Tick Bites: Symptoms and Treatments - Healthline

Tick bites are often harmless and don't cause any symptoms. However, ticks can cause allergic reactions, and certain ticks can pass diseases onto humans and ... HealthlineHealthConditionsDiscoverPlanConnectSubscribeBitesandStingsHowtoIdentifySpiderBite101MosquitoPreventionBeeStingHomeRemediesTickBites:SymptomsandTreatmentsMedicallyreviewedbyMeredithGoodwin,MD,FAAFP—WrittenbyKimberlyHolland—UpdatedonDecember23,2021PicturesofticksLocationsoftickbitesSymptomsTreatmentsContactingadoctorPreventionIdentificationTick-bornediseaseHabitatTakeawayWeincludeproductswethinkareusefulforourreaders.Ifyoubuythroughlinksonthispage,wemayearnasmallcommission.Here’sourprocess.Aretickbitesharmful?Tickbitesareoftenharmlessanddon’tcauseanysymptoms.However,tickscancauseallergicreactions,andcertaintickscanpassdiseasesontohumansandpetswhentheybite.Thesecanbedangerousorevendeadly.TicksarecommonintheUnitedStates.Theyliveoutdoorsin:grasstreesshrubsleafpilesThey’reattractedtopeopleandtheirfour-leggedpets,andtheycanmovebetweenthetwowithease.Ifyou’vespentanytimeoutdoors,you’velikelyencounteredticksatsomepoint.Learnhowtorecognizeticks,thesymptomsoftick-borneillnesses,andwhattodoifatickbitesyou.Whatdotickslooklike?Ticksaresmall,blood-suckingbugs.Theycanrangeinsizefromassmallasapin’sheadtoaslargeasapencileraser.Tickshaveeightlegs.They’rearachnids,whichmeansthey’rerelatedtospiders.Thedifferentkindsoftickscanrangeincolorfromshadesofbrowntoreddish-brownandblack.Astheytakeinmoreblood,ticksgrow.Attheirlargest,tickscangrowtoaboutthesizeofamarble.Afteratickhasbeenfeedingonitshostforseveraldays,theyswellupandcanturnagreenish-bluecolor.Wheredoticksbitepeople?Tickspreferwarm,moistareasofthebody.AccordingtotheCentersforDiseaseControlandPrevention(CDC),onceatickgetsonyourbody,they’relikelytomigrateto:yourarmpitsyourgroinyourhairthebacksofyourkneesinsideyourbellybuttonaroundyourwaistinsideandaroundyourearsHowever,ticksdon’talwaysmigrate.Ifyou’vebeeninasituationwhereyoumighthavegottenatickbite,besuretocheckyourentirebody.Whenatickreachesadesirablespot,itbitesintoyourskinandbeginsdrawingblood.Unlikemostotherbugsthatbite,tickstypicallyremainattachedtoyourbodyaftertheybiteyou.Ifonebitesyou,you’lllikelyknowbecauseyou’llfindatickonyourskin.Afteraperiodofupto10daysofdrawingbloodfromyourbody,anengorgedtickcandetachitselfandfalloff.Whatarethesymptomsofatickbite?Tickbitesareusuallyharmlessandmayproducenosymptoms.However,ifyou’reallergictotickbites,youmayexperience:painorswellingatthebitesitearashaburningsensationatthebitesiteblistersbreathlessness,ifyouhaveasevereallergyThesymptomsoftick-bornediseasesSometickscarrydiseases,whichtransmittoanimalsandhumansduringabite.Tick-bornediseasescancauseseveralsymptomsandusuallydevelopwithinseveraldaystoafewweeksfollowingthebite.Potentialsymptomsoftick-bornediseasesinclude:aredspotorrashnearthebitesiteafeverchillsafullbodyrashneckstiffnessaheadachenauseaweaknessmuscleorjointpainorachingswollenlymphnodesBesuretoseekmedicalattentionassoonaspossibleafteratickbite.Adoctorwillevaluateyoursymptomsandrecommendanypotentialtreatment.TreatmentfortickbitesThemostimportantthingtodowhenyoufindatickonyouistoremoveit.HowtoremoveatickYoucanremovethetickyourselfwithatickremovaltoolorwithasetoftweezers.Followthesesteps:Graspthetickascloseasyoucantoyourskin’ssurface.Pullstraightupandawayfromtheskin,applyingsteadypressure.Trynottobendortwistthetick.Checkthebitesitetoseeifyouleftanyofthetick’sheadormouthpartsinthebite.Ifso,removethosecarefully.Cleanthebitesitewithwaterandapplyanalcohol-basedhandsanitizer,rubbingalcohol,oriodine.Onceyou’veremovedthetick,submergeitinrubbingalcoholtomakesureit’sdead.Placeitinasealedcontainer.Savingthetickprovidesevidenceofatickbiteforthedoctor.Itmightbeagoodideatolabelthecontainerwiththedateandlocationofthebite.WhentocontactyourdoctorSeeyourdoctorassoonaspossibletofindoutifanytreatmentisnecessary,basedonthetypeoftickthatbityou.Differentpartsofthecountryhavedifferentriskswhenitcomestodiseasesfromtickbites.Ifanyofthefollowingbecomenoticeableintheweeksfollowingatickbite,seekconsultationwithahealthcareprofessional:YoudevelopEMrashes.Youhavefever,drowsiness,achingmuscles,oraheadachewithin6weeksofatickbite.Atickbityouinageographicallocationknownforseveretick-bornediseases,liketheWesternorNortheasternUnitedStates.It’simportanttoseeyourdoctorassoonasyoucanafteratickbite,evenifyoudon’thavesymptoms.Forexample,inareasofthecountrywhereLymediseaseiscommon,doctorsmayrecommendundercertainconditionsthatyoureceivetreatmentforLymediseaseafteratickbitebeforesymptomsstart.PeoplewhosuspecttheymayhaveRockyMountainspottedfevershouldseektreatmentassoonastheysuspectit.Yourdoctorcanexplainyourrisks,whatcomplicationstolookfor,andwhentofollowup.Yourdoctorwillalsocompleteathoroughhistory,exam,andtestingtodeterminewhetheryoursymptomsaretheresultofatick-bornedisease.Howcanyoupreventinfectionsfromtickbites?Preventingtickbitesisthebestwaytoavoidatick-borneillness.Herearesometips:Wearalong-sleevedshirtandpantswhenwalkinginthewoodsorgrassyareaswhereticksarecommon.Walkinthecenteroftrails.Usetickrepellentthat’satleast20percentDEET,whichisavailableforpurchaseonline.Treatclothingandgearwith0.5percentpermethrin,whichisalsoavailableonline.Takeashowerorbathwithintwohoursofbeingoutdoors.Checkskincloselyafterbeingintick-proneareas,especiallyunderarms,behindears,betweenlegs,behindknees,andinhair.Ittypicallytakesover24hoursoffeedingforatick-bornediseasetoinfectaperson.So,thesooneryoucanidentifyandremoveatick,thebetter.IdentifyingatickbiteTickbitesareofteneasytoidentify.Thisisbecausethetickcanremainattachedtotheskinforupto10daysafteritfirstbites.Mosttickbitesareharmlessandwillcausenophysicalsignsorsymptoms.Onlycertaintypesoftickstransmitdisease.Tickbitesaretypicallysingularbecauseticksdon’tbiteingroupsorlines.Cantickbitescauseotherproblems?Tickscantransmitpotentiallyseverediseasestohumanhosts.Mostsignsorsymptomsofatick-bornediseasewillbeginwithinafewdaystoafewweeksafteratickbite.Somediseasesthatyoucancontractthroughatickbiteinclude:LymediseaseRockyMountainspottedfeverColoradotickfevertularemiaehrlichiosisWheredotickslive?Ticksliveoutdoors.Theyhideingrass,trees,shrubs,andunderbrush.Ifyou’reoutsidehikingorplaying,atickmightattachitselftoyouoryourpet.Ticksmaystayattachedtoyourpet,ortheycanmigratetoyouwhileyou’retouchingorholdingyourpet.Theycanalsoleaveyouandattachthemselvestoyourpets.Variouskindsofticksliveinlargepopulationsthroughoutthecountry.Moststateshaveatleastonetypeoftickthatlivesthere.Ticksareattheirpeakpopulationinthespringandsummermonths,typicallyAprilthroughSeptember.TakeawayTickbitesareoftensymptom-freeandharmless.However,tickscantransmitharmfuldiseaseslikeLymedisease.Ifyounoticeabullseye-shapedrash,fever,chills,andbodyaches,it’svitalthatyouaskadoctoraboutthenextsteps.Youcanpreventtickbitesbyusing20percentDEETor0.5percentpermethrin,wearinglong-sleevedshirtsandpantswhileintick-proneareas,andstayingawayfromtheedgesofanywalkingtrailswheretickshide.LastmedicallyreviewedonDecember23,2021MedicallyreviewedbyMeredithGoodwin,MD,FAAFP—WrittenbyKimberlyHolland—UpdatedonDecember23,2021Readthisnext13SignsandSymptomsofLymeDiseaseMedicallyreviewedbyXixiLuo,MDLymediseasecanproduceavarietyofsymptoms,fromarashtofatigue,jointpain,andvisionchanges.Learntospotthesignsofthiscommon…READMOREYouCouldHave48HourstoAvoidLymeDiseaseAfteraTickBitesYouScientistsdiscoveredanewbacteriumthatcancauseLymedisease.Herearesometipstoavoidtheailmentevenafteraticklatchesontoyou.READMORETickRemovalMedicallyreviewedbyDeborahWeatherspoon,Ph.D.,R.N.,CRNATicksaresmall,brownparasitesthatareknownforcarryingdiseaseandthatcanattachtoyourskinandsuckyourblood.READMOREBugBitesandStingsMedicallyreviewedbyCameronWhite,M.D.,MPHWhilemostbugbitescauseonlymildsymptoms,somebugbitescantransmitdisease.Readontolearnmoreaboutsymptomsandhowtopreventbugbites.READMOREColoradoTickFeverMedicallyreviewedbyDebraSullivan,Ph.D.,MSN,R.N.,CNE,COIREADMORETickInfestationsMedicallyreviewedbyDebraSullivan,Ph.D.,MSN,R.N.,CNE,COITicksaresmallparasiticorganismsthatliveinwoodedareasandfields.Thesearachnidsneedbloodfromhumansoranimalstosurvive.Tickscanbe…READMOREFirstAidforBitesandStingsMedicallyreviewedbyDeborahWeatherspoon,Ph.D.,R.N.,CRNAREADMOREBestHikingAppsoftheYearWhetheryou’reaseasonedhikerorjustwanttohitthetrailwithyourpuporkids,theseappswillgetyouthere.READMOREWhattoDoIfYou’veBeenStungbyaMudDauberWaspMedicallyreviewedbyVincentJ.TavellaDVM,MPHMuddauberstendtokeeptothemselvesandwillnotstrikeahumanunlessprovoked.Here’swhatyouneedtoknowaboutthem.READMOREShouldYouOptforaRootCanaloranExtractionandImplant?MedicallyreviewedbyChristineFrank,DDSArootcanalisaproceduremeanttoprolongthelifeofanexistingtooth,butanextractionandimplantmaystillbenecessaryinsomecases.READMORE