11 Quick Health Fixes

Stop a bloody nose, treat poison ivy and more—all on the fly



BEST WAY TO... Prevent Lyme disease

Experts are predicting an increase in cases, since this year's unseasonably warm weather countrywide has extended how long ticks will be active. So now's not the time to have an oops-I-forgot-the-bug-spray moment.

· COVER UP. If you'll be spending time in grassy and wooded areas where ticks tend to be, your best defense is to limit exposed skin by wearing long-sleeve shirts and tucking pants into your socks.

· USE A REPELLENT. Sprays that contain the chemical DEET work best, but be sure to follow the directions on the label carefully. It's best to spray the repellent on clothes, not directly on skin (especially with children).

· DO DAILY CHECKS—AND MAKE THEM A TEAM EFFORT. The bugs can be incredibly small—sometimes literally the size of a pencil point—and they love to hide in and around warm, hard-to-see places, like your armpits, ears, belly button, the back of your knees, your hairline and waist. Check these areas meticulously and have a family member do a cross-check as a backup in case you missed anything.

· REMOVE ANY TICKS ASAP. It usually takes 24 to 48 hours for an infected tick to transmit the bacteria that causes Lyme disease, so the sooner you remove it, the better. Using pointed tweezers, grasp the head of the tick as close to your skin as you can, then pull it out in a swift, firm motion. Don't twist or jerk the tick as you pull, and never grasp the tick lower down on its body, or the body may separate and release bacteria into your skin.

Slanted tweezers work well for splinters, but pointed ones are best for taking out a tick.