Symptoms of Tick Bites

Ticks are scientifically classified in the same family that includes spiders. These creatures are typically found in heavily wooded areas and bushy areas with high grass and leaf litter. They require blood meals in order to complete their life cycles. Although some ticks can feed for hours, they can sometimes go up to a year without blood meals in order to survive.

Tick bites typically are painless, so you don’t notice when they have bitten you and are feeding on your blood. Even after the tick stops the blood meal and falls off your skin, you may not notice that you have been bitten. Some people are sensitive to tick bites and can develop symptoms such as a rash, shortness of breath, paralysis, numbness, or swelling. Fortunately, the majority of individuals will not develop symptoms and don’t remember getting bitten.

There have been thousands of cases where people who have been bitten by ticks have become allergic to red meat such as pork, venison, and beef. The saliva in the tick causes this allergic reaction. In these cases, people who eat red meat have developed swelling and hives. This is thought to be because of an alpha-gal antigen in the tick’s gut or saliva that stimulates an immune response that results in an allergic reaction when red meat is consumed.

Whether or not you have an allergic reaction, the best thing to do is to be careful when around areas that could have high amounts of tick infestation. Also, getting professional tick control services done will go a long way to prevent some unexpected tick bites. Other options include tick barrier treatment as well as tick tubes. All these options provide the best protection against all types of ticks that may exist around your home.

Mosquito Squad of Chicago is a mosquito control services company that provides professional mosquito extermination and tick control services in the Chicago land area. Give us a call at (630) 556-8315 to find out how we can help you with your tick issues.