What Are the Symptoms of a Tick Bite?

The symptoms of a tick bite range based on the species of tick doing the biting. Many ticks bite people, and people often don't realize it because the tick bite has no noticeable symptoms or the bite itself appears insignificant. Noticeable symptoms of a tick bite include redness, weakness, nausea and itching, though some symptoms are more troublesome than others.

Redness and itching are the most common symptoms of a tick bite. When someone begins to itch, he or she typically tries to find the cause. The problem with ticks is that they often fall off when people scratch. A tick that has not embedded itself in the skin will fall off easily. Should redness or itching continue, taking an over-the-counter antihistamine may stop the allergic reaction triggered by the bite.

If the site of the tick bite begins to swell, seeing a doctor is necessary. The swelling may be a simple allergic reaction to the bite, but swelling often requires prescription medications to remedy and can be dangerous if left untreated. The redness, itching and swelling should last only a few days.

Other signs and symptoms of a tick bite are more problematic and necessitate immediate medical attention. If someone begins to complain of limb numbness or being unable to move his arms or legs, that person should be taken to a hospital immediately. Some types of tick bites release neurotoxins into the body that can be extremely dangerous, even fatal, if left untreated. These neurotoxins may lie dormant in the body and cause problems long after the tick is gone. When these symptoms appear, one should let doctors know about any time the person has spent outdoors in the past few weeks, even if a tick bite was never confirmed or even suspected.

Lyme disease is the most common of toxic tick bites, but there are others that are just as dangerous. The symptoms of these tick bites often mimic other problems, making them difficult to diagnose. A person who has any combination of tick bite symptoms should ask his or her doctor whether a tick bite is a possible cause of the symptoms. In addition to numbness and limb paralysis, these tick bites cause headaches, nausea and vomiting, difficulty breathing and heart palpitations.

Some tick bites cause confusion because the toxin released by the bite enters the victim's brain. With these bites, the bitten person may fight against the idea that he or she has anything wrong. If someone shows significant signs of confusion, such as not knowing a familiar person's name or forgetting where he or she is, then a tick bite is a strong possibility and that person should see a doctor immediately.