Arlington Tick Bite And Lyme at AFC Urgent Care

In our beautiful state of Massachusetts we share our the environment with some not so friendly insects and ticks seem to be the most common ones that we see at our clinic. Tick bites can cause serious infections often taking weeks of recovery time so it is best to be cautious when outdoors. Ticks can also be a nuisance to even household pets such as cats and dogs. Luckily, in most cases a tick bite is not a medical emergency requiring a visit to the ER. Tick bites and associated rashes can cause a lot of stress and anxiety and that is why our urgent care clinic is open late to ensure that you can get tested and treated immediately if you get bitten.

Tick Bite? Don’t Panic!

The fact that you discovered a tick bite means you are ahead of the game. Even if you didn’t catch the tick biting or are just seeing the classic circular rash on your body for the first time, there is still adequate time to visit our clinic and begin testing and treatment. We see all sorts of patients in the summer months with tick related concerns. From those who still have a tick lodged on their body, to those worried after seeing ticks in their household cat or dog and requiring tick/Lyme disease testing for peace of mind.  So rest assured that if you’ve been bitten or discovered ticks in your household we are there to take care of you at your own schedule – without the long anxiety ridden waits. You can walk in to our urgent care clinic without any appointments and discuss your concerns with our physicians. We’ll help you out.

Think you have a tick-borne infection?

Without knowing you were bitten we have to rely on symptoms such as fatigue, fever, swelling and of course the classic circular rash caused by ticks to verify if you have a bite related infection. These symptoms can often develop well after a tick bite but make note that “waiting for a rash to develop" is not a good idea. That is because in many cases a rash may not develop at all. Other symptoms that may develop independently include:

• Fatigue
• Fever
• Swelling
• Stiffness
• Bull’s-eye Pattern Rash (mentioned earlier and depicted in the picture)
• Headache
• Nausea
• Dizziness

If you suspect that you may be suffering from a tick bite related infection such as Lyme Disease, it is always a good idea to consult a physician. Our center is open late, has minimal wait times and provides walk-in service without any prior appointments for patients with tick bite and associated infection symptoms.