DIY Tick Tubes

Here in the desert, we don't give much thought to ticks.  My husband and son think about them a little bit more when they go camping, because they are apparently tick magnets.  (Rhymes with chick magnet, but apparently not nearly so exciting.  My husband might not appreciate it, but I'd rather have him be a tick magnet than a chick magnet.)
Anyway, if we happened to find ourselves living back East again, or anywhere where ticks abound, we'd be making loads of these little tick tubes.  Sure, you can buy them on Amazon, but eventually Amazon may quit delivering.  And they're so easy to DIY with materials you probably already have on hand.

What you'll need:

• cardboard toilet paper or paper towel tubes (cut paper towel tubes into two or three pieces)
• cotton balls (or dryer lint)
• permethrin

Dilute your permethrin with water so that it is a 7-7.5% solution.  (Commercially manufactured tick tubes use a 7.4% solution of permethrin.)  How much water you will need depends on the concentration of permethrin you are using.  If you are using 36.8% permethrin, you want about one part permethrin to five parts water.

Spray the cotton balls well with your permethrin solution and then let them dry.  Now stuff the cardboard tubes with your permethrin cotton balls.  Place the tubes in discreet areas around the perimeter of your yard.  Mice will take the cotton balls to build their nests.  The ticks, which reproduce in mice nests, are killed on contact with permethrin.  The mice remain unharmed.

Unfortunately, permethrin also kills beneficial insects like bees and butterflies, so it's really not something to be used indiscriminately around the yard.

Links to related posts:
Permethrin--Don't Bug Out Without It  
TEOTWAWKI Tick Bite Prevention
Tick-Borne Illnesses  

For more information:
DIY Tick Tubes
More DIY Tick Tubes
Yet More DIY Tick Tubes

© 2019, PrepSchoolDaily.blogspot.com 

1 july 2021

Tick-Borne Viral Illnesses

Disclaimer.  I am not a licensed health practitioner.  This is just another post on an item you might wish to have available if needed so that a physician can treat you and your family as best as possible.  No medication, including those available over the counter, should be taken without consulting a physician.  Information shared here is for educational and entertainment purposes only.  It is not medical advice nor a substitute for licensed medical care.  A qualified, licensed physician or other medical provider should be consulted before beginning any herbal or conventional treatment.

In addition to the bacterial diseases caused by tick bites, it's probably a good idea to consider the viruses that tick bites can spread as well.  Though generally not so serious as the bacterial tick-borne diseases, the viral diseases ticks transmit to us may also cause substantial harm, and even death.  However, in a collapsed society without advanced medical care and lab facilities available, these viral tick-borne diseases are going to be particularly difficult to identify and treat.  In most cases, treatment is going to be supportive only and often a patient will never know what it was that made him sick. 

Colorado Tick Fever
This rare viral disease transmitted by the bites of infected Rocky Mountain wood ticks (Dermacentor andersoni) cannot be transmitted from person to person (except in the case of a blood transfusion).  These ticks are only found in the Rocky Mountains of North America at elevations of 4,000 to 10,000 and are most active March through August.  Onset of symptoms from time of tick bite ranges from one to fourteen days.  The most common symptoms are fever, headache, chills, fatigue, body aches, and exhaustion.  Some patients may experience sore throat, stomachache, vomiting, a rash, or a stiff neck.  And like some other tick-borne illnesses, the patient may experience several days of illness, followed by a recovery period, and then followed again by more fever and disease. 

Heartland Virus Infection
This viral disease afflicts people mainly in Missouri and Tennessee between the months of May and September.  It is believed to be caused by the bites of lone star ticks.  The symptoms are very similar to another tick-borne disease, ehrlichiosis, and include fever, headache, body aches, fatigue, and various stomach problems.  There are no specific medications for treating this disease.  Most patients recover completely within a few days.  Supportive care for reducing pain and fever and increasing fluid intake may be desired. 

