Maybe you have encountered ticks, but have not been bitten.
What does a tick bite look like? Do all tick bites result in disease? Most people, who receive a tick bite will note a small amount of redness after the tick is removed. If that redness spreads, becomes hot to the touch, or begins to take on a bulls-eye appearance, seek immediate medical attention. You could have a skin infection, Lyme disease, or something much worse.
How do ticks bite?
Like mosquitoes, ticks bite by sinking their mouthparts into your skin. While a mosquito bites quickly to get her blood meal, a tick will latch on until it becomes engorged and falls off. Black-legged ticks must maintain attachment for 24 to 48 hours in order to pass Lyme infection. The same tick must only be attached for 15 minutes in order to transmit the potentially deadly Powassan virus. Actually, the tick doesn’t even have to make a full attachment. So, if you find a tick attached to your skin, it does not have to become engorged to make you sick.
Should I receive treatment for my tick bite?
Depending on the medical diagnosis you receive, your tick bite could be treated. If you are experiencing only a minor skin infection from your tick bite, you might be treated with an antibiotic cream or an oral medication. If you have a bulls-eye rash that indicates Lyme infection, your doctor will treat you with doxycycline.
If the redness you are seeing develops into symptoms that indicate Powassan infection, your doctor will not have a direct treatment for your condition. At the time of this writing, Powassan is medically addressed by treating symptoms. These include vomiting, fever, and headache, but can also become sever. Symptoms, such as tremors, seizures, high fever, and paralysis could indicate that you are suffering encephalitis, which is treated in the hospital.
Also read: Why is Lyme disease on the rise?
What is better than never finding out, “What does a tick bite look like?”
Not being bitten in the first place. Be sure that you are protected with tick repellent clothing when hiking or camping. At home, entrust your tick protection to a professional tick control company.