Diseases spread by ticks include Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, ehrlichiosis, anaplasmosis, and babesiosis. Some are bacterial while others are parasitic, and several can become life-threatening without prompt treatment.
Prevention includes using insect repellent, wearing long sleeves and pants, checking your body after spending time outdoors, and showering soon afterward. If you find a tick, remove it with fine-tipped tweezers by pulling upward steadily from close to the skin.
After a tick bite, watch carefully for fever, rash, severe headache, unusual tiredness, or worsening muscle pain. If these symptoms appear, seek medical attention promptly because early diagnosis and treatment can help prevent serious complications.
