Once you have discovered that a tick is on your body, you remove it with a tweezers. Try to detach it at the base of the tick’s attachment. If it is removed within 24 to 48 hours, it is unlikely that it has infected you with Lyme disease. Also, it is important to remember that only 1 in 20 people bitten with an infected tick will develop the disease. Not every deer tick carries the Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria, with usually 1 in 5 being carriers in high risk areas.
The Infectious Disease Society of America does not recommend antibiotics for everyone who has been bitten by a tick. If the rash of Lyme disease develops, then antibiotics are advised.
The rash is the easily noticed circular “bull’s eye” target-like rash. This rash can begin anywhere from 1 to 4 weeks after the bite. It starts out being the size of a quarter and can widen to 6 to 9 inches as the bacteria spread out. If your anxiety of developing the disease is great, many doctors will treat you with doxycycline if you do not have an allergy to the medication.
