Ticks! Yuck!

Diseases from Ticks

Everyone knows ticks are dangerous for more than their annoying bites.  Ticks carry very dangerous, sometimes deadly diseases.  Tick bites are most common in the summer and fall, so now is the time to learn about what to watch for after a tick bite.  And remember, pets can bring ticks inside on their fur, so keep them up-to-date on their anti-flea and tick medications.

The 2 big tick-borne diseases you should watch out for are Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF).  Lyme disease starts with a bull’s eye shaped rash around the bite that is often burning or itchy.  If left alone long enough, the person will get many more of these circular rashes with flu like symptoms, like fever, chills, aches, and tiredness.  If caught early, it can be cured with simple antibiotics.  RMSF is extremely dangerous and moves fast, so you need to catch it early.  It almost always starts with a rash on the wrists and ankles, sometimes covering the hands and feet also.  The rash is lots of red bumps and can get really bad really quickly.  RMSF also starts with a really bad headache and a fever.  So if you have a red, bumpy rash on your wrists and ankles, a really bad headache, and a fever, especially if you have recently been camping, you should see a doctor immediately.

Any time you or someone in your household gets a rash and you aren’t sure what to do about it, come see us!  The providers at First Priority Medical Clinic can help you figure it out!