Tick bite

• Poisonous Ingredient

  Hard- and soft-bodied female ticks are believed to make a poison that can cause tick paralysis in children.

  While most ticks do not carry diseases, some ticks can carry bacteria that can cause:

  • Colorado tick fever
  • Lyme disease
  • Rocky Mountain spotted fever
  • Tularemia
• Where Found

  Ticks live in wooded or grassy fields.

• Symptoms

  Watch for the symptoms of tick-borne diseases in the weeks following a tick bite -- muscle or joint aches, stiff neck, headache, weakness, fever, swollen lymph nodes, and other flu-like symptoms. Watch for a red spot or rash starting at the location of the bite.

  The symptoms below refer more to the problems resulting from the bite itself, not the diseases that a bite may cause. Some of the symptoms are specific to one variety of tick or another but not necessarily common to all ticks.

  • Apnea (breathing stopped)
  • Blisters
  • Difficulty breathing
  • Rash
  • Severe pain at bite site (some varieties), lasting for several weeks
  • Swelling at bite site (some varieties)
  • Weakness
  • Uncoordinated movement
• Home Treatment

  Remove the tick (see tick removal). Be careful not to leave the tick's head stuck in the skin.

• Before Calling Emergency

  Determine the following information:

  • Patient's age, weight, and condition
  • Time the tick bite occurred
  • Part of the body affected
• Poison Control, or a local emergency number

  The National Poison Control Center (1-800-222-1222) can be called from anywhere in the United States. This national hotline number will let you talk to experts in poisoning. They will give you further instructions.

  This is a free and confidential service. All local poison control centers in the United States use this national number. You should call if you have any questions about poisoning or poison prevention. It does NOT need to be an emergency. You can call for any reason, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

  See: Poison control center - emergency number

• What to expect at the emergency room

  The symptoms will be treated as appropriate. Long-term treatment may be needed if complications develop. Preventive antibiotics are often given to people who live in areas where Lyme disease is common.

• Expectations (prognosis)

  Most tick bites are harmless. The outcome will depend on what type of infection the tick may have been carrying and how soon appropriate treatment was begun.

• References

  Holm AL. Arachnids, insects, and other arthropods. In: Long SS, Pickering LK, Prober CG, eds. Principles and Practice of Pediatric Infectious Diseases. 2nd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Churchill Livingstone; 2003:chap 299.

Review Date: 10/4/2009

Reviewed By: Jacob L. Heller, MD, MHA, Emergency Medicine, Virginia Mason Medical Center, Seattle, Washington. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.