Hiking through the Arkansas woods you return home to find a bloodsucking little insect the size of a seed attached to your arm.
Don’t panic.
While ticks can carry harmful disease, it’s important to remember not all ticks carry disease. Here’s a list of common ticks in Arkansas and how likely they are to carry disease.
It’s important to keep in mind that for most tick-borne illnesses (there are exceptions), a tick needs to be attached for over 24 hours, on average. With this in mind, it’s important to remove an attached tick as soon as possible.
How do I remove a tick?
To remove a tick, gently grasp the tick as close to the submerged head as possible with tweezers. Firmly pull directly outward, slowly, over a period of several minutes.
When removing a tick, some things to avoid:
1) Twisting or jerking the tick. This may break off parts of the head or body, leaving them embedded in the skin. If this does happens, remove any parts possible. If you’re unable to remove everything, your body will typically expel it over time.
2) Squeezing or crushing the tick. Squeezing the tick too hard can send (possibly) infected fluids into your bloodstream. Avoid any contact with fluids from a tick, since it’s how infection is passed on.
3) Avoid home remedies such as a lit match, petroleum jelly, or freezing. These remedies can agitate the tick, sending infected blood back into the bloodstream.
Once the tick is removed, be sure to thoroughly clean and disinfect the tick bite (and hands). The CDC recommends soap and water or rubbing alcohol.
*For extra support, here’s a tool from the CDC that walks you through the steps of removal.
