Tick removal

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Deer and dog tick

Lyme disease

• Do NOT try to burn the tick with a match or other hot object.
• Do NOT twist the tick when pulling it out.
• Do NOT try to kill, smother, or lubricate the tick with oil, alcohol, vaseline, or similar material.

Call your doctor if you have not been able to remove the entire tick. Also call if in the days following a tick bite you develop:

• A rash
• Flu-like symptoms
• Joint pain or redness
• Swollen lymph nodes

Call 911 if you have any signs of:

• Chest pain
• Heart palpitations
• Paralysis
• Severe headache
• Trouble breathing

If a tick is attached to you, follow these steps to remove it:

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1. Grasp the tick close to its head or mouth with tweezers. Do not use your bare fingers. If needed, use a tissue or paper towel.
2. Pull it straight out with a slow and steady motion. Avoid squeezing or crushing the tick. Be careful not to leave the head embedded in the skin.
3. Clean the area thoroughly with soap and water. Also wash your hands thoroughly.
4. Save the tick in a jar and watch carefully for the next week or two for signs of Lyme disease.
5. If all parts of the tick cannot be removed, get medical help. Bring the tick in the jar to your doctor's appointment.

Review Date: 01/02/2011
Reviewed By: Jacob L. Heller, MD, MHA, Emergency Medicine, Virginia Mason Medical Center, Seattle, Washington. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org).