Managed to acquire a tick bite whilst biking last weekend. Walked around all week thinking it was some sort of sting/spot. Finally investigated yesterday evening, and found it to be pretty obstinate, even after some fairly persistent gouging with a pair of nail scissors (in hindsight, perhaps not the most medically sound of approaches).
Popped to the pharmacy today to ask if they had any thoughts, and was re-directed in seconds to the next-door doctor who informed me calmly that it was most certainly 100% a tick bite, which are apparently a reasonably common occurence in South Africa if out and about, and completely nothing to be surprised about, but then proceeded to tell me all about the various long-term repurcussions of not treating a tick bite, and the various names for the disease which can follow (‘tick bite fever’ – good name, does exactly what it says on the tin – ‘Rocky Mountain spotted fever’ – sounds more exotic and slightly strange – ‘Lymes disease’ – which I’ve heard of and doesn’t sound very nice). Apologies to anyone medically inclined reading this, I’ve no clue if they are indeed the same thing, or if any of them are indeed feasible repurcussions of being bitten, all I remember is that when I was younger our dog used to get the occasional tick and we’d get it off by dousing it in the strongest spirit to hand and twisting and pulling. Having checked a couple of internet advice sites, it seems that all three of those approaches and any combination thereof are generally frowned upon. No mention of the nail scissor approach though.
Anyhow – I now have a little course of antibiotics to kill off whatever the tick has infected me with. And a new-found respect for ticks. And a fresh can of punchy insect-repellent (on the advice of the doctor). And I’ve learned another new lesson – if there’s some ailment or affliction you don’t recognise, it’s possibly worth seeking medical advice sooner rather than later. Especially in a country where there seem to be all sorts of hazards from even the most innocuous of events.
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