12/23/2025
With deer season in full swing, many of you are spending long hours in the brush, tracking through high grass, and handling game. While the focus is on the harvest, it’s also the peak time for exposure to black-legged ticks.
Even if you don’t see the classic “bull’s-eye” rash, your body might be trying to tell you something. Since 20–30% of cases never develop a rash, it’s critical for hunters to recognize the “Big Three” systemic symptoms that often mimic a common cold or flu.
The Top 3 Symptoms (Other Than the Rash)
If you’ve been in the woods recently, watch out for these “Summer Flu” symptoms that persist into the winter months:
• 1. Crushing Fatigue: This isn’t just “long day in the stand” tired. Lyme fatigue is an overwhelming, heavy exhaustion that doesn’t go away with a good night’s sleep.
• 2. Migratory Muscle & Joint Pain: A hallmark of Lyme is pain that “moves.” One day your knee is swollen; the next, it’s your shoulder or wrist. Keep a specific eye out for a stiff neck.
• 3. Intermittent Fever & Chills: Bacterial infections often trigger cycles of high heat and shivering. If you’re getting “night sweats” after a weekend at camp, don’t ignore them.
Quick Tips for the Season
• Treat your gear.
• The “Dark Skin” Rule: Recent 2025 clinical updates remind us that on darker skin tones, a Lyme rash may look like a bruise or a solid dark patch rather than a red ring.
• Check the “Hiding Spots”: Ticks love waistbands, behind the knees, and the hairline. Give us a call at Good Medicine if this sounds familiar. 318-330-4663.
