Tick season is here again, which means it’s time to be on the lookout for these nasty, blood-sucking pests. Try to wear pants and long sleeves when you go out in the woods this summer, wash your clothes when you get back from time spent in the outdoors, and if you have pets that frequently go outside, make sure to inspect them for tick bites, too. Keep reading to learn the top signs of a tick bite, and for tick control and a range of other pest control services, make sure to contact our experts at Purple Care.

You May Have Been Bitten by a Tick If…

  • You notice a red spot on your body: Ticks leave small red spots when they bite people and animals, typically in sweaty areas like the neck, scalp, groin, and legs. They may look for hairy areas on the body as cover, though it is possible to find ticks in a range of unexpected places. An engorged tick can feed on a person for up to ten days before it falls off, so you may not notice a tick bite right away. That’s why it’s important to keep a lookout for bites when you get back from grassy, wooded areas where they like to hang out.
  • You notice a rash near the bite/on the rest of your body: In addition to the bite mark itself, you may be able to spot a tick bite by a rash they have given you. Unlike bed bugs and other pests that bite, tick bites are not concentrated to one area specifically, so you will be able to spot a rash spreading around one unique bite area. Some people have stronger reactions to tick bites, however, and can even experience a full-body rash after being bitten by a tick.
  • You experience a burning sensation: As we mentioned above, a tick bite is not always easy to spot. Unless you experience a rash, finding the location of a bite mark can be difficult. However, one other thing that may point you to the location is a burning sensation concentrated around the area where the tick has bitten you.
  • You get a blister: In some cases, a tick bite can also cause swelling or a blister at the site of the bite. You may notice a mild to severe itching sensation if you are dealing with a blister from a tick bite.
  • You experience headaches or nausea: While you may not be able to always detect a tick-bite visually, there are other symptoms that a tick is on your body. For instance, if you have been getting frequent headaches lately, or feeling nauseous, and you can’t find any other explanation, it is possible a tick bite is to blame.
  • You experience fever, chills, or other flu-like symptoms: Another sensation you may feel due to an undetected tick bite is that of an onset flu. This may manifest in a fever and chills, so again, if you find that you are coming down with something but can’t determine why, it is important to consider the possibility that you have been bitten by a tick.
  • You experience muscle or joint pain: Another symptom of severe tick bites is a general pain and stiffness in your muscle or joints. This can occur several days to a few weeks after you have been bitten by a tick, and may be concentrated around the area of the bite or all around your body.
  • You have difficulty breathing: In rare but extreme cases, tick bites can cause breathing trouble. Whether you have been bitten by a tick or not, get to a doctor ASAP if you are experiencing this symptom, as breathing problems and unexpected respiratory issues should never be ignored.
  • Your lymph nodes are swollen: Lymph nodes are small glands that filter “lymph,” which is the clear fluid that circulates through your lymphatic system. They are located in many parts of the body, including areas ticks tend to bite, such as the armpits, chest, abdomen/belly, and groin. They may become swollen in response to infections or tumors, so again, whether a tick is causing that swelling or whether it is something else, if you feel uncomfortable in parts of your body where your lymph nodes are located you should get to a doctor right away.
  • You feel generally weak: The most general symptom of a tick bite is an overall weakness in your body, which you might be able to associate with any number of maladies. It is important to remember that ticks can transmit diseases such as RMSF (rocky mountain spotted fever), Colorado tick fever, tularemia, ehrlichiosis, and most notably, Lyme disease, so it is essential to be on the lookout for ticks during and after any outdoor activity, and to seek medical attention if you feel your body getting weak.

For tick control or to learn more about tick prevention, call (817) 880-6052 now, or click here to send us a message online.