What Is Tick Paralysis?

Tick paralysis is disease that causes tingling and numbness all over the body in people bitten by ticks. The
numbness can lead to weakness.

While the symptoms can be alarming, treatment is simple: remove the tick, and you’ll usually feel better in a
couple of hours.
Tick paralysis isn’t common, but you should take it seriously because in very rare cases, if untreated, the
disease can affect your lungs and make it hard to breathe. That can be fatal.

Causes

When you’re bitten by a tick and it hangs onto you for several days, it can release a neurotoxin through its
saliva. Experts don’t completely understand how, but the neurotoxin messes with your nervous system.

Symptoms

Tick paralysis usually starts with numbness or tingling in your legs. You may also have muscle pain and feel
tired and irritable. If your child has it, you may notice that he or she is walking in an odd way, as if drunk.

From there, the numbness moves up your body and is followed by paralysis that starts in your feet and moves
upward. It can just affect one side of you, but that’s less common. It then spreads to the arms and possibly
lungs. You may also feel tired and irritable and have muscle pain.

Tick paralysis symptoms are very close to those of Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS), which is when the body’s immune
system affects nerves, leading to paralysis.

Ticks can bite anywhere, but the most common spots are on your scalp, especially at the hairline on your neck.
Ticks also often attach to the armpit, between fingers and toes, or around the genitals and rectum.

Your doctor may ask if you’ve been in the woods lately or, if you have a dog, if your dog has been in areas
prone to ticks. Dogs can bring ticks into your home, which then attach to you.

It is possible for your cat to transport disease-carrying ticks into your home or yard, where these ticks may then
attach to you or your family members, spreading diseases which, in some cases, can be quite serious.

If the tick has already fallen off, look for a red bump, which is your body’s reaction to the saliva. Make sure all
of the tick is gone. If the tick’s body has already fallen off but the head or parts of its mouth are still attached to
your body, it could still be releasing the poison that causes the paralysis.

Treatment

The treatment is easy. Once the tick is removed -- the entire tick, including the head and all parts of its mouth --
you’ll get rid what’s causing the symptoms, and you should feel better quickly.

You can remove ticks by using tweezers to grasp the tick as close to your skin as possible. Pull the tick out in a
slow but steady upward motion. Don't handle the tick with bare hands when it’s out of your body, and clean
your hands and the bite site afterward.
Ticks do not die off during the winter months. To survive the cold and snow, most ticks find shelter in leaf
litter and are dormant until spring. However, adult deer ticks (black-legged ticks) remain active year round. ...
Nymphs are dormant during the winter months and become active in the spring.

Natural Tick Repellents

Cedar Oil Spray is a non-toxic, natural tick and insect repellent. It can be sprayed directly on clothing and skin. It is safe
for use on humans and pets. Not only does cedar oil repel ticks and other irritating insects, but it kills them. Cedar oil
spray can be purchased online and at most pet stores and big-box retailers.

Homemade Tick and Insect Repellent – Try this simple recipe. Just mix and apply to exposed skin before heading
outdoors:

o  9 drops citronella essential oil

o 6 drops Tea Tree essential oil
o 6 drops Peppermint essential oils
o 1 tablespoon almond oil or jojoba oil

Eucalyptus Oil is known as an effective tick repeller and killer. Just combine 4 ounces of purified or distilled water to a
small spray bottle along with 20 drops of eucalyptus essential oil. Shake before using and spray on skin, pant cuffs, and
shoes. Safe for use on dogs (eucalyptus oil must be diluted with the water before application on dogs).

Neem Oil is is used as a natural remedy to repel and remove ticks. To use, add several drops to the palm of your
hand and rub on exposed skin. It can also be diluted and mixed with almond or other light carrier oil. When
diluted, it’s safe for dogs. To remove a tick, apply a drop or two of neem oil directly on the tick and it
will extract itself quickly.
Apple Cider Vinegar – Apple cider vinegar to the rescue once again! This wonderful natural remedy also helps
to remove and kill ticks. The following solution can be sprayed on clothing and exposed skin, even lawn
furniture. Combine the following in a spray bottle:

 2 cups of water
 4 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar
 2 tablespoons of organic neem oil

Aromatherapy Essential Oils not only smell great, but they are also natural tick repellents. Ticks hate the
smell of lemon, orange, cinnamon, lavender, peppermint, and rose geranium. Any of these or a combination can
be used in DIY sprays or added to almond oil and rubbed on exposed skin.

Eat Garlic! We all know that garlic has excellent health benefits, and now we can add one more to the list.
Regular consumption of garlic* or garlic capsules reduces the risk of tick bites, and tick-borne disease. The
garlic causes the body to excrete a scent that ticks hate.

Perform what’s called a tick drag. Cut a 5-inch-square swatch of fabric and tie it to an 18-inch-long pole or
stick. Holding the pole, drag the fabric along tall grass or weeds, particularly near a woodland edge of your
lawn. Ticks will typically transfer themselves to the swatch.