Powassan Viral Disease and Powassan Encephalitis 
This is a serious viral disease spread by blacklegged (Ixodes scapularis) or groundhog (Ixodes cookei) ticks.  Fortunately, there is no person to person transmission of this disease.  Most cases of this disease occur in the northeastern US and Great Lakes areas from April through October.  The incubation period ranges from one week to one month.  More serious symptoms include dementia, muscle weakness, seizures, and even death.  As there is no medicine to treat this disease, most treatment is supportive and may include hospitalization and IV fluids.  

Bourbon Virus
This very rare disease causes joint and muscle pain, rashes, fever, and fatigue.  It was first identified in Bourbon County, Kansas, and since then other cases have been found in Missouri and Oklahoma. 


 Links to related posts:
Tick-Borne Bacterial Illnesses
Preventing Tick Bites
DIY Tick Tubes
Permethrin 

For further reading:
http://myhousepests.com/ticks/viral-tick-disease.html
https://insectcop.net/most-common-tick-borne-diseases-in-humans/
https://lymediseaseassociation.org/other-tick-borne-diseases/
https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/tick-borne/default.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tick-borne_disease
https://www.cdc.gov/ticks/diseases/index.html
https://www.foxnews.com/health/lone-star-tick-wisconsin-red-meat-allergy

Permethrin--Don't Bug Out Without It

By the same token, don't bug in without it, either.  Why is that?

Because permethrin kills bugs.  As mentioned in several previous blog posts on lice, ticks, bed bugs, etc. (links below), permethrin is the go-to insecticide in a bad situation.  Discovered in 1973, permethrin is also on the WHO List of Essential Medicines. 

PERMETHRIN AS A MEDICINE
Permethrin is available in a few forms, both over-the-counter and by prescription only.

• Nix is 1% permethrin lotion for killing lice.  It kills both the lice and their eggs.  It is sometimes suggested for killing scabies, but is likely not strong enough to eradicate them completely. 
• RID shampoo kills lice but not their eggs, so the treatment needs to be repeated a week later.
• Elimite, a 5% permethrin cream, is available by prescription only and is used for treating scabies.  It is applied from head to toe, including the hairline, under finger- and toenails, and between toes and fingers.  In babies, it is also applied to the scalp, but this is usually not necessary in adults.  The cream is left on for 8-14 hours and then washed off in the shower.  One treatment is usually effective. 

PERMETHRIN AS AN INSECTICIDE
Permethrin is an extremely effective insecticide.  It kills and repels mosquitoes, ticks, lice, scabies, fleas, and livestock parasites.  Due to resistance, it is becoming less efficacious in killing bed bugs.  Unfortunately, permethrin also kills bees, so it should not be used on gardens, though it is often used in commercial agriculture.

When sprayed on clothing, permethrin will kill and repel ticks and mosquitoes for six weeks or six washes.

Permethrin may also be sprayed on dogs to repel fleas and ticks.  If possible, their fur should be fluffed up before spraying, and permethrin should be sprayed all over, avoiding the genitals and eyes.  Permethrin is toxic to cats. 

Purchase options, in addition to the medical use options above, include the following:

• 0.5% Sawyer Premium Permethrin Insect Repellent; each bottle treats clothing and gear and dogs. 
• 10% permethrin from Martin's Multi-Purpose Insecticide. 
• 13.3% permethrin from Martin's Multi-Purpose Insecticide. 
• 36.8%  permethrin from Control Solutions Inc.  Each bottle contains directions for mixing your own solutions.  One teaspoon plus water to make 12.5 ounces of a 0.5% solution;  1 tablespoon plus water to make 37.5 ounces of a 0.5% solution (like the Sawyer brand, used for clothing, tents, dogs).

