How is an inflamed tick bite treated?

After a tick bite, the removal of the tick is most important at first. This can be done by means of tick tweezers or a tick card. The removal should be done as carefully as possible so that the tick can be removed completely.

One should not press the body of the tick when pulling it out, so that as few pathogens as possible can be transmitted by the tick. If the complete removal is not successful, a doctor should remove the remaining parts of the tick (for example biting tools). A local inflammation after a tick bite can initially be treated purely symptomatically.

Cooling of the affected area is recommended, as it relieves pain and reduces swelling. In addition, pain-reducing medication can also be taken if the pain is severe. Since an inflammation of the tick bite is always associated with the risk of infection with pathogens such as TBE or Borrelia bacteria, a therapy should be introduced for these two pathogens if necessary after a diagnosis.

The therapy of the TBE disease is purely symptomatic. If, for example, a fever develops in the course of the disease, this can be combated with antipyretic medication. Lyme disease, on the other hand, can be treated with antibiotics (doxycycline).

How long does the inflammation last?

If the tick bite has become infected, the symptoms usually disappear after a few days. Especially if it is an infection with local pathogens (e.g. with naturally occurring skin germs). Even if infections with TBE or Borrelia are the cause, they usually heal without consequences.

Occasionally, however, there are serious complications, such as the spread of the pathogen into the brain. This can cause nerve damage as well as an inflammation of the brain. In the case of Lyme disease, other organs such as the eyes, skin and heart can also be affected In the worst case, severe inflammation of the brain can be fatal.