Ticks present a special type of danger. They carry bacteria that can cause illness, such as Lyme disease or Rocky Mountain spotted fever. If you go camping, hiking, or hunting, it is important to have someone check to make sure you have not picked up a tick. It is just as important to know remove ticks properly to reduce risk.
What You Need
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns against using outdated methods to remove ticks. Folk remedies, such as using a match to burn it out or petroleum gel to suffocate the tick, are generally ineffective, and in the case of the match, dangerous. Only two tools are recommended for proper tick removal: a fine tipped pair of tweezers or a notched tick removal tool. Available for purchase at most stores that carry camping supplies, a tick removal tool will be useful if you camp often.
You will also need a pair of gloves, tissue or paper towel to protect the individual removing the tick. You should not try to remove a tick with bare hands. Disinfectant, such as alcohol or iodine, will clean the bite area completely. Have something available to wash your hands with soap and water plus a container to store the tick in after extraction.
Getting Started
Before you attempt to remove the tick, you should wash your hand thoroughly with soap and water. It is important to keep things as clean as possible. A tick bites opens up an area in the skin. Keeping the skin clean will help prevent infection. Put on some gloves or use something to cover your hands before you remove the tick. The goal is to keep yourself safe while pulling the tick out of the person affected.
Removal
Using the tweezers or tool, grasp the tick as close to the surface of the skin as you can. Pull upward, using steady pressure. Avoid twisting or jerking the tick out, as you want to remove the tick in one smooth motion. As you are pulling upward, it is important not to squeeze too hard or puncture the body of the tick. Doing this will release any organisms it might be carrying and will cause you to have greater chance of infection.
Cleaning Up
After you have pulled the tick out, inspect it and see if it is whole. Often, if they do break during removal, you will see small pieces of the mouth or head are missing. Put the tick in a secure container and save it. If the recipient of the bite becomes ill, the doctor will need to test the tick to see what type of disease it was carrying.
Look at the wound, check to make sure it is clear of all pieces of the tick. If you still see pieces embedded, use your tweezers to remove them. Try not to break any more of the skin surface than necessary to remove all of the tick. Wash and disinfect the puncture wound, then do the same with your own hands. Always wash your hands after removing a tick to protect yourself.
Symptoms to Watch
Since ticks are known carriers of certain diseases, it is important to watch for symptoms that might indicate infection. This includes rash, fever, stiff neck, muscle aches, joint pain, or flu-like symptoms. The person bit by the tick, as well as the one who removed it, are at risk. If any symptoms appear, seek medical help. Make sure to remove ticks as soon as possible.
Some good ways to prevent tick bites include wearing light-colored clothing, using a repellent on your clothes and skin, and tucking your pants into your boots or socks. Make sure you examine clothing as well as skin. Ticks can attach themselves to anything and bite later.
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