Insect bites are a common ailment during the summer months. While most insects are harmless, ticks are a commonly found insect that can transmit diseases to humans through a bite. Ticks are tiny, which makes them difficult to spot. They can easily latch onto a human and release without detection. It is important to stay vigilant for ticks when you spend time outdoors, because tick-borne illnesses like Lyme disease require immediate treatment to avoid complications. Keep reading to learn more about how to identify a tick bite and treatment options for Lyme disease.
At AFC Urgent Care Medford, our walk-in clinic is prepared to provide quality same-day care for tick bites and cases of Lyme disease. We have a lab on-site to provide convenient diagnostic testing for Lyme disease, and our medical providers are trained to identify signs and symptoms of tick bites. Simply walk in for same-day care, or save your spot in advance below.
How to Identify a Tick Bite
Tick bites are very common during the summer months. Ticks can latch onto a person when you’re walking in grassy or wooded areas. They are very small, so they often go undetected, and their bite is not painful so you may not notice it at all. Ticks will latch onto the skin and then release within a day or so. In many cases, you may not see the tick biting you, so it’s important to be able to identify signs of a tick bite so you can take the necessary precautions.
Tick bites caused by a tick carrying Lyme disease have one very identifiable symptom - a bullseye rash. The bullseye rash appears as a red ring around the bite site and is only caused by a tick carrying Lyme disease. Symptoms of Lyme disease typically don’t appear for weeks or even months after the bite, so it is important to always check for tick bites after being outside and keep an eye out for any bullseye rashes.
Symptoms of Lyme Disease
Lyme disease is a bacterial infection carried by deer ticks. When a deer tick bites a human, it can infect the human with Lyme disease. Lyme disease can be treated, but it must be caught and treated early. Symptoms often do not appear until a few weeks after the bite, so it is important to check yourself for ticks and bullseye rashes regularly. Symptoms of Lyme disease include:
- Extreme fatigue
- Headaches
- Fever
- Chills
- Body aches
- Joint pain
Treatment Options for Lyme Disease
Treatment within 30 days of the bite is ideal for the best chance of effectively treating Lyme disease. If left untreated for longer than 30 days, Lyme disease can become chronic and cause long-term symptoms, including severe joint pain, fatigue, and neurologic issues. Treatment for Lyme disease includes a round of antibiotics to kill the bacteria causing the infection. In most cases, it is effectively treated when caught early. In some cases, Lyme disease may not show up on testing immediately, so cautionary treatment with antibiotics is sometimes recommended after a tick bite despite a negative Lyme test.
Visit AFC Urgent Care Medford for Convenient Lyme Disease Treatment
If you’re bitten by a tick, or have symptoms of a tick borne illness, it is important to take action fast. Lyme disease is most effectively treated when antibiotics are started immediately. At AFC Medford, our walk-in clinic is available 7 days a week from 8am to 8pm to provide rapid Lyme disease diagnosis and treatment.
If you’re in need of rapid insect bite diagnosis or testing for Lyme disease, walk into AFC Urgent Care Medford. Our medical providers are board-certified and trained to identify tick bites and treat tick borne illnesses like Lyme disease. We work with most medical insurance plans, and offer affordable rates for patients paying out-of-pocket for their care. Walk in today, or give us a call at (617) 582-2800 to learn more about the services we’re able to provide.
