Warm spring and summer weather means more time spent outdoors. Whether you’re someone who spends most of their time outdoors or just someone who spends time outdoors occasionally, it is important to understand the high risk of tick bites during the spring and summer months. Ticks are parasitic insects that feed off of the blood of whitetail deer. In some cases, ticks can latch onto a human hoping for a quick meal, which can expose you to Lyme disease.
At AFC Urgent Care Braintree, our clinic is prepared to help you navigate tick season. Our clinic provides Lyme disease diagnosis and treatment. With our own on-site lab, we can quickly and accurately detect Lyme disease in its early stages so that you can get treatment started quickly. We never require that you schedule an appointment to receive rapid care. Simply walk into the clinic when it’s convenient for you!
Why Are Ticks Dangerous?
When the weather is warm and much of our time is spent outdoors, insect bites are a regular occurrence. In most cases, insect bites are harmless. Ticks, however, are not normal insects. Ticks are parasites that can spread disease. Ticks primarily live on whitetail deer, feeding off of their blood. However, ticks often jump from deer to deer and can be found sitting in tall grasses, which is where humans can come into contact with them.
When a human is bit by a tick, they may not even notice or know that they have been bit. Ticks can be very small and tend to hide in concealed areas such as the armpits. Ticks are dangerous to humans because if you are bit by a tick, there is a high chance you will be exposed to Lyme disease which is a severe illness that can cause chronic symptoms if not treated immediately.
Tips for Identifying a Tick Bite
In most cases, because ticks are so small, you likely will not notice that you have been bitten by a tick at first. Oftentimes, ticks will bite you somewhere where it is hard to see, making it difficult to check for tick bites. It is always important to do a tick check after you have spent time outdoors so that you can catch any ticks that may be on you before they bite you.
In most cases, tick bites are identified after the tick has detached. However, if you do find a tick on you, you should remove it immediately and bring it to your local urgent care for identification and to be tested for Lyme disease. Tick bites often create a red bullseye rash around the bite site, which is a telltale way to know that you have experienced a tick bite and require medical care.
Early Symptoms of Lyme
If you suspect that you have been bitten by a tick, or find a tick bite on you, it is imperative that you seek urgent medical care to be tested for Lyme disease. Lyme disease can take weeks for symptoms to appear, however, if not treated early, it can become a chronic condition that has debilitating symptoms in some cases. Identifying Lyme disease early will ensure that you get treatment before symptoms become chronic.
Early signs of Lyme disease:
- Extreme fatigue
- Headache
- Fever
- Chills
- Joint pain
- Stiff neck
- Rash all over the body
If you have any of these symptoms and have been in a position where a tick could have climbed onto you, you should seek medical care to be tested for Lyme.
Visit AFC Urgent Care Braintree for Rapid Lyme Disease Diagnosis in Braintree, MA
Lyme disease can be a scary condition. However, catching it early will ensure that you get the treatment required to get rid of symptoms for good. Always perform tick checks after spending time outdoors. If you do think you may have been bitten by a tick, visit AFC Urgent Care Braintree for rapid symptom diagnosis in Braintree, MA.
Our clinic is equipped with a laboratory on-site, which allows us to quickly and accurately test for Lyme disease at the time of your visit. We never require that you schedule an appointment in advance, simply walk into the clinic when it’s convenient for you. We maintain short wait times and accept most medical insurance plans. Walk into the clinic today!
