Getting bitten by a deer tick can lead to Lyme disease. These ticks can carry bacteria responsible for the illness and transmit it to humans.
While anyone can be infected, your chances increase if you live in certain regions and frequently spend time outdoors, especially in grassy or wooded environments.
As more Lyme disease cases emerge each year, it’s increasingly important to know how to guard against tick bites and recognize symptoms early.
Why Lyme disease is becoming more common
“In the last 10 years, we’ve gone from seeing eight cases per 100,000 people to 18 per 100,000,” said Dr. Dina Ibrahim, a family medicine specialist at Henry Ford Health. “That’s more than double the number of people getting the disease.”
Several factors may be driving the increase, with climate change playing a significant role.
“Warmer temperatures and higher humidity mean better weather for ticks to thrive,” Ibrahim said.
These conditions also extend the ticks’ active season, increasing the chance of encounters with people.
Historically, infected deer ticks were concentrated in the Northeast, mid-Atlantic, and upper Midwest. But shifts in climate have allowed ticks to spread across much of the country.
“The bottom line is that more ticks, living in more places, means more cases of Lyme disease,” Ibrahim said.
How to protect yourself from Lyme disease
The best way to prevent Lyme disease is by avoiding tick bite — but that’s not always possible.
“You can get bitten in your own backyard or when outdoors on a hike,” Ibrahim said.
If you’re heading into tick-prone areas, dressing appropriately is your first line of defense.
“Ideally, you want to cover all of your skin so that the ticks have nothing to latch onto,” Ibrahim said.
That includes long pants, long sleeves, tall socks—and even tucking pants into socks.
Choose light-colored clothing to help spot ticks more easily. Deer ticks are very small—about the size of a sesame seed—and easy to miss. They have black legs and a reddish-brown back with a black shield, though appearance can vary by life stage. Knowing how to identify deer ticks versus other types, like dog ticks or lone star ticks, is also helpful.
Because full coverage isn’t always realistic, Ibrahim recommends tick repellent in high-risk areas. Use permethrin on clothes and gear (not on skin) and apply skin-safe repellents with EPA-approved ingredients like DEET or picaridin.
[Related: What you need to know about Michigan’s ticks]
“When you come indoors, you need to check your entire body—especially spots that ticks are attracted to such as your scalp, armpits, groin and behind the knees,” Ibrahim said.
If you find one, remove it right away.
“Use tweezers to grab it and pull it straight up,” she said.
If you’re unable to remove the tick or part of it remains, consult a health care provider. Prompt removal — within 24 hours — lowers the risk of infection.
Spotting the symptoms of Lyme disease
Even if you don’t see a tick, it’s important to monitor for signs of infection. The hallmark symptom is a bull’s-eye rash that often appears days or weeks after a bite.
Other symptoms may resemble the flu, including fever, fatigue, headaches and muscle aches.
“Getting these flu-type symptoms when it’s not flu season could indicate Lyme disease,” Ibrahim said.
Treatment for Lyme disease
“Most cases of Lyme disease are caught early and can be easily treated,” Ibrahim said.
Blood tests can confirm infection by detecting antibodies to the bacteria.
Treatment usually involves a short course of antibiotics, but more serious or prolonged infections may require extended care.
If you spend time in tick habitats, staying alert and taking preventive steps can go a long way. With proper precautions, Lyme disease is largely preventable.
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