Understanding and Preventing Tick Bites and Lyme Disease
Tuesday, May 27, 2025
Lyme disease is a bacterial infection, commonly transmitted by ticks, that can lead to symptoms like fever, headache, fatigue, muscle and joint pain, and rashes. While Lyme disease can be transmitted year-round, the risk is highest in late spring and early summer, when an estimated 300,000 new cases are diagnosed in the United States each year.
“The ticks that transmit Lyme disease, deer ticks, are extremely small,” said UI Health infectious disease physician Dr. Ryan Knodle. “Most people come in contact with them inadvertently, from outdoor activities like gardening, camping, or hiking, and their bites are painless, which can make it difficult to identify when they happen.”
Thankfully, Dr. Knodle shared a few tips to help you prevent tick bites and Lyme disease, while risk is elevated this spring and summer.
1) Limit skin exposure in areas where ticks might be present
Lyme disease is primarily spread by juvenile deer ticks, known as nymphs. These insects are extremely small, with pen-point-sized black and brown bodies, and they are native to the Upper Midwest, including large parts of Wisconsin, Michigan, and northern Illinois.
If you find yourself in an environment where ticks typically live, like heavily wooded areas or large grassy fields, you can wear protective clothing, DEET-based insect repellant, and do tick checks for your pets and family members to limit your exposure.
2) Know what to look for
If you notice a tick bite, it’s best to remove it as soon as possible without waiting to go to a healthcare provider.
Grasp the tick with tweezers and pull straight up with steady, even pressure, and avoid squeezing, twisting, or jerking the tick out of your skin. After removal, clean the bite area with soap and warm water.
Symptoms typically appear 48–72 hours after a tick has attached itself to a person. During this time, watch for symptoms like fever, headache, fatigue, muscle and joint pain, and a “bullseye” rash.
Dr. Ryan Knodle, Physician, Infectious Diseases, shares easy, effective tips to help you and your family avoid tick bites and stay safe outdoors.
3) Don’t panic
Just because you notice a tick bite does not mean you will end up with Lyme disease. And while an immediate trip to the emergency room isn’t necessary, it’s important to remain observant after a bite.
If you begin to experience symptoms, you should contact an urgent or primary care provider as soon as possible. Early diagnosis and proper antibiotic treatment of Lyme disease can help prevent severe disease.
If you have concerns about Lyme disease or any other parasitic infection, ask your primary care provider if seeing an infectious disease specialist at UI Health is right for you. To learn more about our program, visit https://hospital.uillinois.edu/primary-and-specialty-care/infectious-diseases.
