Lifestyle and home remedies

If you find a tick on your body, don't be alarmed. Removing a tick promptly is a good defense against transmission of bacteria. Use the following steps:

• Gloves. Wear medical gloves or similar gloves if possible to protect your hands.
• Tweezers. Use fine-tipped tweezers to grab the tick firmly near its head or mouth, and as close to the skin as possible.
• Removal. Pull the tick's body away your skin steadily and slowly without jerking or twisting it. If parts of the mouth remain, remove them with clean tweezers.
• Disposal. Kill the tick by putting it in alcohol. Do not crush the tick to avoid exposure to possible bacteria. The dead tick can be flushed, lightly wrapped in tape before throwing in the trash or stored in a freezer.
• Storage. A tick can be tested at a later date if you suspect infection. Place the tick in a container, label it with the date, and place it in the freezer.
• Cleanup. Use soap and water to wash your hands after handling the tick and around the tick bite. Clean the site and your hands with rubbing alcohol.

Don't apply petroleum jelly, fingernail polish, rubbing alcohol or a hot match to the tick.

Monitor the bite site

A small, red bump, similar to the bump of a mosquito bite, often appears at the site of a tick bite or tick removal and resolves over a few days. This is normal and should not cause alarm.

If you experience continued irritation at the site or experience any signs or symptoms that may indicate a tick-borne infection, contact your doctor.