June 2026 // Health Matters Monthly Column
By Tina Opelt, APNP, FNP-BC, Family Nurse Practitioner
Lyme disease is an infection spread by deer ticks, which are about the size of a pinhead. They peak in our area in late spring and early summer. The CDC estimates there are 476,000 cases of Lyme disease diagnosed in the US every year.
Wisconsin is one of the areas associated with high exposure risk. If you spend time outside in our area, you are at risk of being exposed to Lyme disease.
Preventing tick bites is critical:
- Keep your lawn well-mowed and trimmed. Avoid tall grass and wooded areas.
- Wear long sleeves and long pants tucked into your socks and shoes outdoors.
- Use insect repellents such as DEET on your skin if you are age 3 years or older, or use oil of lemon eucalyptus, para-menthane-diol (PMD), 2-undecanone or OTC permethrin on your clothing.
- Do “tick checks” after being outdoors, shower daily to feel/find any attached ticks or to wash off any unattached ticks you can’t see.Remove an attached ticks as soon as you find one. Use a pair of tweezers to grasp the tick between the head and the skin, then pull firmly away.
Removing a tick within the first 24 hours dramatically lowers your risk of Lyme disease. If you develop fever, chills, headache, body aches with or without a rash 3 to 30 days after a tick bite, see medical attention.
Connect with Tina
Tina Opelt, APNP, FNP-BC, is a family nurse practitioner for NorthLakes Community Clinic in Augusta, Wisconsin, where everyone is served, regardless of their ability to pay, ensuring that all residents of northern Wisconsin have access to quality healthcare. For more information, visit nlccwi.org.
