When the weather is warm, insect encounters are at an all-time high. Depending on where you live, the insects that you are likely to encounter may change. Along with this, insect bites can range in severity from harmless to severe. One insect that is common across much of the U.S. is the black-legged deer tick. These ticks are harmful to humans because they can transmit Lyme disease. Keep reading to learn more about how to identify a tick bite and what to do if a tick bites you. If you are bitten by a tick or are experiencing any symptoms of Lyme disease, walk into AFC Urgent Care Perth Amboy for same-day Lyme symptom diagnosis and Lyme disease treatment. Our clinic is open 7 days a week and we never require that you schedule an appointment, simply walk in when it’s convenient for you.
What Does a Tick Bite Look Like
Ticks are small parasitic insects that typically feed on whitetail deer. The ticks live in tall grasses hopping from one deer to the next. However, sometimes ticks encounter a human instead of a deer. Getting bitten by a tick is problematic because if a tick is attached for more than a day it can transmit Lyme disease to humans.
Ticks can be incredibly difficult to find on the body. They range in size from the size of a pinhead to half a centimeter. They burrow their heads into the skin of their host and drink their blood. Once they are full, they will jump off and find their next victim. You may not always find the tick actively biting you. Instead, you may notice a bullseye rash on your skin, which is a telltale sign of a tick bite. Bullseye rashes appear as a red circle on the skin around where the tick bite happened. If you notice a bullseye rash, you should immediately seek medical care for diagnosis and treatment for Lyme disease.
Symptoms of Lyme Disease
Lyme disease is a serious illness. However, it is not always easy to catch when you are first exposed to Lyme disease. For some people, you may find the tick on your body or see a bullseye rash, but for others you may not notice these early signs. Lyme disease symptoms don’t always start immediately following a tick bite. It can take up to 30 days of Lyme disease symptoms to appear. Treating Lyme disease early is essential, so it is important to watch out for early Lyme symptoms if you live somewhere where there are ticks.
Common symptoms of Lyme disease include:
- Extreme fatigue
- Fever
- Headache
- Aching joints
- Stiff neck
- Swollen lymph nodes
Lyme Disease Diagnosis & Treatment in Perth Amboy, NJ
If you notice a tick biting you or are experiencing symptoms of Lyme disease, it is important that you seek urgent medical care. Lyme disease can usually be treated with antibiotics because it is caused by a bacteria. However, if it is not treated within 3 days then Lyme disease can become chronic and cause long-term symptoms. If you are worried you may have been bitten by a tick, your healthcare provider can review your options for short-term treatment. If you find a tick actively biting you, you should carefully remove it with a pair of tweezers. Be sure to get the entire tick, including the head. Bring it with you when you seek medical care for proper identification by your healthcare provider.
Visit AFC Perth Amboy for Lyme Disease Diagnosis & Treatment in Perth Amboy, NJ
If you are bitten by a tick or are experiencing any symptoms of Lyme disease you should always seek medical care as soon as possible. At AFC Urgent Care Perth Amboy, our walk-in clinic offers same-day care for Lyme disease diagnosis and treatment. We have short wait times, making it easy for you to get the care that you need when it’s convenient for you. Our clinic has a lab on-site allowing us to perform rapid testing for a variety of common conditions. We accept most medical insurance plans including Cigna, United Healthcare, AmeriHealth, and more. Our clinic also offers competitive rates for our care for patients without insurance. Walk into the clinic today or call us for more information at (732) 896-9962.
