Tick bites on the rise: Experts warn of increased Lyme disease risk this summer

Emergency rooms seeing rise in tick bites

Millions of Americans are bitten by ticks each year, but this year an especially high number of patients are seeking care in their local emergency rooms. Emory Dr. Neil Winawer breaks down the reason why and how to stay safe.

ATLANTA - With more Americans heading outdoors this summer, doctors are reporting a sharp rise in emergency room visits related to tick bites, a trend experts link to climate change and increased human interaction with nature.

SEE ALSO: ER visits for tick bites are at their highest level in years

Ticks on increase in Georgia

What they're saying:

"Climate change is really driving this," said Dr. Neil Wentworth of Emory University. "It’s getting warmer, we’re spending more time outside, and the interface between humans and nature is always expanding."

Dr. Wentworth explained that ticks typically cling to low-lying vegetation or tall grasses, waiting to latch onto unsuspecting hikers or outdoor enthusiasts. "They’re opportunists," he said. "They basically lie in wait for a ride—onto your clothes or exposed skin."

The danger lies not only in the bites themselves, but in the diseases ticks may carry. The most well-known is Lyme disease, which, according to Dr. Wentworth, typically requires a tick to remain embedded in the skin for more than 36 hours to pose a risk.

"The good news is, if you remove a tick within 24 hours, the chance of infection is very low," he said. "Lyme disease, for instance, needs at least 36 hours to begin transmission."

Still, many people never notice the ticks. "They’re tiny—about the size of a poppy seed in their nymph stage," he said. "That makes them easy to miss, especially when they hide in skin folds, under waistbands, or in your hair."

SEE ALSO: Ticks spread to new regions across America, bringing dangerous diseases

Preventing tick bites

What you can do:

To stay safe, Dr. Wentworth recommends several protective measures:

• Wear long sleeves and tuck shirts into pants when venturing into wooded or grassy areas.
• Choose light-colored clothing to more easily spot ticks.
• Use insect repellent with 20 to 30 percent DEET.
• After outdoor activity, check your body thoroughly, especially in hidden areas.
• Toss clothes into a dryer for 10 minutes to kill any lingering ticks.

What happens if a tick bites you?

Dig deeper:

If you find a tick attached to your skin, Dr. Wentworth advises against burning it or applying oils or alcohol. "Use fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible and pull straight out," he said. "You don’t want to leave the head embedded."

Symptoms of tick-borne illnesses can include fever, fatigue, headache, chills, muscle aches, and sometimes a characteristic bullseye-shaped rash. If symptoms develop days or weeks after exposure, doctors may prescribe a two-to-three-week course of antibiotics.

"We never want it to get to that point," Dr. Wentworth said. "Prevention and early detection are key."

Millions of Americans are bitten by ticks each year. This season, experts say it’s more important than ever to stay vigilant.

"Hopefully, you can avoid being one of the millions," Dr. Wentworth said.