The number of emergency room visits related to tick bites just reached its highest level in the U.S. in nearly a decade.
For every 100,000 visits, 71 were due to tick-related complaints, according to the most recent data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The normal average number of visits is just around 30 for this time of year, indicating to experts that the blood-suckers are out and about earlier this year.
"It's not entirely clear how much of this is increased recognition and as people become more aware of this, more going to the emergency room. But there seems to be a clear increase in the number of ticks out there,” Dr. John Halperin, a neurologist New Jersey’s Atlantic Health Overlook Medical Center, told ABC News.
More than 31 million people experience a tick bite each year, and 89,000 contract Lyme disease that can cause heart, joint and nervous system problems. So what do you do if you find a tick? Well, first, you might want to keep it.
It seems like a strange thing to do, but keeping the tick that bit you can help doctors to identify what kind of tick it was and the known health risks associated with exposure.
For example, Lyme disease is spread by blacklegged ticks, which are found in the eastern and southern U.S.
And three different kinds of ticks spread alpha-gal syndrome, the red meat allergy that killed a New Jersey pilot last year. it was previously believed that only lone star ticks, found east of the Rocky Mountains, could trigger the reaction.
Now, researchers say western blacklegged ticks and deer ticks are also involved.
Something to be aware of is that the range of ticks is also expanding due to warming temperatures fueled by human-caused climate change. Ticks, which thrive in humid conditions, are moving north.
And the warming climate has also been extending the tick season’s peak. Typically, the peak tick months run from April to October. Now, the peak months are starting in March and lasting through November.
However, ticks can still be active during the winter months.
“Ticks don’t take a winter vacation, and as long as temperatures stay above freezing, they remain active and looking for blood,” Dina Fonseca, a Rutgers University-New Brunswick expert on tick biology, said in a statement.
So, how do you save your tick?
First, remove the tick as soon as possible with fine-tipped tweezers, grasping the tick as close to the skin as you can, the CDC instructs.
Then, pull upward with steady, even pressure.
Put the tick in rubbing alcohol or place it in a sealed bag.
After removing the tick, clean the bite area and your hands with rubbing alcohol or soap and water.
If you are in an area where Lyme disease is common, consider calling or visiting a doctor.
Otherwise, watch for any symptoms of Lyme or other disease for 30 days after a bite.
For Lyme disease, that can mean a rash, fever, fatigue, headache, muscle pain and joint swelling. However, the risk of developing Lyme disease is very low if a tick has been on your body for fewer than 24 hours.
Also, don’t worry if the tick breaks as you are pulling it out, Harvard’s Lyme Wellness Initiative says. Or, if your doctor can’t even fully get it.
“If you or your doctor can’t fully remove the tick, it’s okay to leave parts of it in your skin. They will come out as the skin heals,” the initiative says. “The tick cannot continue to transmit pathogens while only part of it is in your skin, but be aware that it may have already infected you.”
Why Trump’s clash with Pope Leo could prove dangerous for the president
Iran-US war latest: Trump claims Israel and Lebanon ceasefire to begin
Pope Leo says world ‘being ravaged by handful of tyrants’ after Trump attacks
Trump claims credit for 10-day Lebanon ceasefire as Hegseth threatens Iran
Drugmakers raised prices on hundreds of drugs despite Trump deals: Senate report
Lack of trust in government triggered vaccine disinformation during Covid pandemic
