How to properly treat a tick bite and when to see a doctor

Even if you do your best to prevent tick bites, it can still happen - after all, disease-carrying pests are very tiny. You a reaction to it can develop, as well as to the bite of any other insect. Don't be surprised if it turns into a small red bump or becomes sore and itchy. How to treat a bite, if it has already happened, learned the edition Yahoo!.

While you can find ticks on any part of your body, they prefer warm and damp places, such as armpits, behind your knees, and around your groin.

Before treating a bite, it is important to understand how to properly remove the tick. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has very specific guidelines:

• Remove the tick as soon as possible. The longer it stays attached, the larger it gets as it feeds on your blood, and the higher the risk of disease transmission.
• Use pointed tweezers to grab the tick as close to the skin as possible.
• Pull upward with firm, even pressure. Do not twist or jerk the tick so as not to leave its head inside.
• Get rid of the tick by flushing it down the toilet. If you want to bring a tick to your doctor to help identify it, place it in rubbing alcohol or place the tick in an airtight bag or container.

How to treat a tick bite after removal

After removing the tick, CDC recommends cleaning the bite site with rubbing alcohol or soap and water.

"This keeps the area clean and prevents bacteria or other irritants from spreading to other areas of the skin," says board certified dermatologist Ife Rodney, MD, founding director of Eternal Dermatology + Aesthetics in Fulton, Maryland. You should also wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water afterward.

On the subject: Disease vector ticks spread in New York: how to protect yourself

Dr. Rodney then says that "it would be helpful to cover the site of the tick bite with a light bandage to protect it from dirt and bacteria."

Don't panic if after a few days it looks like a mosquito bite. But if the bite becomes inflamed or crusted again, applying "antibiotic cream may be helpful" to reduce the risk of infection and control lingering inflammation, says board-certified dermatologist Gary Goldenberg, MD, assistant professor of dermatology in New York City.

The bite may take up to two weeks to heal. While you are caring for this area, the CDC strongly recommends monitoring for symptoms of a tick-borne disease such as Lyme disease over the next 30 days. They can include:

• rash that extends beyond the bite;
• heat;
• fatigue;
• headache;
• muscle pain;
• joint swelling and pain.

When to see a doctor for a tick bite

According to Dr. Goldenberg, the bite of an infected tick causes discharge, swelling and pain, and can also grow in size. If you suspect that you are infected, you should see a dermatologist or healthcare professional for treatment.

“If you develop flu-like symptoms such as body aches, fatigue, fever and chills, it could be a sign that you may have been infected with bacteria that cause Lyme disease or another tick-borne disease,” he said. Dr. Rodney. "It also requires immediate medical attention."

Doctors will ask more specific questions about symptoms and bites, and will run a blood test to help make a correct diagnosis. Fortunately, most tick-borne diseases can be treated with a short course of antibiotics.