Ticks in Kansas City: The good, bad and ugly

Don’t let “no-see-ums” keep you indoors. But make the right preparations.

If you enjoy the outdoors in Kanas City, no doubt you’re familiar with “no-see-ums.” That’s a descriptor for tiny insects including ticks, chiggers and mosquitos that strike before you notice them. Yes, they’re annoying. But are they dangerous?

There’s a lot of concern about contracting Lyme’s Disease from ticks. How much concern should we have and what precautions should we take? And what about mosquitoes? Spiders? Chiggers? And others?

Dr. Todd Fristoe, MD, joins us from St. Luke’s Health Primary Care to answer these important questions for hikers, bikers and others who love nature. The short answer is: Yes! You can enjoy the outdoors without fear. But make sure you know insect bit prevention and how to treat problematic insect bites.

Carpe diem!