You’ve Been Bit by a Tick. Now What?

A blog post for Quest Diagnostics, a consumer-facing lab testing service, prompting consumers to employ Quest to test ticks for Lyme disease and other tickborne illness.

Most outdoors enthusiasts have had the unpleasant experience of finding an engorged tick on themselves or a pet — some studies show that as many as 1 in 5 Americans get bit by a tick per year. But there’s a lot of conflicting information on how to proceed from there — and how to make sure this tiny annoyance doesn’t become a big problem.

How to Remove the Tick

After you find one of these unwelcome hitchhikers, resist the urge to remove it with your fingers. Instead, get a pair of tweezers to remove the entire tick — including the head, which can continue to feed if left in the body. And though you’ll likely want to smash the tick or flush it down the drain, resist that urge, and instead save the tick in a plastic bag. Tickborne diseases are on the rise — and the only way to be sure that you’re unharmed is by getting a tick tested by a tick testing lab like EasyLab.

Tickborne Disease

Unfortunately, ticks are getting more dangerous every year. The CDC estimates that about 476,000 Americans are diagnosed with Lyme disease every year, up nearly 357% in rural areas and 65% in urban areas since 2017.

But if you get bit by a tick, don’t assume you’re immediately infected. Just 20–40% of ticks carry the Lyme bacteria that causes Lyme disease — so no need to panic just yet. And if you find a tick quickly after an outdoor excursion, you’re in an even better position, as ticks need to feed on their host for 36 hours or more in order for Lyme bacteria to leak into the host’s bloodstream.

That doesn’t mean that Lyme disease isn’t a serious threat — if left untreated, Lyme disease can lead to a host of problems including rashes, nerve problems, and arthritis. Not to mention other less-common tickborne diseases like anaplasmosis, which can lead to paralysis and even death.

Contact Your Doctor

If you begin feeling flu-like (or COVID-like) symptoms after spending some time outdoors, talk to your doctor as soon as possible to rule out Lyme disease or begin treatment. If you remove a tick and continue to feel normal, you should still send your tick in to EasyLab as soon as possible to ensure this little problem doesn’t get any bigger.