Tick Bite Treatment in 6 Essential Steps
How Do I Treat a Tick Bite?Medically reviewed by Josephine Hessert, DOMedically reviewed by Josephine Hessert, DOTicks, the blood-sucking insects that often live in tall grasses, are parasites that bite and attach to warm-blooded creatures like humans. There are many kinds of ticks, and the bites can appear as a small reddish or black bump or nodule, a blister or bruised area, or the bull's-eye rash of Lyme disease (spread by the deer tick).Although most tick bites are not harmful, ticks can transmit diseases (some of them serious) if they're not treated promptly. It's essential to properly follow steps to take after a tick bite and know when to contact your healthcare provider.
Reproduced with permission from ©DermNet dermnetnz.org 2023.' title='A tick on a person's skin'>
Reproduced with permission from ©DermNet dermnetnz.org 2023.
1. Take Immediate Action After a Tick BiteTicks must attach to you to spread diseases. If you have been in an area where there may be ticks, do a tick check afterward. Pay close attention to your scalp, armpits, ears, waist, and navel, as well as the rest of your body. If you find a tick, do the following as soon as possible:Use tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin as you can. Household tweezers are fine as long as they have a narrow tip. You can also use a tick key, a tick removal spoon, or specialized tick removal tweezers.Once you have hold of the tick, pull it straight up and out from your skin with steady pressure. If the head remains in the skin, it cannot transmit disease but should still be removed because it could cause infection.Don't use nail polish, Vaseline (petroleum jelly), or heat to try to make the tick detach. These are unreliable methods that can delay tick removal. Your goal is to remove the tick as quickly as you can.2. Secure the Tick and Take a PictureKeep the tick in the tweezers, put it on a paper towel or tissue, and take a picture of it. That will help a healthcare provider identify what kind of tick bite you and if it is one that can cause disease. You may not need to see a provider, but it's a good idea to take the photo.You can dispose of the tick by putting it in sticky tape and putting it in the trash, or flush it down the toilet in a piece of tissue. If you would like to bring the tick itself to a healthcare provider, place it in a sealed container with a little rubbing alcohol.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) does not recommend sending a tick to a commercial lab yourself, as the results may not be dependable.3. Cleanse and Protect the AreaAfter you remove the tick, it's important to cleanse the area. Use warm water and a gentle soap to cleanse your hands and the bite. You may also (or instead if soap and water are not available) apply antiseptic, such as rubbing alcohol or an iodine scrub, to kill any germs on the bite.It's not necessary to cover or bandage the bite afterward.4. When to Contact a Healthcare ProviderIf you cannot remove the tick because it's burrowed under the skin or it's too hard to grasp, see a healthcare provider. Most ticks don't cause disease. Still, there are close to 500,000 cases of tick-borne disease a year in the United States.Watch for symptoms for 30 days after a tick bite. If you see any of the following, contact a healthcare provider:Abdominal pain, nausea, or vomitingFatigueFeverFlu-like symptomsHeadacheMuscle or joint pain or swellingRashSymptoms lasting more than one weekSeek immediate medical care if you develop any of these signs. Some may indicate a skin infection that needs treatment, while others may indicate a tick-borne disease:Bull’s-eye rashDifficulty breathingDrainage from biteHigh feverPain, swelling, warmth, redness, or discoloration around the biteParalysisRapid heartbeatRed or discolored streaks leading from the bite5. Follow UpIf you develop symptoms of tick-borne disease such as Lyme disease or Rocky Mountain spotted fever, your healthcare provider may prescribe a course of antibiotics.In some cases, a blood test can help identify whether you are at risk and which illness you have. If you took a photo of the tick or have kept it in a safe container, show it to your healthcare provider so your provider can choose the best treatment.The CDC does not generally recommend taking antibiotics after a tick bite if you don't have symptoms. If you live in an area where Lyme disease or other tick-borne diseases are more common, you can ask a healthcare provider about a single dose of the antibiotic Vibramycin (doxycycline), which may prevent Lyme disease from developing.6. Try OTC Treatments for Tick Bites to Find ReliefEven if a tick bite does not present a disease risk, it may still itch or cause discomfort. Here's what you can do at home to relieve the symptoms of a tick bite when you know that it is not from a tick-borne illness:Apply an over-the-counter (OTC) topical antihistamine, steroid, or calamine lotion to the affected skin.Spray a topical anesthetic that contains benzocaine (such as the brand Dermoplast) on the area.Try an oral antihistamine for itching, redness, and swelling.Use ice wrapped in a towel or a cold pack for 15 to 20 minutes an hour.The bite should heal within a few days, or it may take up to two weeks or more.SummaryIf you have been in an area that may be infested with ticks, check your body afterward to see if any ticks are attached to you. If they are, it's important to remove them quickly because they can carry disease and make you sick.Remove the tick carefully with tweezers and take a picture of it. If you develop flu-like symptoms, pain, swelling, or drainage from the bite, contact a healthcare provider. Most tick bites do not cause disease, but if you do have one and give it prompt attention, a short course of antibiotics can often treat it. Read the original article on Verywell Health.
Welcome to Billionaire Club Co LLC, your gateway to a brand-new social media experience! Sign up today and dive into over 10,000 fresh daily articles and videos curated just for your enjoyment. Enjoy the ad free experience, unlimited content interactions, and get that coveted blue check verification—all for just $1 a month!
Account Frozen
Your account is frozen. You can still view content but cannot interact with it.
Please go to your settings to update your account status.
Open Profile Settings