How To Treat A Tick Bite
From mosquito bites bringing disease and viruses and spiders that can cause your flesh to decay, there is a reason a lot of people do not like pests. One bug you want to make sure never starts to make a home in your skin is a tick. They latch onto you, and like out of a horror movie, start to burrow. Tick bites are a serious matter and need to be treated immediately. If you notice a tick bite on you, your family or your pet, here is how to treat it like a pro.
Obviously, if you had to remove a tick, you know you were bitten. But sometimes they bite but don't stay on you. Tick bites aren't typically painful, so you may not know right away you had one get you. What you want to look for is a small bump that would remind you of a mosquito bite. You want to monitor the bite for a few days, up to a few weeks, and note any changes in its appearance and any changes in your demeanor to see if you may have contracted a disease.
Tick Bite Symptoms- Itchiness
- Stiffness
- Swelling
Whenever you come inside, especially from going on a hike or a walk in an area you don't usually frequent, check yourself from head to toe. Also, check your pets.
How to Treat Tick BitesThe first thing to do to treat a tick bite is to make sure the tick is no longer on you. There are small ticks that you could have a hard time seeing with your eyes, so a magnifying glass will be a handy thing to have.
Remove the Tick and Wash the AreaUse tweezers to remove the tick. You want to grab it and pull the bug gently out. You do not want to squeeze, as that could make it regurgitate the saliva back into you, which makes the bite worse and could transmit any disease the tick could be carrying. Once you pull it out, you want to check it to make sure the head is out, as well.
Once you confirm the entire tick is out, wash the area thoroughly using mild, fragrance-free soap and water. Don't forget to wash your hands.
Once you have washed and dried the area, apply an antibiotic ointment to the bite for a few days. Any over-the-counter one will do just fine.
If you experience swelling and pain, ice the spot down for about 15 minutes at a time. If things get really bad, take additional medicine, like an antihistamine, or apply calamine lotion to soothe the bite. Don't try to be a hero. If you are in pain or the itching is too annoying, apply cream and take medicine to feel better. If you experience more intense pain, go for something that has benzocaine in it.
Keep the Area CoveredWhile your body is healing and the bite goes through the swelling, bruising and recovery process, you want to keep it bandaged up. If you don't want it to hurt when you change the bandage, put a thin layer of Vaseline or Neosporin on the bite first.
Extra Tick Treating TipsThere are a few things you want to do and do not want to do when removing that tick or treating the bite.
- Wash your hands thoroughly before you start removing the tick or treating the bite
- Sanitize the tweezers
- Apply antiseptic to the area
- Get the tweezers as close to the skin as possible while having a handle on the tick
- Try to pull the tick straight up and out
- Do Not Try These
- Do not use heat or a flame to burn the tick
- Do not use any substances or chemicals on the tick while it is attached
- Save the Tick if You Can
- If the tick is still alive, save it for testing in a plastic bag with a wet cotton ball
- You can still save the tick for testing if it is dead
The scary part about a tick bite is you never know which one is carrying Lyme disease or Rocky Mountain spotted fever or some other disease. Try to remember to keep the tick so it can be tested to see if it is carrying a disease. It's helpful for the local health department to track cases of diseases from ticks in the area.
But you could and should see your local primary care doctor if you have been bitten by a tick if you notice certain symptoms.
- Expanding rash
- Fever
- Feel like you have the flu
- Oozing from the bite
- Change in your skin color
- Lightheadedness
- Extreme pains, especially in the chest
- Headache
- Aches and pains in joints
- Sore muscles
If the bite is accompanied by a rash, you want to make an appointment to get it checked out. Though most tick bites won't result in anything serious, additional symptoms, like a new rash, could be a sign of something else.
If you notice a ring appear, with the inside clear, like a bull's eye, see a doctor. Other symptoms such as a fever, flu-like symptoms, sudden and extreme pain and numbness or weakness mean you need to get the bite checked out immediately. If your breathing changes or you don't feel like yourself in the days and weeks after getting a tick bite, make an appointment to see a doctor.
Being outside in the fresh air is so uplifting and refreshing. It just also happens to be where the bugs are. Before you come back in from your hike or long walk, check yourself for these little clingy creatures. If you happen to notice a tick bite, now you know how to treat it and when you need to let a medical professional take over the treatment.
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