I like to keep things natural--natural medicine, home grown produce, cooking from scratch.  Diatomaceous earth and ladybugs for killing garden pests.  The yard surrounding my house is full of catnip and rosemary for repelling mosquitoes.  I also prefer to use products that are sustainable and renewable.   But I also want to be prepared for something truly horrific when it comes to ticks, lice, and mosquitoes.  If there is some kind of outbreak that poses a threat to my family, I need to be able to deal with it effectively.  If we find ourselves in tick country, we don't want to compound our difficulties with tick-borne illness.  If yellow fever invades with the mosquitoes, I want my homemade repellents to have a back-up. It's kind of like a pocket knife and a fixed blade knife.  The vast majority of the time, a pocket knife will serve well for whatever you need to do.  But there are those rare occasions when you really want a fixed blade, whether it's just for reassurance or for actual use.  Permethrin is that fixed blade.

Permethrin appears to be safe for use in pregnancy and for babies over the age of two months; however, breastfeeding should be discontinued during treatment.

Cautions:  Permethrin may cause an allergic reaction in individuals sensitive to ragweeds.  Side effects include a rash or irritation at the area of use.

Links to related posts:
Family Medical Kit 
Coconut Oil  (combine with permethrin for killing lice)
Scabies
Lice
Ticks
Tularemia
Bed bugs

For further reading:
Permethrin Prescription Literature
https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/anda/98/074806ap.pdf
https://www.drugs.com/pro/permethrin.html
https://sawyer.com/products/permethrin-insect-repellent-treatment/
https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a698037.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Permethrin
https://sectionhiker.com/permethrin-soak-method-guide/

© 2019, PrepSchoolDaily.blogspot.com 

13 april 2021

Tick-Borne Bacterial Illnesses: Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Lyme Disease, Etc.

Disclaimer.  I am not a licensed health practitioner.  This is just another post on an item you might wish to have available if needed so that a physician can treat you and your family as best as possible.  No medication, including those available over the counter, should be taken without consulting a physician.  Information shared here is for educational and entertainment purposes only.  It is not medical advice nor a substitute for licensed medical care.  A qualified, licensed physician or other medical provider should be consulted before beginning any herbal or conventional treatment.

Unlike the other creepy-crawlies covered recently who are only able to transmit one kind of disease, ticks are more evolved.  They spread pain and suffering in a much wider variety of ways (wow, makes them sound like politicians, doesn't it?).  Their bites can transmit bacteria, viruses, and other parasites.  Some species of ticks may carry more than one kind of disease.  It's enough to make you want to bathe in DEET and never go outside if you think about it long enough.

But that approach isn't necessarily healthy, or practical.  So let's be a little more realistic.

In an effort to be a bit more logical in the approach to addressing the various tick-borne diseases, today's post will focus on the bacterial diseases transmitted by tick bites.  Other tick-borne diseases will be addressed later.


Please refer to the post on ticks for methods of preventing tick bites and removing ticks.


All tick-borne illnesses:

• If you have the resources, every patient presenting with a tick bite in a high risk area may be given doxycycline in a 200 mg single dose.  
• If I had an immediate family member with a tick that had possibly been attached more than twelve hours, I wouldn't hesitate to use doxycycline in this manner, and assuming I still had an adequate supply.
• Others can use their own supplies or hope for the best. I wouldn't use my supplies prophylactically on someone outside my family. 
• Even today, if a patient indicates he has been bitten by a tick, and he displays signs and symptoms consistent with a tick-borne disease (and which are common to many illnesses), a physician will start him on a course of antibiotics immediately.  Blood test results take time, and at least one of these tick-borne illnesses can quickly become fatal. If a patient reports flu-like symptoms after a tick bite, antibiotics are automatically administered.
• Regardless of whether a tick-borne disease is identified sooner or later, antibiotics are still used.  Those identified later may need a longer course of therapy, up to four weeks, and there is the possibility of suffering the consequences for life.  
• The treatment for most tick-borne diseases that are bacterial in origin is the same--doxycycline.  Physicians typically prescribe doxycycline at 100 mg/2x per day/10-14 days.  Amoxicillin is another option, 500 mg/3x per day/14 days.
• The common signs and symptoms:  headache, rash, muscle and joint pain, altered mental status.

