8 Best Essential Oils for Tick Bites Home Remedy

According to the fossil record, ticks have been on Earth for at least 90 million years. Although there are around 800 species of ticks throughout the world, only two families of ticks can transmit diseases or illnesses to humans.

Ticks have a complicated life cycle. It includes eggs, larvae, nymphs, and adult male and female ticks. All the ticks in every stage of their lives need blood meals.

The female adult tick bites because the males usually die after mating.

Ticks grab or crawl onto a host with their legs. Ticks attach themselves to several different animals, including humans, for food.

Ticks will die if they do not get blood, but many species of ticks can stay alive for a year or more without a blood meal. In addition, some of the ticks cause immense pain with their bites. The duration of disease transmission can occur in less than a minute to hours.

Ticks have many names like dog tick, deer tick, and African tick. [1]

What is Lyme Disease?

The black-legged tick is on the move!

Bacterias like Borrelia burgdorferi cause Lyme diseases. It is transmitted to humans by black-legged or deer ticks. The tick feeds on an infected deer or mice and then becomes infected.

The tick must be present on the skin for 24 to 48 hours to transmit the Lyme infection. Most people have no memory of being bitten by a tick.

The first Lyme disease was reported in the town of Old Lyme, Connecticut, in 1975. It is very common in the United States. If you live or spend a lot of time in wooded areas, the possibility of getting is higher.

The number of Lyme infections has increased by more than 80% between 2004 and 2016. However, It is estimated that there are more than 300,000 cases, 10 times as many as reported.

Although the number is high, the risk of getting a tick-borne infection is still very low. This is because not all the ticks you come across are infected.

You have around 98% possibility of not getting a disease even after being bitten by a tick!

So don’t worry if a tick has bitten you.

There are signs and symptoms of Lyme disease. Some of the symptoms are noted below:

A red rash
Neck stiffness
A severe headache
Pain and swelling in the joints
Irregular heartbeat
Numbness, pain, or tingling sensation in the hands or feet

8 Essential Oils to Prevent Tick Bites Naturally

Essential oils provide a natural way to avoid Lyme disease and reduce the symptoms.

Essential oils fight bacteria, improve immune systems, and detoxify the body. In addition, using essential oils can stop tick bites and reduce your chances of an infection.

1. Rose Geranium Oil

Rose geranium oil originates from a rose geranium plant. It has natural healing properties. For example, it can soothe infected skin. The oil also checks inflammation of your skin and promotes relief to it.

This oil is excellent for repelling ticks. It has antibacterial properties. Found in geranium oil, it can help to protect your body from infection. In addition, geranium oil can fight external infection.

You can have a foot bath with warm water and sea salt. Add a few drops of geranium oil to the foot bath.

Take this foot bath twice a day for best results. [2]

2. Cinnamon Oil

Cinnamon oil is very effective against bacteria. It has antibacterial properties.

In many studies, it has been confirmed that cinnamon essential oils eliminated the growth of the bacteria.

Cinnamon can boost immunity and provide a wide range of immune-boosting nutrients. [3]

3. Thyme Oil

Thyme oil has antimicrobial properties. It can protect your skin from secondary infections. In addition, this oil’s anti-inflammatory agents reduce skin inflammation.

It can also reduce the redness caused by a tick bite.

Like cinnamon oil, thyme oil is very effective at protecting bodies against bacteria. [4]

4. Oregano Oil

Oregano is a potent essential oil. It has extreme antimicrobial quality. It is an antibiotic and antibacterial oil. It works fantastic when it comes to controlling infections.

It can prevent tick attacks on your body!

Dilute oregano oil with water and spray it on your skin. Oregano oil work successfully against various strains of drug-resistant bacteria. Regular topical use of this oil will keep the ticks away from you. [5]

5. Tea Tree Oil

Tea tree oil has the popularity of being an antiseptic, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial agent.

Tea tree oil is effective against various infections. For example, tea trees can combat staph and E. coli infections.

This oil provides immediate effect upon application. In addition, the oil works over 24 hours after the initial application.

6. Clove Oil

Clove Oil has a powerful pungent smell and helps a lot in overpowering pests.

It is also acidic and contains a compound called eugenol, which is toxic to insects.

Clove oil disrupts ticks and is an excellent repellent.

Spray clove oil in your house and in outdoor diffusers where ticks prevail.

7. Vetiver Oil

Vetiver oil is native to India and used in medicine in South Asia, Southeast Asia, and West Africa.

Vetiver oil is a powerful insect repellent. It has a unique, strong smell.

It is especially effective against larvae and fully-grown ticks.

Use Vetiver oil on surfaces where ticks are prone to stay and get rid of ticks!

8. Garlic Oil

Many people enjoy Garlic for its bold taste and potent aromatic effects.

There have been many types of research that have concluded that Garlic works great against ticks.

The mortality rate of ticks after using garlic oil is as high as 100%.

You can spray garlic oil around your house to protect yourself from ticks.

Some Precautions for Tick Bites

Don’t be scared if you have found a tick on you or a tick has bitten you. The possibility of getting infected is low.

Here are a few things you can do if you come from outdoors or have a tick on you.

Wear light-colored pants and tuck them into your socks when you go outside.
Check your whole body for ticks when you return from woods or grassy areas.
Using tweezers, remove the tick as soon as you can. While pulling it out, pull firmly and steadily outward.
Kill the tick.
Do not squeeze or jerk the tick while pulling it. It can cause the tick to disgorge its stomach contents into the wound, along with infectious organisms.
Remember to wash your hands properly after removing the tick.
Use one drop of essential oil (tea tree oil or any other oil) to clean the wound.
Use tick repellent sprays on your skin, clothes, and socks when you go outside in the woods.
Wash your outdoor clothes soon after you come home. Keeping them in the dryer for 5-10 minutes will kill the ticks.
Regularly check your body for ticks. You might know that they are hiding. Always check the nether regions, back, neck, under breasts, armpits, legs, and belly button, and go through the hair and scalp carefully.
For children, check within the curves and folds of the ears.
You can always consult with your doctor if you are scared or if you have any skin rash.

A Homemade Tick Repellent Spray

Kick your fears of ticks to the curb with this simple homemade tick repellent spray.

Things you will need:

Rose Geranium Essential Oil
Distilled Water
Vodka
Spray Bottle

Directions:

Take 1 tablespoon of Vodka with 40 drops of Rose Geranium Essential Oil in a spray bottle. Add one-third of a cup of distilled water to the mixture.

Shake vigorously to mix all the ingredients.

Spray the mixture on your clothes, skin, pets, and children. You can even apply the mixture to your horses!

If you feel the smell has started to dissipate, then reapply it.

You can store it for 6 months. Remember to store it out of sunlight. Could you keep it away from children?

Bottom Line

Prevention is better than cure!

Essential oils can prevent tick bites and Lyme disease. It can also provide relief from Lyme symptoms.

Essential oils are a better and safer choice than industrially manufactured chemicals. The above-mentioned essential oils will help you repel ticks and their bites without adversely affecting the environment or you.

As Ralph Waldo Emerson said,

“In the presence of nature, a wild delight runs through the man, despite real sorrows.”

Don’t let fear rule your life.

Allow yourself to enjoy the fresh air on your skin. Go outside and roam in the woods without the fear of ticks!

Just remember your tick repellent spray before you go outside!

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