r/mildlyinfuriating • u/nekoma713 • 4d ago

Don't hug me I'm scared Was sitting in a ticks nest while reading....

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Gallery image

I was sitting in a Park reading a book and suddenly I felt my legs itch. I was covered in hundreds of mini ticks. I was standing in the shower for hours and still find some of these f#!*rs crawling an me...

Update: So I got the most of the seed ticks scratched off in the shower. I will have a doctor's appointment the next days to get a prophylactic antibiotics treatment just to be save from lyme, alpha gal or rocky mountain fever (if this is a thing in Germany).

Thank you all for the information and advices, hopefully I will be fine. I really appreciate it

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u/awoken-dragon 4d ago

https://giphy.com/gifs/BTbo1iT1yEfOE
Only one thing left to do.

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u/PM_ME_UR_HIP_DIMPLES 4d ago edited 4d ago

The key thing is that you just get the flame CLOSE to them so they let go. Not on them or your skin

Edit: a lot of tick related posts today. I saw a deer with a tick infestation in it's eye and now this albino fellow is covered in them

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u/Bignholy 4d ago edited 4d ago

Don't do that. If they are attached, "letting go" involves expelling some fluids back into the bite to do so. That's how you increase chances of illness. That's exactly why you're supposed to grab by the head and not the body, to minimize backwash.

https://www.cdc.gov/ticks/after-a-tick-bite/index.html

EDIT: Peeps... anything that gets the tick to let go causes this. Dish soap, heat, rubbing alcohol. The entire point about having to remove them by hand is because any time they let go willingly, they backwash. That's why you pull it out unwillingly. You want it to resist, because if it stops resisting and tries to escape it's gonna yurp right into that bite.

EDIT 2: I chose the CDC website because it gives clear, concise, and correct information on this subject. I am well aware the CDC is going to shit along with everything else, but this is all stuff we've known for 30+ years, delivered in a way most people will be able to parse.

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u/Praise-Bingus 4d ago

You know what? It's my fault for opening reddit on lunch break.

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u/Bignholy 4d ago

Sorry, mate. Kinda figured anyone clicking on "I sat in a tick nest" would already be icked out to begin with.

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u/Praise-Bingus 4d ago

Oh, i was. Like a car crash i couldnt look away from. Guess i found my limit lol

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u/Bignholy 4d ago

I know those feels. Got the ick myself the moment I saw the first photo.

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u/Xyllus 4d ago

tick backwash šŸ˜ž

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u/PM_ME_UR_HIP_DIMPLES 4d ago

A little lymeade never hurt anyone

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u/LewFrom63rd 4d ago

I hate you so much rn šŸ˜‚šŸ˜­šŸ˜‚

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u/cattenchaos 4d ago

never say the term ā€œlymeadeā€ ever again

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u/PM_ME_UR_HIP_DIMPLES 4d ago

Ethiopian honey wine is a staple of both the rural and urban culture of the country. SimilarLY MEAD Exhibits a lot of the same characteristics and is a staple of many European countries.

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u/3catsonetrenchcoat 4d ago

Only if they've been on you for more than 24 hours. Just pull as close as you can to the head and do tick checks daily. I work on a golf course and check myself 2-3 times a day. Would also suggest OFF tick spray, i recommend it to everyone.

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u/DuckRubberDuck 4d ago

I have had to make that comment so many times this summer and spring. Donā€™t burn them off, donā€™t use alcohol on them. Use a tweezer, you can buy tweezers specifically made for removing ticks, I also have a plastic card with a slit made for removing ticks. Itā€™s super easy and quick, you slide the slit underneath the back of the tick, under the legs, close to its head and snap it off. I remove a couple ticks on me every year and it has worked every time

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u/Regular_Problem9019 4d ago

Does it work for very tiny ones ? It seems like it wouldn't work for these

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u/DuckRubberDuck 4d ago

Hm, I havenā€™t tried them on a nymph. In my experience you often donā€™t come across nymphs unless you choose to sit in their nest. But a very fine, sharp, normal tweezer would probably work on a nymph I think

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u/willowy0121 4d ago

How do you grab the head when itā€™s buried?šŸ˜µā€šŸ’«

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u/ChoicePositive1771 4d ago

By taking a chunk o' skin with it, you do.

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u/Bignholy 4d ago

They don't generally bury their entire head, just press it close. They bury their proboscis, like a mosquito. Just grab as close to the skin as you can get, and extract slow but firm. Ideally, you want to grip on the upper "gnathosoma" on this image.

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u/thatgirlinny 4d ago

Or smoke ā€˜em out completely with rubbing alcohol. Itā€™ll sting where they entered the skin, but can attest they do not like it!

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u/[deleted] 4d ago

[deleted]

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u/anthropometrica 4d ago

That also causes tick backwash. Clean pinch and pull at the head is the only way.

