During the summertime, instances of tick bites skyrocket. Ticks are most active during the warmer months, and humans can come across a tick easily while walking in grassy or wooded areas. While ticks are small, and their bites are not painful, a bite from a tick can transmit diseases to humans, like Lyme disease. This is why identifying a tick bite and seeking urgent medical care if you’re bitten is essential. This article will review common symptoms that can help you determine if you were exposed to Lyme disease by a tick bite.
If you were bitten by a tick, you should always seek medical care for timely diagnosis and treatment for any tick-borne illnesses you could have been exposed to. At AFC Urgent Care North Waltham, our walk-in clinic makes it easy to receive prompt care for a tick bite. Simply walk into the clinic for same-day diagnostic testing. Patients can also save their spot in advance using the button below.
Symptoms of Lyme Disease
Lyme disease is an infection that is transmitted to humans by ticks. Lyme disease can be found across most of the country, and it is extremely common in the northeast. Common symptoms associated with Lyme disease include:
- Bullseye rash
- Fever
- Chills
- Body aches
- Fatigue
How Quickly Do Lyme Disease Symptoms Appear After a Tick Bite?
Unlike most illnesses, Lyme disease symptoms often appear much later after the infection enters your body. This can make it difficult to diagnose and treat. In many cases, if you’re experiencing symptoms of Lyme disease, you may have no idea you were ever bitten by a tick. Symptoms can appear up to a month after the tick bite. Spotting the tick on your body is key to a timely diagnosis and treatment for Lyme disease.
Lyme Disease Diagnosis and Treatment Options
If you’re bitten by a tick, you need to seek urgent medical care. Remove the tick from your body carefully with tweezers, using caution to get the entire tick out, including the head. You can bring the tick in a plastic bag with you when you seek medical care to help your medical provider evaluate your risk for certain tick-borne illnesses. Different ticks may carry different diseases.
If your medical provider suspects you have Lyme disease, they will conduct diagnostic testing with a blood test to check to see if you have contracted Lyme disease. In many cases, Lyme disease doesn’t show up on diagnostic tests immediately. Your doctor may recommend precautionary antibiotics, even if you don’t test positive for Lyme disease. You need to treat Lyme disease within a couple of weeks of the bite to ensure it doesn’t become chronic.
Visit AFC North Waltham for Walk-In Lyme Disease Testing
Tick bites are a common instance in the summertime. However, ticks can expose humans to various tick-borne illnesses like Lyme disease. If you’re bitten by a tick or are experiencing symptoms of Lyme disease, you should seek urgent medical care for proper diagnosis and treatment. At AFC Urgent Care North Waltham, our walk-in clinic offers same-day Lyme disease testing on a walk-in basis.
At AFC Urgent Care North Waltham, we understand that ticks are common in our area. That is why we offer convenient same-day diagnostic testing for tick-borne illnesses. Simply walk into the clinic for same-day care. Our clinic accepts most health insurance plans, and we have affordable rates for self-paying patients. To learn more, give our team a call at (781) 701-0900.
