The Dangers of Tick Bites: How to Avoid Them and What to Do If You Get One

As the temperatures warm up and the world transforms from gray to green, New Yorkers love to head outdoors. As you take your lunch to the park, walk your dog around the block, or play with kids under a shade tree, there’s a tiny danger that lurks — ticks.

While the board-certified physicians here at Forest Urgent Care, including Dr. Ping Wong and Dr. Waiho Lum, encourage you to get outside and enjoy the spring and summer months, we also want to make sure you’re educated about ticks, which can cause illness. 

Why we’re concerned about ticks

Ticks are tiny eight-legged arachnids that love hanging out in trees and long grasses, waiting for a host to pass by that they can latch onto. And we mean latch, as they bite into your skin and then feed on your blood.

Despite this vampire-like assault, the real concern are the harmful bacteria, viruses, and protozoa that ticks can transfer to you, which can lead to issues like:

• Rocky Mountain spotted fever
• Tularemia
• Ehrlichiosis
• Babesiosis

Perhaps the most well-known tick-borne illness is Lyme disease. Experts estimate that nearly half a million Americans get this every year.

This list isn’t complete, but we wanted to illustrate that there are many diseases that are associated with tick bites.

Ticks in New York

There are three common ticks that can be found in New York State, including:

1. Deer ticks
2. American dog ticks
3. Lone star ticks

For pictures of each of these ticks, click here.

What to watch for with tick bites

Now we want to get into some signs of tick-borne diseases, bearing in mind that not every tick bite leads to infection — far from it.

That said, it’s important to know the signs of a potential problem because early intervention is important, and these signs include:

• A circular or solid rash around the tick bite
• Fever
• Chills
• Joint pain
• Fatigue

Many tick-borne illnesses feel like a flu, but the big difference is the presence of a skin rash.

What to do if you have a tick bite

If you notice a tick on your body, you want to remove it as quickly as possible. We suggest that you disinfect the area and then, using tweezers, grab the tick as close to your skin as possible and gently tug to pull it out.

If this is something you’d rather have us do, you can come see us during our walk-in hours.

Once the tick is removed, be on the lookout for symptoms, which can develop days and even weeks later. If none develop, great. If they do, come in right away so we can treat the infection, usually with antibiotics.

Tips for preventing tick bites

There’s no way to completely avoid tick bites unless you lock yourself indoors, but there are steps you can take to avoid attracting them:

• Cover up with tight-weave clothing when you go out
• Use insect repellent
• If you’re in long grass, tuck your pants into your socks
• Take a shower or bath when you come inside

Again, we want you to head outdoors and enjoy nature, but just be mindful of ticks and do what you can to minimize your exposure.

If you have more questions about tick bites or you have a bite that’s worrying you, please contact us at our New York City office in Forest Hills, Queens. You can also visit our clinic during our hours of operation, which are Monday through Friday from 8am to 7pm as well as Saturdays and Sundays from 10am to 5pm.