Ticks and Lyme Disease: A Bigger Problem Than It Seems
With the arrival of warmer days, we’re all excited to spend time in nature. However, spending time in parks, forests, and meadows carries a seemingly small, but potentially very serious risk: a tick bite.
When they notice this uninvited guest on their skin, people often resort to folk remedies, guided by numerous myths about how a tick should be removed. In this blog, we bust those myths, explain the real risks, and reveal why Lyme disease is a problem we must not ignore.
Bacteria in the Grass: What Is the Real Risk?
Many believe that only a small number of ticks are infectious. However, official epidemiological data for the territory of Serbia, especially Belgrade and its surroundings, show that the percentage of infected ticks is often significantly higher than the "one in ten" that people believe. In some hotspots, up to 30–40% of ticks carry the Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria.
This spiral bacteria is the sole cause of Lyme disease, and it is transmitted to humans exclusively through the bite of an infected tick. Due to such high prevalence, every bite must be taken seriously.
Lyme Disease: From Unnoticeable Symptoms to Serious Consequences
Lyme disease is a systemic illness that can attack almost every organ in the body. Its hidden danger lies in the fact that symptoms can vary, and the disease progresses through different stages if not treated in time.
- Early stage (days to weeks after the bite): Muscle and joint pain, headache, unexplained fatigue, mild neck stiffness, heart palpitations, and mildly elevated temperature.
- Late stage (months to years after the bite): Severe arthritis, most commonly in large joints like the knees; neurological problems such as numbness and loss of sensation; cognitive impairments like memory and concentration issues.
The good news: If detected early and the patient tests positive, Lyme disease is curable and is successfully treated with specific antibiotic therapy.
Post-Lyme syndrome: Even after successful antibiotic treatment, a certain number of patients may develop post-Lyme syndrome. This condition involves lingering consequences such as chronic muscle and joint pain, persistent headaches, and cognitive fatigue. That is why early prevention is crucial.
How to Recognize a Dangerous Bite?
In most cases, the bite is obvious because the tick remains firmly attached to the skin while feeding. However, it happens that the patient unknowingly scratches it off or that it falls off on its own after becoming engorged, although this does not occur often.
What you must pay attention to the most in the days following a bite or spending time in nature is the bite site. The clearest sign of Lyme disease is the appearance of a specific rash known as Erythema migrans.
It appears between 3 and 30 days after the bite, and resembles a "bullseye", a red ring that gradually expands, while the center of the rash often fades and remains skin-colored. This rash does not hurt or itch, but it is a sure sign of infection.
Myths vs. Facts: What to Do When You Notice a Tick?
"This is where the biggest mistakes are made. Many people think that drowning the tick in acetone, alcohol, oil, or covering it with nail polish will solve the problem. This is extremely dangerous!" warns Dr. Aleksandra Filipović.
When you soak a tick in alcohol or chemicals, you put it into a state of shock. In that stress, it reflexively regurgitates the contents of its stomach directly into your bloodstream. Given that the Borrelia bacteria is located precisely in its intestinal system, you are directly stimulating it to infect you this way.
A Scientific Correction About Time and Risk
It is often thought that the amount of time a tick is on the skin does not matter at all.
"The medical reality is a little different. Naturally, the bacteria needs time, often 24 to 48 hours, to move from the tick's gut to its salivary glands and enter your bloodstream. However, if you irritate it with chemicals, that process happens instantly. That is why the method of removing the tick is far more important than panicking and counting the hours!" says Dr. Aleksandra Filipović.
What Shouldn't Worry You?
- If a part of the tick remains in the skin: If the tick breaks during removal, and only the mouthparts remain in the skin, there is no need to panic! The stomach, where the bacteria is, has been removed. That small black piece left behind will be rejected by the body on its own, just like any other splinter, and the risk of Lyme disease is not increased because of it.
- The tick growing on the skin: If it seems to you that the tick is growing, this is not a reason for additional fear. It is simply filling up with blood.
The only correct step is going to a healthcare facility where trained staff will safely remove the tick with sterile tweezers, using an even mechanical pull. The extracted tick can then be sent for laboratory analysis to check if it is a carrier of the bacteria.
Prevention: How to Protect Yourself?
Let's bust another myth: ticks do not fall from trees! They lurk in tall grass, bushes, and low vegetation, waiting for you to pass by so they can attach themselves to you. Also, although we spend most of our time outside in the summer, ticks are active as soon as temperatures rise above freezing, so the risk is present from early spring to late autumn.
Steps for spending time safely in nature:
- Clothing: Wear light-colored clothing so you can spot ticks more easily, long sleeves, and tuck your pants into high socks.
- Repellents: Use insect sprays designed to repel ticks.
- Pets: Ticks can transfer from a dog to a human before they attach. Regularly protect your pets and check them.
- Detailed check: After returning from nature, thoroughly check your entire body, especially the groin, armpits, behind the knees, and ears. For children, be sure to thoroughly check the hair and scalp.
Your Health Is in Safe Hands
A tick bite doesn't necessarily mean Lyme disease, but it requires a fast, expert, and safe reaction. Do not experiment with alcohol and tweezers at home.
If you notice a tick on your skin, suspect a bite, or are already experiencing the first symptoms described here, the doors of Primea are always open. Our expert team will quickly and completely safely remove the tick, ensure adequate laboratory testing of the insect itself, and provide you with all necessary advice or timely therapy if needed. Schedule your appointment and enjoy the outdoors without fear!
