What are the Treatments for Tick Bites?

Ticks are insects primarily found in wooded areas. They can attach to your skin at any location on the body, but once they have become attached to you they usually move to warmer, more moist locations such as the hair, groin and armpits. Ticks then remain attached and bite, sometimes continuing to draw blood for long periods of time. They can cause numerous health problems, including the spread of serious illnesses like Lyme disease.

Remove the Tick

• The first step to treating a tick bite is to remove the tick. This should be done immediately upon discovering the insect. You do not need to seek medical attention at this point in most cases; the tick can be removed at home. You want to use thin tweezers with good grips to get ahold of the tick at the head. Once you have a secure hold on the tick's head, pull straight out. Don't wiggle the tweezers at all or try to ease it out slowly, because you may break off a part of the tick and leave the head attached to the body, which can be dangerous and can cause you to be unable to remove the entire tick without medical intervention.

When to Get Help

• In many cases, you do need to seek medical attention once you have removed a tick. However, if you can't get the entire tick out, you suspect the head of the tick is still attached, or the tick may have been attached for more than 24 hours prior to removal, then you should call a doctor or poison control center. If you go to a doctor, poison control center or hospital, treatment will vary depending on the situation. They may remove the tick, or treat the site for signs of infection. If there is reason to suspect that the tick carried a disease, such as Lyme Disease, Colorado Tick Fever, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever or Tularemia, doctors may do blood tests to identify possible disease. If a tick-borne illness is found, that illness will be treated.

Watch for Symptoms

• Even if no rash or irritation develops immediately, some symptoms of tick-borne illness may not develop for several weeks. Therefore, for several weeks after a tick bite, you should watch for symptoms associated with more serious illness. Symptoms include a rash at the site of the bite, difficulty breathing, paralysis, severe pain or swelling at the site of the tick bite, weakness or lack of coordination. If any of these symptoms begin to occur, you should consult a doctor immediately.