BALTIMORE — Tick bites are sending more people to emergency departments this summer than in previous years, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Nationwide emergency department visits for tick bites are showing higher numbers per 100,000 people than last year, with the Northeast region accounting for the most ED visits out of five measured regions in the country.
Early symptoms of Lyme disease include a rash, headache, tiredness or fever. Medical professionals advise calling a doctor immediately if these symptoms develop.
As tick bite emergency visits rise, health professionals are urging everyone to stay alert. Hear more:
"There's a number of things we can do to help prevent potential contraction of Lyme disease and prevent tick bites. We start with clothing, making sure the clothing is tucked in, good fitting socks, pants, long pants, longs sleeve shirts and then repellents are very effective," Dr. Christopher Bazzoli, an emergency physician with Cleveland Clinic, said.
When checking for ticks, it's important to be thorough, including examining your head. According to Cleveland Clinic, ticks tend to prefer warm areas of the body, such as under the arms or behind the knees.
If you find a tick, Cleveland Clinic recommends using tweezers to grab it and pull straight up.
"After we remove a tick, there's now a break in the skin, and just like any other break in the skin, we need to be careful to prevent a secondary bacterial infection. And so, washing that area with warm and soapy water is really important," Bazzoli added.
Experts advise checking both children and pets, as animals may unknowingly bring ticks indoors.
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