Bonus article - Be aware of the signs of Lyme disease

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If you’ll be camping or hiking this summer, be vigilant about checking your body for ticks. Not removing them could lead to a bout of Lyme disease.

Lyme disease is transmitted by blacklegged ticks, which like to hide in long grass or wooded areas. They’re most commonly found in the Northeast, Upper Midwest, Mid-Atlantic states, and on the Pacific coast.

The tiny insects can cling to your clothing and make their way onto your skin. If the tick isn’t removed from your skin within a few days, the bite could bring Lyme disease, a bacterial infection that can lead to joint pain and heart problems if it’s not caught soon enough.

Early signs of Lyme disease appear within three to 30 days after a tick bite. Signs include fever, chills, fatigue, muscle and joint aches, and swollen lymph nodes.

Most, but not all, people with Lyme disease get a red target-shaped rash that starts at the site of the tick bite. The rash could expand and reach 12 inches across. The rash could be warm but doesn’t usually hurt or itch.

If left untreated, Lyme disease could spread to the joints, heart, and nervous system. It could then cause a host of more severe symptoms, such as headaches, neck stiffness, rashes, and a drooping face. Arthritis and joint swelling can develop, and pain might come and go in the tendons, muscles, joints and bones. Heart palpitations or an irregular heartbeat could occur. Other signs can include dizziness, shortness of breath, inflammation in the brain and spinal cord, nerve pain, and shooting pains or numbness in the hands and feet.

Lyme disease does not occur with every tick bite. If you start to feel achy or have other symptoms after spending time outdoors, however, talk to a health care professional about getting tested for Lyme disease so treatment can begin.

Lyme disease can be treated with antibiotics, and chances of a full recovery increase if the condition is treated early.