Columbia County Department of Health

Lyme Disease
I've been bitten by a tick - now what?

Don't panic! Your chances of acquiring disease are low, especially during the first 24 hours the tick is attached to your skin.

Remove the tick promptly and properly:

Using tweezers, grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible and gently pull the tick in a steady, upward motion.
Wash the area with a disinfectant.

DO NOT touch the tick with your bare hands.

DO NOT squeeze the tick.

DO NOT put alcohol, nail polish remover or Vaseline on the tick.

DO NOT use a hot match or cigarette butt.

These methods do not work and only increase the likelihood the tick will transmit infectious bacteria to you.

Ticks may be brought to the health department or Cornell Cooperative Extension for identification.

Monitor the site of the bite for the appearance of a rash beginning 3 to 30 days after the bite. The rash will usually be at least 2 ½ inches in diameter and will gradually expand. Rashes that are smaller than the size of a quarter are usually a localized reaction to the tick bite itself and are not indicative of Lyme disease infection.

Learn about other early symptoms of Lyme disease and watch to see if they appear in the same timeframe.

If a rash or other early symptoms develop, see your health care provider as soon as possible.

For more information on tick-borne diseases, tick identification and removal, prevention methods, and the vaccine, call the Columbia County Department of Health at 828-3358, ext. 1306.

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