Grass Tick Treatment
Grass ticks are Ixodes holocyclus, or paralysis ticks, in the tiny pre-adult larval or nymph stages. This tick species is confined to Australia, particularly along the eastern coast. Tick bites can usually be prevented, and bites are not normally serious, especially when the tick is removed properly. Treatment for tick bites does exist for the occasional disease that a grass tick might carry.
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Grass Ticks
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Paralysis ticks are the most medically significant tick in Australia, due to the vast majority of ticks and Australians sharing the same east coast habitat. This species of tick greatly prefers wet environments, forests and rainforests especially, and will not be found where there is too much dryness. Ticks will feed on their host for several days before they drop off. Adult paralysis ticks are most common in the spring and early summer, while young grass ticks are abundant both in late summer and in winter.
Prevention
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Grass tick bites are the most difficult to prevent, as grass ticks are much smaller and thus harder to see than adult paralysis ticks. However, most tick bites can still be prevented. When outside, wear clothing that covers the skin like pants and long-sleeved shirts. Wearing insect repellent is also effective. Check clothes and skin for ticks often when moving through the Australian bush. Prevent areas near home from being too wet and shady, as paralysis ticks prefer this type of environment. Regularly examine children and pets for tick infestations carefully.
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Removal
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Remove a tick as soon as possible after noticing the bite. Grass ticks are very small, so be as delicate as possible in their removal. After cleaning the area of the bite with rubbing alcohol, gently grab the tick by the head with tweezers or forceps as close to the skin as possible. Pull delicately until the tick lets go of its own volition. Kill the tick and keep its corpse in a jar for several weeks in case it carried a disease, as this will be useful to a doctor if disease symptoms eventually develop. Clean the area of the bite again. Contact a doctor if any part of the tick remains lodged in the bite.
Diagnosis
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In the days or weeks following a tick bite, also contact a doctor if a rash, joint pain, a swollen neck, or flu-like symptoms, such as fever or chills, develop. Emergency room treatment for tick bites is necessary if trouble breathing, severe headache, heart palpitations, chest pain, or paralysis are present. Paralysis in particular is the signature of the paralysis tick. The symptoms of paralysis are weakness, incoordination, tingling and numbness. Grass tick paralysis is most common in children and pets.
Treatment
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Treatment for tick bites is only necessary if the above symptoms are present. Grass tick paralysis is treated with an antitoxin, and is almost never deadly in humans. Lyme disease is not a problem in Australia, but tick typhus is a similar ailment often spread by paralysis ticks. This disease is treated with antibiotics. Allergic reactions, which are sometimes life-threatening, are the most dangerous potential side effect of tick bites. Severe allergic reactions are treated with adrenaline injections and sometimes require CPR. Anyone allergic to tick bites must always avoid ticks and tick-prone areas.
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