While most tick bites are harmless, toxins secreted in the saliva of the insects may cause life-threatening diseases in humans. The threat is increasing as residential development across the United States is bringing humans into areas where ticks typically live. In most cases, a tick bite is treated with a topical ointment, but in serious cases, medical treatment may be required.
Calamine and Zinc Oxide
Most tick bites are painless, but common symptoms may include swelling and itching. If itching persists, apply a skin protectant such as calamine lotion, zinc oxide or diphenhydramine to sooth itchy skin. If symptoms do not disappear within seven days of treatment with calamine lotion, contact your doctor.
Steroids
A topical steroid, when applied to a tick bite, reduces itching and redness. Corticosteroid medications, which include cortisone and hydrocortisone, simulate the effects of the body's hormones to reduce inflammation, the Mayo Clinic notes. While highly effective, these drugs can thin skin and produce red lesions on the skin. Topical steroids are available over-the-counter, but should not be used if skin is infected or cut.
Anesthetic
An anesthetic in the form of an ointment or spray alleviates symptoms from a tick bite. When applied, the anesthetic kills nerve endings in the skin to relieve pain, according to the Mayo Clinic. An anesthetic spray containing benzocaine is also helpful in numbing the pain from a tick bite. While available over-the-counter, topical anesthetics should not be used on large areas or for more than a few days at a time. This will increase absorption of the medication into the skin and increase the likelihood of unwanted side effects.
Considerations
Treatment required for a tick bite is highly dependant on the type of tick that caused the bite, length of exposure to the tick and the type of symptoms that developed following the bite. In some cases, antibiotics may be prescribed and, in serious cases, may be administered intravenously.
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