SurvivalMedicineBlog

Ticks and their bites

Not medical advice. This is an archive article for general information when professional care is hard to reach. It is not a diagnosis, treatment, or cure. Read the disclaimer. In an emergency, call your local emergency number.

Ticks can carry infections, including Lyme disease and other illnesses that vary by region. Prevention and prompt removal matter more than anything you put on the bite afterward.

Reduce bites

• Wear long sleeves and pants when walking through grass or brush, and tuck pants into socks
• Use an insect repellent as directed on its label
• Check skin, scalp, and clothing after being outdoors. Look under waistbands and behind knees
• Shower soon after you come inside and wash the clothes you wore

If a tick is attached

Use fine-tipped tweezers. Grasp the tick close to the skin and pull straight out with steady pressure. Do not twist it, crush it, or try to make it let go with heat, oil, nail polish, or other substances. Clean the skin with soap and water afterward. If you can, note the date and where on the body the tick was. A clinician may want that information.

Watch the person for several weeks. A spreading rash, fever, unusual tiredness, or joint pain is a reason to contact a clinician and mention the tick. Do not start leftover antibiotics or herbal products on your own. Tick-borne illness is diagnosed and treated by a professional, not from a blog post.

Older text on this page described unproven remedies. That material has been removed. See Read this First.