There is very little information in the off-grid medicine books I consulted on the treatment of tick-borne diseases.  The best resource I could find is the CDC.  Links are posted below.

Lyme disease.  Lyme disease mimics many other illnesses, with rashes, headaches, and muscle and joint aches, and has a very long incubation period--up to 30 days.  If a patient recalls being bitten by a tick, that helps with diagnosis, but most patients--over 60%--do not recall being bitten.  Remember, a tick doesn't latch on and stay on.  It attaches for a very long feeding, and then falls off.  (Sounds like some of my babies.)  Early signs include a characteristic bullseye rash around the site of the attack bite.  There may be meningitis or inflammation of heart muscle, neither of which is going to be easily diagnosed in an austere environment.  Later symptoms include severe arthritis involving many joints or chronic meningitis--headaches, problems in thinking clearly, and sleepiness.

The ticks that carry Lyme disease are found all over the US, but most infections occur in the Northeast and North Central US.


Rocky Mountain spotted fever.  The ticks carrying this disease are found throughout the US, but most frequently identified in Arizona, Oklahoma, Missouri, Arkansas, Tennessee, and North Carolina.  The incubation period is 3-12 days.  Early signs (1-4 days) include a high fever, severe headache, gastrointestinal symptoms (nausea, vomiting, anorexia), and edema around the eyes and on the back of the hands.  Later signs include altered mental status, cerebral edema, pulmonary edema and respiratory distress, necrosis (tissue death requiring amputation), and kidney failure.  If there is any suspicion of RMSF, begin treatment immediately.  Delay may be fatal.

The rash associated with RMSF begins 2-5 days after the onset of symptoms.  The small, flat, pink, non-itchy spots first appear on the wrists, forearms, and ankles and sometimes spread to the trunk, palms and soles.  About 10% of patients never develop a rash and the decision to begin treatment should not be based on the presence of a rash.  Later, the rash turns red to purple.  This is a sign of severe progression of the disease and treatment should have already begun.

Rickettsiosis.  The ticks that carry this disease are found in the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic US, as well as southern Arizona.   The incubation period is 2-10 days.  The disease is less severe than RMSF; the treatment is the same.

Ehrlichiosis.  The ticks that carry this disease are found in the Southeast and South Central US.  Additional symptoms include fever, chills, and gastrointestinal complaints--vomiting, diarrhea, anorexia, and nausea.  The incubation period is 5-14 days.

Anaplasmosis.  The ticks that carry this disease are found in the Upper Midwest and Northeastern US.  Additional symptoms and incubation period are the same as for ehrlichiosis.  There is the possibility of co-infection with Lyme disease.

Tick-borne relapsing fever.  The ticks that carry this disease are found primarily in the Western US, and most cases occur when people sleep in rustic cabins, whether in the summer when ticks are most active, or in the winter when fires are heating cabins and ticks nesting in walls and woodwork are activated.  The incubation period is about 7 days.  The febrile periods last 3 days, followed by a 7 day break, then another 3-day fever, and so on.  The usual antibiotics are tetracycline or erythromycin, both in the same dosages:  500 mg/4x day/10 days. 

Links to related posts:
Ticks--Preventing Bites and Removing Ticks 

For further information:
https://www.cdc.gov/ticks/tickbornediseases/rmsf.html
https://www.cdc.gov/ticks/tickbornediseases/tbrf.html
https://www.cdc.gov/ticks/tickbornediseases/lyme.html
https://www.cdc.gov/ticks/tickbornediseases/rickettsiosis.html
https://www.cdc.gov/ticks/tickbornediseases/anaplasmosis.html
https://www.cdc.gov/ticks/tickbornediseases/ehrlichiosis.html

