Preventing an infection with pathogens from ticks | Tick bite itches – is that normal?

Preventing an infection with pathogens from ticks

If you spend a lot of time during the tick season in areas where ticks occur, you should try to protect yourself from tick bites with the following measures: If a tick has already bitten, it should be removed immediately. This reduces the risk of pathogen transmission (the longer the tick sucks, the higher the probability of pathogen transmission). Care should be taken that the tick is removed completely and not squashed.

  • Insect sprays
  • Covering the skin
  • Avoiding forest walks

What to do in case of itching?

If the puncture site is itchy, it is best to refrain from scratching. This can further inflame the puncture site and further germs can enter the wound. Cooling creams or ointments and cool packs can temporarily reduce the itching.

An itchy tick bite is always a warning sign and should be clarified by a doctor. In general, cooling and anti-inflammatory ointments can reduce the itching. However, the itching should be clarified by the physician as early as possible, because in case of Lyme disease a therapy with Doxycyclin should be started as soon as possible. If it is a defensive reaction of the body, anti-inflammatory ointments can stop the itching.

  • Cool packs
  • Ice Cubes
  • Ribwort plantain (crushing and applying the leaves to the affected skin area can relieve itching)
  • Apply onion to itchy skin (acts antibacterial and antiseptic)
  • Vinegar (can prevent the penetration of other germs, apply only after removing the tick)

Tick bite itches again after a long time – can this be an indication of Lyme disease?

Lyme disease has a relatively long incubation period. This means that it can take a long time before the first symptoms of the disease appear. One of the most common initial symptoms is the erythema migrans (wandering redness), which can be accompanied by itching, but does not have to be.

It is therefore possible that a tick bite or the skin only begins to itch after several weeks.The erythema migrans is characterized by a ring-shaped reddening around the puncture site. If you notice such skin changes, a doctor should be consulted as soon as possible. More on the topic: Skin rash after a tick bite

All articles in this series:

  1. Tick bite itches – is that normal?
  2. Lyme disease
  3. Preventing an infection with pathogens from ticks