The one thing most people hate about the spring and summer time are bugs! As the weather gets warmer, people are out and about. But, so are bugs and LOTS of them!
One bug we hate the most, especially in the Northeast, are deer ticks. They love the woodlands and grassy plains and people often get bitten by one when they’re not careful. AFC Urgent Care Marlborough understands the need to be outside and to enjoy the outdoors, especially since it’s getting warmer out! For this reason we created a guide on what you should do next if you get bitten by a deer tick.
Not All Ticks Expose You To Lyme Disease, But Deer Ticks Do!
Deer ticks are notorious for spreading Lyme disease and if they latch onto you for more than 36-48 hours, chances are you might have it. Lyme disease is no joke and it may lead to serious side effects on your joints and nervous system if left untreated. If you do happen to get bitten by a deer tick, you’ll notice a rash around the bite area in the shape of a bullseye and some itching within the first few days of getting bitten. Next, you may develop some of these symptoms of Lyme disease:
- fatigue
- joint aches and pains
- a target shaped rash that forms around the bite area
- low-grade fevers or chills
What You Should Do Next After Getting Bitten Is To Remove The Tick!
As we mentioned earlier, 36-48 hours isn’t a whole lot of time. Sometimes you might not notice a deer tick is on you within that time frame, making extraction the utmost important thing to do next.
Here is what The CDC recommends on proper tick removal and technique:
- Use fine tipped tweezers to grasp the tick (close to the skin as possible).
- Pull backwards gently but firmly, using an even pressure, do not twist or jerk. It may take a few minutes as you want to slowly pull and lift as opposed to ripping it out.
- Do not squeeze, crush, or puncture the body of the tick. This can cause a deer tick to inject body fluids and cause an increased risk for infection.
- After removing the tick, wash the area thoroughly with soap and water.
Next, we highly suggest placing the tick in a zip lock bag so you can bring it with you to your doctor's office to determine if it is a deer tick and if you need your tick bite to be evaluated by a medical professional.
AFC Urgent Care Marlborough Can Help Remove Your Deer Tick!
AFC Urgent Care Marlborough is your go to urgent care for your urgent care needs. Deer tick bites are considered really URGENT and coming to our center is your best bet at having it removed if you’re too uncomfortable removing it on your own. We highly suggest coming in within the first 24 hours to expedite the extraction process and to assess the tick bite wound.
Our doors are open 7 days a week for walk-ins making it easy for you to get it removed with no appointment needed. Always here for you!