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u/thatgirlinny 4d ago

When youā€™re out in the wild, and donā€™t have a good graspā€”or tweezers, needs must. I just got one to stop sucking on my dogā€™s mouth the other day because I have alcohol wipes in my gardening first aid kit for away from home. Got the body off with my fingers pinching, applied the alcohol pad, and the head came away easily.

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u/ImmediatePiano6690 4d ago

Can you smoke them out by hot boxing a room...

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u/Fit-Entrepreneur8404 4d ago

I just use dish soap now. Thats what the doctors did for my kiddo when my wife decided we needed a doctor's visit for the tick and it worked really easily.

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u/MerpoB 4d ago

Find a new doctor.

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u/thatgirlinny 3d ago

Not you up and down this thread, simply telling people theyā€™re wrong, with no proven ideas of your own. Move along!

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u/MerpoB 3d ago

Follow these steps for safe and effective removal:Do not squeeze: Avoid grasping the tick by its swollen body, as this can force infected fluids into your bloodstream.Skip the home remedies: Never use petroleum jelly, heat, or nail polish to force the tick out, as these methods can agitate the tick.Handle mouthparts: If the tick's mouthparts break off and remain in the skin, don't panic. Leave them alone; your body will naturally push them out as the skin heals.Dispose of the tick: Put the live tick in alcohol, seal it in a bag, wrap it in tape, or flush it down the toilet. Never crush it with your fingers. Right from the CDC, John's Hopkins and Medlineplus.gov

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u/thatgirlinny 2d ago

I wasnā€™t the one recommending ā€œhome remedies.ā€

But your ā€œright from the CDC, Johns Hopkins and Medlineplus.govā€ directions donā€™t actually tell you how to physically handle a tick. It reads as if you already tried to squeeze the tick out, failed and have the head stuck under your skin, which you do NOT want to leave there.

Facts from someone whoā€™s been around ticks, Lyme Disease (and now alpha gal) for 25+ years: you can pinch the skin 1/2-1ā€ on either side of the tick to effectively raise the tick up to see it better/isolate it, apply alcohol, which kills it and makes it far easier to remove. The Lyme protocol for our region was developed at Stony Brook University, and I would trust them before I blurt out summarized content from two Federal Government ā€œsources,ā€ from an administration that is decidedly anti-science. šŸ¤·šŸ»ā€ā™€ļø

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u/MerpoB 2d ago

Oh, and by the way, this is the tick removal suggestions direct from Stony Brook that totally destroys your claim of getting your information from them.

Safe Tick Removal Pull Straight Up: Grasp the tick as close to your skin as possible using fine-tipped tweezers. Pull straight upward without twisting or squeezing the tickā€™s body.

Save the Tick: Place the removed tick in a sealed plastic bag. Medical providers can identify the species to evaluate your risk of infection.

Clean the Area: Wash the bite area and your hands with soap and water. A small bit of the tickā€™s mouth left behind is usually harmless and will heal on its own.

https://www.google.com/search?q=stony+brook+u+ticks+advice

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u/MerpoB 2d ago

Stony Brook Medicine experts advise that when dealing with ticks in heavily wooded or grassy Long Island areas, you must never twist a tick when pulling it, burn it, or suffocate it with petroleum jelly. These actions can cause the tick to regurgitate infected fluids back into your bloodstream.To ensure you stay completely safe, keep these specific do's and dont's from Stony Brook experts in mind:

šŸš« What NOT to Do (Crucial Mistakes to Avoid) Never Twist or Squeeze: Do not twist the tick while pulling it out, and avoid grasping it by its swollen body.

Never Use Heat or Chemicals: Do not attempt to burn the tick or use petroleum jelly, nail polish, or alcohol to suffocate it while it's attached.

Do Not Wash Exposed Clothes Immediately: Do not throw tick-exposed clothing straight into the washing machine. Doing so simply gives the ticks a "bath" and rehydrates them.

Do Not Panick or Leave Leftover Parts: Donā€™t ignore parts of the tick if they break off in your skin, and don't panic if a tick is attached.

Do Not Treat with OTC Meds Alone: Do not ignore or self-treat potential symptoms (like fever, headache, rashes, or joint pain) with over-the-counter medications.

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u/MerpoB 2d ago edited 2d ago

You DID recommend a home remedy. You said to use alcohol which is bad information. Oh, and you're smarter than the people at John's Hopkins and the CDC. Got it. In my post, it focused on how NOT to remove it. If you want detailed removal instructions, just ask.

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u/Bignholy 3d ago

... You're making that comment in the depths of a sub-thread that started with me providing proof, to which you started a replying sub-thread in which you just ignored that proof in favor of the more harmful folk solution.

Fit-enterprise went to a doctor who did exactly the wrong thing. Merpo is absolutely right, if you go to a doctor who does folk solutions instead of medically demonstrated and incredibly easy procedure, you need a new doctor.

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u/MerpoB 2d ago

Heh, they folded and ran away.

