The weather is warming up, and this means we are approaching the time of year when Lyme Disease is on the rise.
Holli Crear says she was bit by a tick twenty years ago, as a camp counselor in Warren County.
She says she had been having high fevers, joint pain, she couldn't move her neck, and was generally feeling awful.
Cases of Lyme Disease have been steadily on the rise for the past 15 years.
Bryan Backenson from the New York State Department of Health says more and more cases are being reported up in the Adirondacks, as it was originally a disease commonly seen on Long Island, and then in the lower Hudson Valley, and now up here in the upper Hudson Valley.
He adds that the most important thing is there is a risk of acquiring a tick pretty much anywhere in the Capital District, and it really only takes one tick bite, for you to wind up acquiring a tick-born disease.
The Centers for Disease Control recommends avoiding wooded areas with high grass and leaf litter, using repellent that contains at least 20% DEET, and conducting a full-body tick check upon returning from tick-infested areas, especially in the hair.
These recommendations are for both humans and pets.
Those with Lyme that are treated right away with antibiotics, have a good outcome.
If left untreated, Lyme Disease can affect the central nervous system, muscles, and joints.
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