Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsCommon SymptomsRare SymptomsComplicationsWhen to See a Provider
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Common Symptoms
Rare Symptoms
Complications
When to See a Provider
Tick bitesigns and symptoms include red, inflamed skin with a dark dot in the center. The dot is the live tick; it remains attached until it is removed or it falls off naturally after three to six days. Ticks can attach anywhere on your body, but they favor hard-to-see places such as the groin, armpits, and scalp.
It is not always possible to avoid atick bite, especially during the warmer months when you are outside. Even with a thorough inspection of your clothes, skin, and hair, it can be difficult to spot a tick before it bites because even adult ticks may be only the size of a poppyseed.
This article discusses the symptoms and complications of a tick bite, and when you should see a healthcare provider.
Verywell / Katie Kerpel
Frequent Symptoms of Tick Bites
The first symptoms of a tick bite include redness and inflammation at the bite site. If the tick is still attached, it will appear as a dark, hard spot in the center of the bite. The bites don’t usually hurt, but they may feel itchy.
How to Remove a TickTicks should be removed right awaywith clean, fine-tipped tweezers. Grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible to avoid leaving the head inside the bite. After removing, clean the bite with rubbing alcohol, soap, and water.
How to Remove a Tick
Ticks should be removed right awaywith clean, fine-tipped tweezers. Grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible to avoid leaving the head inside the bite. After removing, clean the bite with rubbing alcohol, soap, and water.
After the tick has been removed, watch for symptoms that indicate disease. The first sign typically is a rash.
Rash
Types of tick bite-related rashes include:
How Common Are Tick Bites?The average number of tick bite-related emergency department visits in the month of May for the years 2017, 2018, and 2019 was 145.This number does not accurately reflect how many tick bites occurred but were not reported, though, and should be seen as an underestimate of the actual tick bite count.
How Common Are Tick Bites?
The average number of tick bite-related emergency department visits in the month of May for the years 2017, 2018, and 2019 was 145.This number does not accurately reflect how many tick bites occurred but were not reported, though, and should be seen as an underestimate of the actual tick bite count.
13 Pictures of Common Skin Rashes
Other Symptoms
Symptoms that can occur in the absence of or in addition to a rash after a tick bite include:
Allergic Reactions to a Tick BitePeople who are allergic to ticks can experience the following symptoms after a bite:Pain, swelling, or a burning sensation at the bite siteRash or allergic skin irritationBlistersRespiratory difficulties, if severeIf you have symptoms of anaphylaxis such as swelling of the throat or tongue, trouble breathing, or feeling faint or confused, call 911.
Allergic Reactions to a Tick Bite
People who are allergic to ticks can experience the following symptoms after a bite:Pain, swelling, or a burning sensation at the bite siteRash or allergic skin irritationBlistersRespiratory difficulties, if severeIf you have symptoms of anaphylaxis such as swelling of the throat or tongue, trouble breathing, or feeling faint or confused, call 911.
People who are allergic to ticks can experience the following symptoms after a bite:
If you have symptoms of anaphylaxis such as swelling of the throat or tongue, trouble breathing, or feeling faint or confused, call 911.
Rare Symptoms of Tick Bites
Rare symptoms may begin between four and seven days after tick attachment and can include:
Symptoms that don’t resolve could be a sign that something else, such as a neurological condition, is causing your symptoms. Examples includeGuillain-Barrésyndrome(a rare autoimmune disorder that attacks the nerves) andbotulism(acute food poisoning that can cause muscle weakness and paralysis).
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Complications of Tick Bites
Complications from a tick bite depend on which pathogen the tick is carrying and whether you are infected after exposure.
Health complications can include:
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When to See a Healthcare Provider
If you have a tick bite, take a picture of the area as soon as possible so you have a baseline to which you can compare changes.
You should also call your healthcare provider if:
What Does a Tick Bite Look Like? Pictures and When to See a Doctor
Summary
11 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Symptoms of tick-borne illness.
Moore A, Nelson C, Molins C, Mead P, Schriefer M.Current guidelines, common clinical pitfalls, and future directions for laboratory diagnosis of Lyme disease, United States.Emerg Infect Dis. 2016;22(7):1169–77. doi:10.3201/eid2207.151694
Gottlieb M, Long B, Koyfman A.The evaluation and management of Rocky Mountain spotted fever in the emergency department: A review of the literature.J Emerg Med. 2018;55(1):42-50. doi:10.1016/j.jemermed.2018.02.043
Nichols Heitman K, Dahlgren FS, Drexler NA, Massung RF, Behravesh CB.Increasing incidence of ehrlichiosis in the United States: A summary of national surveillance of Ehrlichia chaffeensis and Ehrlichia ewingii infections in the United States, 2008-2012.Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2016;94(1):52-60. doi:10.4269/ajtmh.15-0540
Lother SA, Haley L.Tick paralysis.CMAJ. 2017 Oct 30;189(43):E1341-E1341. doi:10.1503/cmaj.170868
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Anaplasmosis.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Relapsing fever symptoms.
Yale Medicine.Tick-borne illnesses.
Johns Hopkins Medicine All Children’s Hospital.Ticks and lyme disease.
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