For the sake of convenience, check yourself while you’re in the shower or bath. If you hiked, camped, or backpacked with your child, inspect their body for ticks (or, for older kids, ask them to check themselves).
Unless the tick is still attached to your body, tick bites are notoriously difficult to spot since there isn’t any pain or itching.
As long as the red bump doesn’t turn into a large rash, don’t worry. The bite is not infected. If you notice a rash that looks like a bulls-eye, a widespread rash, joint aches, headache, fatigue, or chills, then it’s possible that the tick transmitted Lyme disease to you. [4] X Trustworthy Source PubMed Central Journal archive from the U. S. National Institutes of Health Go to source
Don’t compress the tick’s body since it can force harmful fluid through the tick’s mouth and into your body. Don’t use a forceful twisting or jerking motion since you could leave the tick’s head embedded in your skin. Some people find ticks to be a little gross. Fortunately, though, their bites aren’t painful at all. If you feel a little squeamish about removing the tick, ask a friend or family member to help you. Never grab the tick by its body. The tick’s body can separate from the head, and the head will remain embedded in your skin. If this happens, you’ll just have to wait for your body to push the tick’s head out.
While this can be a sign of an internal infection, it can also indicate that you’re allergic to the tick bite. Signs of an infection typically take a few days—or even as long as a month—to appear.
If you see black tissue around the location of a tick bite, visit your doctor immediately. Rickettsia bacteria can cause potentially life-threatening conditions including African tick-bite fever and Rocky Mountain tick-bite fever. These conditions can be treated with antibiotics.
The bull’s-eye pattern may also have multiple concentric rings of swollen, red tissue. The rash that accompanies the bull’s-eye pattern isn’t typically painful or itchy. However, if you lay your hand on it, it may feel warm to the touch.
Avoid scratching or breaking open the blisters.
Visit a doctor if you notice any of these symptoms. Lyme disease diagnoses are most common in the summer (since ticks are most numerous and most active when it’s warm outside), but ticks can bite any time of the year.
Also tell the doctor how long ago you were bitten by the tick. If you don’t know exactly what day you were bitten on, provide a reasonable estimate. Follow up with your doctor if you develop a widespread rash over the next 30 days after removing the tick. Pay attention to any flu-like symptoms you have since they could be signs of Lyme disease.
If you live in a wooded area, you could even be bitten by a tick in your own backyard.
Shake off the tarp when you pick it back up to dislodge any ticks that might’ve climbed aboard while it was on the ground.
Shake off the tarp when you pick it back up to dislodge any ticks that might’ve climbed aboard while it was on the ground.
Allow 4–5 hours for the spray to dry on the clothes. Several different companies manufacture Permethrin sprays. It’s typically sold at outdoor-supply stores, although you can also find it at large home-improvement stores.
