We love summertime here in the Mooresville area. The sun, water and abundance of family fun make it a wonderful time of year. One thing that is not so fun is the arrival of bugs, specifically ticks. Finding a tick on yourself after a day spent outside can be really frustrating!

You should work on removing the entire tick as soon as you discover it on your body to reduce your risk for Lyme disease.

Our AFC Urgent Care Mooresville team explains more about tick bites and when to worry about them below, so read on to learn more.

How Do You Know if a Tick Bite Is Dangerous?

The good news is that the majority of tick bites are just a nuisance and, once the tick has been removed, there are no long-term effects. The redness and irritation will go away in a few days and you will be good as new! However, certain ticks can carry Lyme disease, which can make you really sick.

If you discover a tick on your body that has not been embedded yet, just simply pull it off and dispose of it. If the tick has already bitten you, work on removing it as quickly as possible. Ticks that are carrying Lyme disease need to be attached to you for at least 36 hours before transmitting the disease, so the faster you act, the better.

Removing a Tick

• Use a clean tweezers and pull slowly and steadily away from the skin.
• Do not twist as you pull.
• Take a picture of the tick.
• Dispose in the garbage or toilet.
• Wash your hands and the bite site thoroughly.

How Do I Know If I Have Lyme Disease?

Once the tick has been removed from your body, take a deep breath and try to relax. Remember that not every tick is carrying Lyme disease so it is not a guarantee that you will get sick! Symptoms of Lyme disease usually appear within three to 30 days, so just keep an eye on how you feel and check your body for rashes.

If you start to experience symptoms, be on the lookout for body stiffness, aches, a fever or a headache. In addition, a bullseye-like rash will usually appear around the site of the bite.

When to Come See Our Team

• You can’t remove the entire tick on your own
• Your rash gets bigger or looks like a bulls-eye
• Flu-like symptoms appear
• Signs of infection appear, like pus or redness and swelling

If you are ever worried about an animal or insect bite, come see us at AFC Urgent Care Mooresville.