Tick Bites Health Video

Tick bites should be treated immediately, the concern being transmission of Lyme disease. Learn more about tick bites in this medical video.

Take Action

Remove tick carefully
Wash area thoroughly
Seek medical attention
Look for rash, fever, or muscle aches

About this Author

Dr. Susan McGladdery is a medical graduate from Oxford University in the UK and has a Master's Degree in Medical Sciences from Cambridge University. She has been a member of the Royal College of Physicians since 1991 and a member of the American Academy of Urgent Care since 2006. She trained as a Family Physician in the UK in Oxford and then in London. In a medical career that spans over 20 years, she has worked as a doctor in 5 countries on 3 continents and cared for patients from a multitude of different nationalities and backgrounds. Dr. McGladdery joined FirstMed Centers in mid 2002 and became Regional Medical Director in 2003.

SUSAN MCGLADERRY, BM, BCH, MRCP: Hello, my name is Dr. Susan McGladdery. I'm the medical director from the FirstMed Centers in Budapest Hungary. I'd like to talk to you about tick bites. Some ticks transmit bacteria that caused illnesses such as Lyme disease or Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Some ticks in Central Europe may also transmit a virus which causes an encephalitis or serious infection of the brain. Your risk of contracting one of these diseases depends on what part of the world that you live in, how much time you spend in wooded areas, and also how well do you protect yourself to avoid tick bites. If you've received a tick bite, what you should do is to remove the tick promptly and carefully. Use tweezers to grasp the body of the tick near its head and pull out very gently to remove the tick whole without crushing it. If you crushed the tick, it does increase the risk that the saliva of the tick is injected into the bite and this will increase the risk that you become infected. You should then use soap and water to clean the area around the tick bite. You need to go and see your doctor if you're not able to fully remove the tick. If there are mouth parts left behind, there is a risk of infection developing. You'll also need to see your doctor if you developed any rash, fever, stiffneck, muscle aches, joint pain, and inflammation, if you have swollen lymph nodes or any flu-like symptoms because these can be a sign that you've acquired a tick-transmitted infection. In particular, you need to call your local emergency number if you developed any symptoms such as severe headache, difficulty breathing, sign of paralysis, chest pain, or heart palpitations. This can indicate a very serious problem. If you are traveling in Europe, you should also consider whether it's worthwhile for you to be vaccinated with a tick borne encephalitis vaccine. This can prevent infection with encephalitis.