Bitten By An Illinois Tick? Here’s When To Seek Medical Attention
If it feels like ticks are everywhere in Illinois this summer, you’re not imagining things. Also, keep in mind that the tick season for Northern Illinois runs from March through November of each year, so we've got nearly four more months of tick anxiety to deal with.
Emergency room visits for tick bites are skyrocketing across the United States, including here in the Midwest. According to the CDC, tick-related ER visits have been at some of the highest levels seen in nearly a decade, with warmer temperatures and an early spring helping fuel a booming tick population.
Illinois health officials have also spent a good deal of time warning residents about increased tick activity and a growing risk of tick-borne illnesses this year.
One Of The Many Problems With Ticks Is That Their Bite Is Often Completely Painless
Which means many people don’t even realize they’ve been bitten until symptoms begin to show up days later.
While many bites are harmless, some ticks can transmit serious illnesses like Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, ehrlichiosis, and even alpha-gal syndrome, which can trigger an allergy to red meat.
More than 100 of every 100,000 emergency department visits recorded in April were because of tick bites, CDC data updated earlier this week shows. During the same time last year, tick bites accounted for only 68 out of every 100,000 visits.
Incident rates in the Northeast sit at 73 out of every 100,000, the highest in the nation, per CDC data. In the Midwest, the incident rate is, so far, 53 out of 100,000.
So, When Should You Seek Medical Attention?
The CDC says you should contact a doctor if you develop a rash, fever, chills, fatigue, headaches, muscle aches, swollen lymph nodes, or joint pain within days or weeks after a tick bite. One of the biggest warning signs is the classic “bull’s-eye” rash associated with Lyme disease, although not everyone gets one.
Medical experts also recommend seeking immediate care if you experience severe symptoms like difficulty breathing, heart palpitations, paralysis, or a severe headache after a tick bite.
How To Do It Yourself
If you find a tick attached to your skin, experts say to remove it as quickly as possible using fine-tipped tweezers. Don’t use matches, nail polish, or petroleum jelly, which can actually make things worse.
With Illinois dead-bang in the midst of peak outdoor season, doctors say prevention is critical. Check yourself, your kids, and your pets after spending time outdoors, especially around wooded areas, tall grass, and forest preserves. This year’s tick season has shaped up to be one of the busiest ones yet.
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Gallery Credit: Andrea Vale
