Now that the warmer weather is here and people are going to be spending more time outside it’s important to protect yourself from ticks. Tick bites can cause Lyme disease, a bacterial infection that can cause severely disabling symptoms. Every year more than 300,000 people are diagnosed with Lyme disease and that number is increasing every year. Knowing what to watch out for and how to protect yourself from tick bites is important, especially in the spring when ticks are out in force.
For same-day tick bite and Lyme treatment, visit the walk-in clinic at AFC Urgent Care Bedford. Our medical providers specialize in treating a wide range of acute conditions seven days a week. Simply walk into the clinic or schedule an appointment online today.
How To Recognize And Prevent Tick Bites
Deer ticks, the ticks that carry the bacteria that causes Lyme disease, are very small black creatures that look like just a black dot. They attach themselves to your skin and feast on your blood, which is how they can transmit the bacteria that causes Lyme disease. Ticks use sharp barbed appendages to hold themselves on your skin. If you notice that there is a tick on your body don’t rip it off. You could cause yourself injury.
Eventually when the tick has fed enough it will disengage and drop off your body. What you’re left with is a tick bite. Tick bites are small red dots with white ovals around them. You may notice that the skin around the area is red, and you could develop a rash if you’re sensitive to the tick’s saliva.
Lyme Disease Symptoms
The symptoms of Lyme disease can be difficult to recognize because they could be associated with many conditions. But the most definitive symptom of Lyme disease is a bullseye style rash that spreads. This rash can take up to a month to appear. In the center of a large red patch of skin will be a small red bump that looks like an insect bite. If you have a bullseye rash head immediately to Urgent Care to get it checked out. Some other symptoms of Lyme disease include:
- Fatigue
- Fever
- Chills
- Headaches
- Joint and muscle pain
- Swollen lymph nodes
If you’ve been hiking or spent a lot of time outdoors and you develop any of those symptoms it’s a good idea to get seen by a doctor.
When To Seek Medical Care For Lyme Disease
The symptoms of Lyme disease can get progressively worse. If you are experiencing the symptoms of Lyme disease come to Urgent Care and let our experienced medical providers examine you. If you have removed a tick from your body or you develop the signature bullseye rash associated with Lyme disease you should make an appointment or drop in now to get a full medical exam. AFC Urgent Care Bedford is dedicated to making healthcare accessible to all patients in the area and surrounding communities– just walk right in! If you have any additional questions about our services, please contact us directly at 781-430-8161.
