![]() Some types of ticks can transmit diseases to humans and animals. Lyme disease may appear as a circular rash within one month after a tick bite. If you have trouble breathing, you should seek medical attention immediately, as this can be a sign of a severe allergic reaction known as anaphylaxis. Pain, swelling, or a burning sensation at the bite siteĪccording to Romero, most people should be able to manage these symptoms at home with an over-the-counter antihistamine medication, like Benadryl, but it never hurts to get a doctor's guidance if you're worried your reaction might be severe.However, others can experience an allergic reaction to a tick bite, indicated by the following symptoms once the tick bites you: Many people don't realize they've been bitten by a tick until this point. Your skin will likely become red and itchy at the spot after the tick falls off. If a tick does bite you and you don't notice, it will fall off on its own after a few days. ![]() Because once a tick gets on your body, it's likely to migrate to warm and moist areas like your armpit or groin. Romero advises removing your clothes after spending time in grassy or wooded areas and checking for ticks, paying close attention to places where your skin folds. Symptoms occur more often or are more severe.Tick bites are nearly impossible to feel, says Andres Romero, MD, infectious disease specialist at Providence Saint John's Health Center.Flu-like symptoms, such as a fever, muscle aches, or chills.New or worse signs of an infection, such as redness, warmth, swelling, or pus.Then put your clothing in a clothes dryer on high heat for about 4 minutes to kill any ticks that might remain.Ĭall a doctor if any of the following occur during self-care at home: Check your skin for more ticks, and check your clothing, gear, and pets.Calamine lotion applied to the skin may help relieve itching.If your skin reacts to the spray, stop using it. A spray of local anesthetic containing benzocaine, such as Solarcaine, may help relieve pain.Don't give antihistamines to your child unless you've checked with the doctor first. Read and follow all instructions on the label. Try a nonprescription medicine to relieve itching, redness, and swelling.It will keep the bite from sticking to the bandage. If you need to cover the area, you can apply a thin layer of petroleum jelly, such as Vaseline, lightly to the wound. Wash the area of the tick bite with a lot of warm, clean water.After the first 6 hours, if you don't have swelling, try putting a warm washcloth on the bite for comfort.When you aren't using ice, keep a cool, wet cloth on the bite for up to 6 hours. Use an ice pack on your bite for 15 to 20 minutes once an hour for the first 6 hours. ![]() This may increase your risk of infection. And don't try to smother an attached tick with petroleum jelly, nail polish, gasoline, or rubbing alcohol. Don't handle the tick with bare hands.Īfter you remove the tick, wash your hands really well with soap and water.ĭon't try to burn the tick off. If you don't have tweezers, put on gloves or cover your hands with tissue paper, and then use your fingers. Use fine-tipped tweezers to remove a tick. Here are some things you can do to care for a tick bite. If you don't see any obvious parts of the tick's head in the bite site, assume that you have removed the entire tick. This makes it hard to tell if you have removed the tick's head. Some ticks are so small that it's hard to see them. The sooner ticks are removed, the less likely they are to spread disease. Most ticks don't carry diseases, and most tick bites don't cause serious health problems. They can carry many diseases, including common ones such as: Sometimes a rash or sore appears along with the flu-like symptoms. ![]() Symptoms may start from 1 day to 3 weeks after the tick bite. Many of the diseases ticks carry cause flu-like symptoms, such as fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, and muscle aches. In rare cases, a severe allergic reaction ( anaphylaxis) may occur. This reaction may be mild, with a few annoying symptoms. Some people may have an allergic reaction to a tick bite. In most cases, removing the tick, washing the site of the bite, and watching for signs of illness are all that's needed. Removing the tick's head helps prevent an infection in the skin where it bit you. Removing the tick's body helps you avoid diseases that the tick may pass on during feeding. But it's important to remove a tick as soon as you find it. Tick bites occur most often during early spring to late summer and in areas where there are many wild animals and birds. Ticks live in the fur and feathers of many birds and animals. They bite to fasten themselves onto the skin and feed on blood. Ticks are small spiderlike animals (arachnids).
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