Prevent TICK BITES with ICEGRIPPER Gaiters

Because TICK BITES are now increasingly common in the UK, Jeremy Vines, BBC Radio 2 show did a whole 20-minute article on them. You can protect yourself with ICEGRIPPER Gaiters - but why should you?

The quick answer is: Lyme Disease

As more and more people venture into the outdoors for hiking and other activities, the risk of encountering ticks has become a growing concern. Ticks are tiny arachnids that can carry a variety of diseases, including Lyme disease, which can cause severe health problems if left untreated.

While ticks are most active in the spring and summer months, they can be found all year round. There are around 3,500 cases of Lyme disease in England and Wales each year.

This is gradually increasing due to several factors:

• Warmer, wetter weather due to climate change – ideal breeding conditions for ticks
• Enhanced surveillance and reporting (official UK data collection established in 2005)
• Habitat modification that may have resulted in changes in tick distribution
• Changes in wildlife populations
• Increasing numbers of people engaging in outdoor activities

What is Lyme Disease and How Do You Know You Have Been Bitten by an Infected Tick?
Lyme Disease is a bacterial infection that can be spread to humans by infected ticks. It's usually easier to treat if it's diagnosed early. After being bitten by a tick (which is often painless and unnoticed) a circular or oval shape rash around the tick bite can be an early symptom of Lyme disease. The rash can appear up to 3 months after being bitten by an infected tick, but usually appears within 1 to 4 weeks. The rash may look like a bullseye on a dartboard and can last for several weeks.

Some people get flu-like symptoms a few days or weeks after they were bitten by an infected tick, such as:

• high temperature, or feeling hot and shivery
• headache
• muscle and joint pain
• tiredness and loss of energy
• Some people with Lyme disease develop more severe symptoms months or years later. This is more likely if treatment is delayed...
• pain and swelling in joints
• nerve problems – such as pain or numbness
• heart problems
• trouble with memory or concentration

One way to protect yourself against ticks while hiking is to use ICEGRIPPER Gaiters. Our gaiters are available in a variety of heights and weights, depending on the requirements of the activity:

ICEGRIPPER Gaiters are an effective way to prevent ticks from crawling up your legs and attaching themselves to your skin. Ticks are often found in tall grasses, bushes, and other vegetation, and they will climb up anything they can to reach a host. By wearing ICEGRIPPER gaiters, you create a barrier that makes it difficult for ticks to climb up your legs, reducing your risk of exposure.

In addition to protecting against ticks, ICEGRIPPER Gaiters can also provide other benefits for hikers. They can keep your feet and lower legs dry in wet conditions, prevent scratches and scrapes from thorny plants and rocks, and even provide a little extra warmth in colder temperatures.

It's important to remember that gaiters are not a foolproof way to prevent tick bites. You should still take other precautions, such as wearing long pants tucked into your socks, using insect repellent, and checking your body for ticks after hiking. But ICEGRIPPER Gaiters can be a useful tool in your arsenal against ticks and other insects.

https://icegripper.co.uk/blogs/news/choosing-your-kahtoola-gaiters-with-icegripper

Have you used our Gaiters as a preventative tool to tick bites? Your feedback would be really appreciated. Let us know where you used them and how they performed? Contact us HERE

Walk, work, run and play on winter ice and snow with ICEGRIPPER