© 2019, PrepSchoolDaily.blogspot.com  

30 april 2023

Book Review: Stephen Buhner's Herbal Antivirals

Stephen Harrod Buhner's Herbal Antivirals:  Natural Remedies for Emerging & Resistant Viral Infections is another essential volume to acquire for the medical prepping library.  Just like his Herbal Antibiotics book, in this volume Dr. Buhner clearly presents information for each of the herbs and viral diseases he discusses, without any fluff.  Everything is meticulously researched and documented, though much of the research does comes from outside the United States.  Maybe that's a plus. 
Buhner starts off this volume with an introduction to viruses, and though he includes the biological explanations of what viruses do, he pretty much keeps it to a level that most non-life science people with a couple of brain cells to rub together can understand.  He keeps it at a conversational level, and even a bit entertaining at times.  He touches on polio, smallpox, and influenza--the stuff we're somewhat familiar with, and then brings out chikungunya, a virus spread by mosquitoes that causes fever and debilitating pain, for which doctors prescribed acetaminophen.  And the cause of death for many of chikungunya's victims was--get this--liver failure from the acetaminophen.

So what's to be done?  As Buhner points out, Big Pharma doesn't have a lot of antivirals at its disposal.  About 30% of the pages in this volume are devoted to Buhner's top seven antiviral herbs:  Chinese skullcap, elder, ginger, houttuynia, isatis, licorice, and lomatium, plus boneset and red root, which merit an honorable mention.  However, he also lists the many herbal options and dosages for all the illnesses he discusses; he just doesn't go into elaborate detail on the others.  So you'll also learn or be reminded of how to use blackberry, raspberry, oregano, thyme, knotweed, berberine, and many other herbs in your treatment of viral diseases.  And he offers some advice and herbal suggestions for strengthening the immune system. 

In the appendices, Buhner includes an introduction to making herbal medicine as well as a list of suppliers he recommends.  Now, as preppers, we're probably happier being able to produce our own medicine, and fortunately, the author also includes, with his discussion on each of the herbs, guidelines for growing and harvesting the herbs and sources for obtaining seeds or plants.  So there's that to look forward to.  In addition, the bibliography is over 50 pages long.  If you want to find sources for further researching a specific disease or herb, it's all there.

Like Herbal Antibiotics, I think this volume would be better with pictures to help with plant identification.  And one other complaint that some readers have is that very little attention devoted to the common cold.  To me, that's not a deal breaker.  A cold doesn't kill you, and if you strictly practice basic hygiene, common sense, and eat a healthy diet, you shouldn't have too many.

Like with his other books, Buhner's intended audience is those who want a natural, practical, and effective approach to treating viral diseases.  In that respect it is also quite invaluable to preppers looking for tools to defend themselves against enemies they can't even see. Buhner provides treatment protocols for viral respiratory infections like influenza, pneumonia, SARS, RSV, and croup; viral encephalitis infections such as Japanese, West Nile, tick-borne, and dengue; and other viruses like enterovirus, varicella (shingles), herpes, and Epstein-Barr. 

I'm glad I don't have to choose between getting Herbal Antibiotics or Herbal Antivirals.  They are both must-haves, in my opinion.  But if I did have to choose, the nod would go to Herbal Antibiotics.  Herbal Antibiotics covers the plants you want for treating respiratory diseases, which is probably huge for all of us.  I live in a desert where we have almost nothing in the way of ticks or mosquitoes, and much of Herbal Antivirals deals with tick- and mosquito-borne diseases.  If I did have to deal with ticks and mosquitoes, or if I were worried about shingles, I'd eat rice and beans for a month and save the money to get this book.  There should be a copy in every group, if not every family.

Links to related posts:
Alton's Antibiotics and Infectious Disease, Dr. Joe Alton and Amy Alton 
Herbal Antibiotics, by Stephen Buhner
The Herbal Medic, by Sam Coffman

© 2019, PrepSchoolDaily.blogspot.com