Urgent care could take sting out of tick bites
The warmer months present the optimal time to enjoy the outdoors, whether participating in organized sports or simply taking a stroll in fields, parks and woods. Good for you if you are out and about, but remember to take precautions against the ticks and tick bites. Ticks are most prevalent between April through October. July is prime tick season.
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Ticks can carry several types of bacteria, the most noted being the bacteria that leads to Lyme disease, which is transmitted by the small deer tick. Avoiding or reducing the potential for a tick bite is one course of action. Using insect repellents and checking your body for ticks is smart and helpful, but not always full proof.
Knowing when a tick bite warrants medical attention is difficult to judge. While most tick bites are easily treated at home by cleaning with soap and water, there are times when the bite site swells and shows discoloration. In this case it is always best to ere on the side of caution. Primary care physicians, emergency medicine physicians and advanced practice nurses are able to diagnose and prescribe antibiotics to combat the potential for infection. Even when there is not a clear determination that a tick bite has led to infection, a round of antibiotics can protect against the possibility of infection starting or spreading.
Urgent Care Centers, which are conveniently located throughout the region, are staffed and equipped to manage all bug bites including those of the pesky tick. And, urgent care centers are open on weekends and holidays, when people are spending time outdoors and find themselves in need of care. In cases where there is a concern for a patient’s health, the staff is able to facilitate transfer to an emergency room should the need arise.