Good news, good news. Because of a warm weather across the country, the 2026 tick season is exploding.

According to the Center for Disease Control, they say emergency room visits due to tick bites are at the highest level since 2017.

And they have a forecast for a severe season for Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses.

State Health Department reports sent more than 89,000 cases of Lyme disease in 2023,

the last year which data is available, but to health experts believe that close to a half a million

people in the United States get Lyme disease every year.

Damn.

It's amazing to me that you can't see a tick on you. But that's what they're tiny, man. They burr into your skin. But don't they have like a little bump or something, right? Right. But don't they secrete some things you don't really feel it? You know, my daughter got bit by a tick when she was younger. All right. And I'm pretty sure she got Lyme disease for a little while. Oh, really? I don't know how that works. I just know that we were just monitoring her and doing whatever. I'm sure they gave her some kind of pill or whatever, but I just don't remember that much about it. Usually the tick must attach for 24 to 48 hours, I guess, to transmit the bacteria that causes Lyme disease.

Did she get a rash?

No.

78% of affected individuals.

This is what is called Lyme disease.

She get a rash and a bullseye pattern and then slowly spreads out.

Early symptoms, glued fever, headaches, severe fatigue, muscle and the joints, stiffness, swollen

lymph nodes.

Later stages of lift untreated, Lyme disease can spread to other parts of the body, potentially

causing facial paralysis, severe headaches, and heart palpitations.

All right.

I mean, I think nowadays, too, like, if you're out in the woods, there's so many lightweight,

long-sleeved shirts and pants that you could wear. I absolutely would. Is your gout? Is that an infection? What is gout? Exactly. I guess is it an acute infection when you get it? Hold on. You can take a pill for it, right? You do. Yeah, I mean, I haven't had it in years. Since you started taking the medication.

Correct.

I tried to fight it off and be like, oh, just used diet and exercise. Okay. But I'd do it enough. So they say gout is a painful form of inflammatory arthritis caused by a buildup of uric acid, crystals, into joints. So it's not something you can spread. Oh, no, no, no.

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