Ticks are carriers of the organism that causes Lyme disease. This organism known as Borrelia burgdorferi can be introduced into the bloodstream after a tick bite thereby causing the disease. The species of tick that carries Lyme disease is the deer tick. As it is difficult to determine what kind of tick you are dealing with, at the time of the bite, it is very important to take precautions at all times. This article explains in detail what to do after a tick bite in order to prevent contracting Lyme disease. Find out more below.
What To Do After A Tick Bite
It is important to note that ticks transmit this infection only after they are taking a blood meal from the host, after attaching themselves. This means that a tick that has not been attached cannot pass any infection to the host. If you or someone close to you has been bitten by a tick, it is important to act fast and remove the tick quickly. Below are steps to follow in order to take the tick out properly:
- Get a pair of pointed tweezers to take out the tick
- Use the pointed tweezers to grasp the mouth of the tick inserted into the skin. Be sure to grasp its tight, in order to avoid breaking it inside the skin.
- Pull the tick out of the host’s skin steadily. Avoid twisting as this can break part of the tick in the skin.
- Make sure to pull the tick out steadily without doing it sharply. Pulling back sharply will leave part of the mouth embedded in the skin.
- Be careful to not crush the body of the tick while pulling. This will release infected body fluids into the body of the host.
- Avoid applying substances on the tick while it is still in the skin of the host. Substances like nail polish and petroleum jelly will trigger it to release infected fluid into the body.
- After getting the tick out, wash the bite site with soap and water before applying antiseptic to disinfect. Ensure to wash your hands as well.
- Do not start any medications after the bite.
- Monitor the bite site for two weeks to see any signs of red rash or flu.
In order to determine the type of tick that you were bitten by, you can send the dead tick to a healthcare laboratory for identification.
Recognizing A Lyme Disease Rash
If you have been infected by the disease, a rash is most likely to surface on your skin. Below are some characteristics of the rash associated with Lyme disease.
- It is usually round or oval. It expands in size over days and weeks after the infection.
- It greatly resembles a spider bite.
- It is usually larger than 2 inches in diameter.
- It is typically red.
It is best to tackle a tick infestation problem as quickly as possible. Contact a pest control service near you.