Tick Bites: Home Treatment

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Home Treatment

There are several things you can do to protect yourself from the diseases ticks may carry. The sooner ticks are removed, the less likely they are to spread disease.

• Use fine-tipped tweezers to remove a tick. If you don't have tweezers, put on gloves or cover your hands with tissue paper, then use your fingers. Do not handle the tick with bare hands.
  • Grab the tick as close to its mouth (the part that is stuck in your skin) as you can. The body of the tick will be above your skin.
  • Do not grab the tick around its bloated belly. You might push infected fluid from the tick into your body if you squeeze it.
  • Pull the tick straight out until its mouth lets go of your skin. Do not twist or "unscrew" the tick. This may separate the head from the body.
• Do not try to smother a tick that is attached to your skin with petroleum jelly, nail polish, gasoline, or rubbing alcohol. This may increase your risk of infection.
• Do not try to burn the tick while it is attached to your skin.
• Put the tick in a jar filled with rubbing alcohol and save it for later identification if necessary.
• Wash the area of the tick bite with a lot of warm water and soap. A mild dishwashing soap, such as Ivory, works well.
• If a bite becomes irritated, apply an antibiotic ointment, such as bacitracin or polymyxin B sulfate, and cover it with an adhesive bandage. The ointment will keep the bite from sticking to the bandage. Note: Stop using the ointment if the skin under the bandage begins to itch or a rash develops. The ointment may be causing a skin reaction.
• After you remove the tick, wash your hands really well with soap and water.

When you return home from areas where ticks might live, carefully examine your skin and scalp for ticks. Check your pets, too.

Home treatment to help relieve pain and itching

• Apply an ice pack to your bite for 15 to 20 minutes once an hour for the first 6 hours. When you are not using ice, keep a cool, wet cloth on the bite for up to 6 hours.
• Try a nonprescription medicine for the relief of itching, redness, and swelling. Be sure to follow the nonprescription medicine precautions.
  • An antihistamine medicine, such as Benadryl or Chlor-Trimeton, may help relieve itching, redness, and swelling. Don't give antihistamines to your child unless you've checked with the doctor first.
  • A spray of local anesthetic containing benzocaine, such as Solarcaine, may help relieve pain. If your skin reacts to the spray, stop using it.
  • Calamine lotion applied to the skin may help relieve itching.
• After the first 6 hours, if there is no swelling, try putting a warm washcloth on the bite for comfort.

Symptoms to Watch For During Home Treatment

Use the Check Your Symptoms section to evaluate your symptoms if any of the following occur during home treatment:

• New or different symptoms develop.
• An expanding red rash develops.
• Flu-like symptoms develop.
• A rash or sore develops.
• Symptoms of a skin infection develop.
• Symptoms become more severe or more frequent.

Last updated:	January 17, 2008
Author:	Jan Nissl, RN, BS
Reviewed By:	William M. Green, MD - Emergency Medicine, H. Michael O'Connor, MD - Emergency Medicine
Editors:	Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Tracy Landauer