Treatment for Tick Bites

Tick bites are usually harmless and may produce no symptoms. However, if you are allergic to tick bites, you may experience pain or swelling at the bite site, a rash, burning sensation, blisters, or even difficulty breathing. Some ticks carry diseases, which can be passed on when they bite. Tick-borne diseases can cause a variety of symptoms, and usually develop within the first few weeks after a tick bite. How are tick bites treated? For tick bites, removal of tick, application of antiseptic, and sometimes an antibiotic by mouth to prevent Lyme disease The most important thing to do when you find a tick on you is to remove it. You can remove the tick yourself with a tick removal device or a set of tweezers. Grasp the tick close to the skin’s surface. Pull away from the skin, trying not to bend or twist the tick. Check the bite site to see if you left any of the tick’s head or mouthparts in the bite. If so, remove those. Clean the bite site with rubbing alcohol or soap and water. Does every tick bite require antibiotic treatment? Antibiotics are necessary if you experience a skin infection at the bite site or if you continually scratch and lacerate the skin. If you are bitten by a tick in a high-risk area for certain tick-borne diseases (for example Lyme disease or ehrlichiosis) or if the tick was attached to you for an extended period of time, it is better to be safe than sorry and see your doctor to start antibiotic treatment. You do not need to take medicine or see a doctor for a tick bite unless you begin developing symptoms or do not want to remove the tick yourself. If you remove the tick yourself, be aware of any unusual symptoms, which might indicate you may have contracted a tick-borne illness as a result of the bite.