Tick Bite: What Do You Do When The Injury Has Happened?
In most cases, tick bites do no more harm, other than getting a little red, it can itch, and the area around the bite can swell up. However, these types of parasites can transmit diseases through their bites if they remain on the skin for a while. If this happens, it is important to seek medical attention.
What to do in case of tick bites?
As we mentioned above, tick bites usually do not cause disease. However, saliva from female ticks can contain a toxin that causes Lyme disease if the tick stays on the person’s skin for several days.
Symptoms of tick bites
Below we show you a list of the symptoms that tick bites usually produce. Of course, the symptoms can vary from person to person. Some may experience only one symptom, while others may experience several symptoms.
- Swelling around the tick bite
- The blush
- Headache
- Breathing problems
- Impaired muscle coordination
- Rash on the body
- Total paralysis
- Fever
If you spot the bite right away
If you notice it immediately after you have been bitten by a tick, there are a number of steps you need to perform to remove the parasite.
Removal with tweezers
Use tweezers with a narrow tip to get the insect out. Go for the tick’s mouth – the part closest to the person’s skin. It is important that you do not bully the body of the tick.
The operation must be performed slowly and continuously and perpendicular to the skin. Never make sudden movements or turning movements. It is especially important that you do not bother it.
Do not use products such as nail polish remover, Vaseline or other products in an attempt to improve the removal. This can actually make the problem worse.
Sometimes part of the tick can tear loose or remain in the skin. If this is the tick’s mouth, consult your doctor. Thereby, he or she can try to remove the debris using a small incision in the area.
If it happens that it is another part of the tick’s body, then the person’s body may excrete the tick itself within a few days.
Save the fleet
If you have the option to save the tick, you should do so. Put it in a sealed bag or put it in the freezer until you can see a doctor. This allows the doctor to identify what type of tick it is. That is, he or she has a better chance of making a complete diagnosis.
Disinfection
When you have finished removing the tick, do the following:
- Wash your hands with soap and water. If you have hand alcohol, you should use this too.
- Wash affected area with soap and water. Again, you should disinfect the bite with alcohol.
- Always keep the affected area clean.
- Do not scratch the bite.
- Apply a cold, damp cloth to the area.
How to prevent tick bites
Ticks are common in forest areas and grasslands with lots of shrubs. Therefore, if you are taking a walk in the country or in the woods, you should wear long pants and a long-sleeved blouse. This will help prevent the tick from biting into your skin.
It is also a good idea to stuff the trouser leg into your socks. Even if you are wearing long pants, insects can easily climb up at the opening of the trouser leg. Stopping the trouser legs in the socks will prevent this from happening.
It is also important to use an insect repellent. You should not only spray it on the skin but also on the clothes you need to wear while out. This provides a more complete form of protection.
You should apply more insect repellent every hour or every other hour so that the effect does not diminish. This way you can be sure that you have continuous protection.
If you have animals in the home, also make sure that you treat them for parasites at regular intervals to prevent the problem from spreading. This is especially true if you have a dog or cat.