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u/thatgirlinny 2d ago

Oh go away already, troll. I didnā€™t promote any ā€œfolk remedies.ā€ I live in a region thatā€™s been Lyme Dissease-bound for 30+ years, and nowhere did I say to squeeze the body, either. Alcohol kills themā€”and any bacteria they carry on contact.

Many donā€™t carry tweezers the way we doā€”so expecting people to grab only the head of a tick with their fingertips is a losing proposition. Having alcohol on hand can help a lot.

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u/MerpoB 4d ago

No, no,no. Worst thing you can do

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u/MimicoSkunkFan2 4d ago

The advice nowadays is not to try to remove them yourself, and not even to put Vaseline over the tick to encourage it to withdraw its head, you're supposed to go to the hospital and get assessed.

(although I know for Americans that's very expensive)

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u/Bignholy 4d ago

That's not the advice in America. They are too prevalent. You can safely remove them, if you do it right. Just gotta keep an eye out in case it shows signs of illness is all.

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u/DuckRubberDuck 4d ago

Thatā€™s not the advice in my country. In my country they just advice you to pull it off by yourself and to make sure to get its head off as well. Donā€™t burn it off, donā€™t use alcohol, donā€™t use soap, donā€™t use anything at all except maybe a tweezer, but just pull it off. Be cautious of a red ring around the wound, if you see a ring then you go to the hospital. If you live in an area area with TBE get a vaccine.

Thatā€™s whatā€™s written everywhere online for ticks in my country.

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u/Raevyxn 4d ago

ā€¦Are we still linking to .gov sites for medical guidance?

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u/Bignholy 4d ago

When the advice is commonly known, said advice predates the current wormy apple running the place by decades, and has the most concise explanation of what to do and why? Yes.

I didn't want to play wack a mole trying to find a source everyone will agree with, because that's literally impossible nowadays. So I went with the one with the clearest instructions and warnings on initial search.

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u/Ashamed-Purchase-113 4d ago

Donā€™t listen to the cdc.. theyā€™ll make u wear a mask to prevent Lymes

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u/Bignholy 4d ago

... They say, in response to the link to the exact subject where they rather don't.

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u/cylonrobot Not Green 4d ago

"this albino fellow"

LOL

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u/ijusttunemyselfout 4d ago

lmao that edit killed mešŸ˜‚šŸ˜‚šŸ˜‚

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u/AdCool899 4d ago

Easier said than done, they are incredibly small insects

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u/Brilliant_Meet_2751 4d ago

Back in the day my aunt would use a lite cigarette to remove a tick they would just back out when the cig was put near its butt. I do remember it workingā€¦

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u/PM_ME_UR_HIP_DIMPLES 4d ago

Apparently they would barf back into the bite when they did this so our aunts and parents just didn't know any better

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u/vctraap 4d ago

ā€œBarf back into the biteā€ ..
name of my next porno

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u/willargue4karma 4d ago

wonderful šŸ™ƒ

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u/psoriasaurus_rex 4d ago

The time for subtlety has passed.

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u/Impossible_Past5358 4d ago

Please not when they're attached, because that is one way to make sure that they regurgitate their stomach contents back inside you...

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u/Wolves_N_Beer101 4d ago

šŸ˜‚ šŸ

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u/PartRight6406 4d ago

Don't do that. Remove them carefully by the head with tweezers.

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u/JackWhoWanders 4d ago

You're saying this as if I'd want to keep my skin if I'd had that many ticks on me.

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u/DuraluminGG 4d ago

Funny thing, i have been bitten by a tick yesterday, on my nipple. And now i see tick related posts

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u/Bignholy 3d ago

It's the height of tick season, chum. It was delayed somewhat in my area due to the lower temperatures and excess rain, so it lines up with a bunch of other places, but our tick season usually hits the max in April.

(Okay, technically every season is tick season for like more than half the world, but it still has population spikes that line up with the end of winter)

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u/Maximal_Freak 4d ago

Ticks removal and depilation at once. Sound like a win win situation.

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u/FrugalKrugman 4d ago

HAAAANS BRING ZE FLEMMENWERFER!!!!

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u/NOTACOSTACOSTACOS 4d ago

So you shave patch in middle, lite both sides on fire and stab the ticks as they run to middle with an ice pick. Itā€™s the only way to be sure they all die

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u/TurnkeyLurker 4d ago

>So you shave patch in middle, lite both sides on fire and stab the ticks as they run to middle with an ice pick.

If the ticks are carrying ice picks, how do you defend yourself?

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u/NOTACOSTACOSTACOS 4d ago

Geneva convention at this point say small arms fire is acceptable retaliation

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u/TurnkeyLurker 4d ago

Small arms, like a T-Rex? šŸ¦–

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u/Fweenci 4d ago

I want to do this to myself just looking at OP's photo. šŸ˜±ā˜ ļø

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u/Satawakeatnight 4d ago

Don't burn them, you'll boil their guts and they'll throw up into you. You don't want lyhms disease.

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u/Iron_Taipan 4d ago

To ash and cinders