Tick bite

( Handout )

Treat it: It's important to remove the tick properly by using tweezers to gently pull it straight out. Use a gentle soap and water to clean the affected area.

Head to the doctor if: The small mark starts to expand and look like a bull's-eye. The tick may have transmitted a disease like Rocky Mountain spotted fever or Lyme disease. If this happens any time within three months of the bite, see the doctor.

Also, if you develop flulike symptoms (fever, malaise, muscle aches, headache or nausea), contact a physician.

FYI: Save any ticks that you remove and bring them to the doctor. The tick specimen can be analyzed in a lab to determine if it was carrying any pathogens, and this will make it easier for the physician to provide a definitive diagnosis.

The expert: Bassett

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