Treatment with antibiotics during the early stages of Lyme disease can cure the infection and prevent complications. Because of the severity of Lyme disease symptoms and the unreliability of testing procedures, prevention is the key. Try to avoid narrow trails, brush and areas with high grass when in tick-infested areas. Wear long pants tucked into hiking socks or boots so it will be harder for the tick to find bare skin. Wear a light colored shirt tucked into the waistband of the pants.
Light colored clothes make it easier to see ticks as they travel.
Use insect repellents, labeled as effective against ticks, on pant cuffs, socks and shoes. Do NOT saturate clothing. Do not use on bare skin unless the label says it is safe. Children are more sensitive to the effects of this chemical. Permethrin-containing insecticides are effective against ticks but are not to be used on bare skin.