Watch for the symptoms of tick-borne diseases in the weeks following a tick bite -- muscle or joint aches, stiff neck, headache, weakness, fever, swollen lymph nodes, and other flu-like symptoms. Watch for a red spot or rash starting at the location of the bite.

The symptoms below refer more to the problems resulting from the bite itself, not the diseases that a bite may cause. Some of the symptoms are specific to one variety of tick or another but not necessarily common to all ticks.

• Apnea (breathing stopped)
• Blisters
• Difficulty breathing
• Rash
• Severe pain at bite site (some varieties), lasting for several weeks
• Swelling at bite site (some varieties)
• Weakness
• Uncoordinated movement

Images

Lyme disease - Borrelia burgdorferi organism

Deer and dog tick

Ticks

Tick, deer - adult female

Lyme disease, erythema chronicum migrans

Tick, deer engorged on the skin

Lyme disease organism, Borrelia burgdorferi

Deer ticks

Tick imbedded in the skin

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Tick bite Overview

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Tick bite Treatment

Review Date: 10/04/2009
Reviewed By: Jacob L. Heller, MD, MHA, Emergency Medicine, Virginia Mason Medical Center, Seattle, Washington. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)