Clean the bite site with rubbing alcohol or soap and water, save the tick in a sealed bag or container, and monitor for symptoms like a rash, fever, or joint pain over the following 30 days.
Finding and removing a tick is stressful enough. But it’s made a lot worse by the uncertainty that comes along with it. Suddenly, you’re wondering if you caught a disease, or if you need to see a doctor. These are normal anxieties to have, especially if you’ve heard how common Lyme disease is in the Northern Westchester area.
First, removal. If you haven't pulled it yet, use fine-tipped tweezers, grasp the tick as close to the skin surface as possible, and pull upward with slow, steady pressure. Don't twist, jerk, or squeeze the body. Don't use nail polish, petroleum jelly, or a match, as all of these old remedies can cause the tick to release more saliva into the bite (which increases the infection risk).
Once you’ve taken the tick out, clean the bite site and your hands thoroughly with rubbing alcohol or soap and water. Then put the tick in a sealed plastic bag or small container with a damp paper towel. Write down the date you found it and where on your body it was attached. Many areas, including New York, have tick testing programs that can identify the species and check for pathogens. Knowing what the tick was carrying gives you and your doctor better information for next steps.
Watch for symptoms over the next 30 days. The most well-known sign of Lyme disease is an expanding red rash, sometimes in a bullseye pattern, that typically appears within three to 30 days of the bite. But not everyone develops the rash, and not every rash looks like a bullseye. Fever, fatigue, headache, muscle aches, and joint pain are also early indicators. If any of these appear, contact your healthcare provider and mention the tick bite.
Bear in mind that most tick-borne infections require the tick to be attached for at least 24 hours. If you find a tick and you remove it quickly, your risk is a lot lower. It’s not zero, but it is much lower.
If you’re a Northern Westchester homeowner and you want to reduce your odds of dealing with tick-borne illness, Mosquito Squad of Northern Westchester can help. With tick control treatments, a professional can walk your property and target the areas of your yard where ticks wait for hosts. This reduces the tick population by up to 90% and greatly reduces your odds of being bitten on your own property.
