountains one day, despite being ticked off today. The scenery is wonderful and the bushwalking about as good as it gets. I'll probably make sure I finish my next walk with sufficient light to enable a thorough inspection though. A case of once bitten, twice shy.
Update
I ended up calling the community nurse on 13HEALTH about lunch time on Tuesday. The nurse advised me to see a doctor within 24 hours. The doctor diagnosed a severe allergic reaction to the tick bites and prescribed antihistamine tablets and cortisone cream. He said I should take antihistamine tablets bushwalking in future and take them as soon as I noticed a tick bite rather than waiting for symptoms. I will be doing that.
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