Tick bites are easy to miss. The bites are usually painless, and the ticks themselves can be surprisingly small. It’s possible a tick has been attached for a while before you notice it, which is what leads to questions about Lyme disease.
At Getwell Urgent Care in Southaven, tick bite evaluations are part of what we do during the warmer months. If you’ve pulled a tick off recently or you’re noticing symptoms you can’t quite account for, a walk-in visit is a straightforward way to get some answers.
Is Lyme disease a concern in Mississippi?
Lyme disease, caused by bacteria from infected tick bites, is not equally common throughout the country. Despite the scarcity of locally acquired cases in Mississippi, the situation with Lyme disease is still a cause for concern.
The Mississippi State Department of Health notes that Lyme disease can be contracted through travel to areas where it’s prevalent, and residents who’ve recently been in endemic regions should take a tick bite seriously. Other tick-borne illnesses do circulate more commonly and can produce symptoms serious enough to warrant evaluation on their own.
Your recent outdoor activities, such as hiking or camping in a high-risk region, are significant factors when we assess your situation after you find a tick.
Why testing right after a tick bite usually isn’t the right move
The standard approach to Lyme disease testing involves a two-step process: an initial screening test followed by a confirmatory test if the first comes back positive or uncertain.
Both steps depend on your immune system having had enough time to respond to the infection, and that takes longer than most people expect.
According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, blood testing at the time of the first rash is still typically negative and not helpful for diagnosis. This means that in the early stages, a doctor’s evaluation of your symptoms and medical history may be more valuable than lab results on their own.
When you visit Getwell Urgent Care for a tick bite, we prioritize the examination and understanding your health background. We might test again later if there’s reason to be concerned.
What we look for when you come in
The bite site itself can often tell us something. A small red bump immediately after a tick bite is common and usually just a skin reaction, not a sign of Lyme disease. What we watch for instead is an expanding rash, particularly one that starts looking like a ring in the first few days after a bite.
That type of rash, called erythema migraines, is one of the most recognizable early signs of Lyme disease. According to the CDC, if that rash is present, a clinical diagnosis can often be made and treatment started without waiting for lab confirmation. We’ll also ask you to list any symptoms you’ve noticed since the bite happened.
Keep in mind that not all people with Lyme disease develop this rash. Continuous monitoring is vital, even when the initial bite area seems innocuous.
Preventive treatment and what comes after the visit
Lyme disease responds well to antibiotics when it’s caught early. The CDC notes that standard treatment for early localized Lyme disease typically involves a course of oral antibiotics, and most people recover fully with prompt treatment. Sometimes, one preventive dose suffices. We can decide whether that applies to your situation during your visit.
That’s why the timing of your visit matters. Coming in soon after a bite, even if you feel fine, gives us the chance to assess your risk and set up a follow-up plan if you need one.
If we do recommend testing, we’ll let you know when to come back based on when the bite occurred, so your lab results are actually meaningful.
Come see us at Getwell Urgent Care
Tick bites are common, and most of them are uneventful. If you doubt how long a tick was attached or feel unwell in the following days, a walk-in visit at our clinic can provide you with genuine answers.
We’re open daily from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Getwell Urgent Care on Getwell Road. Visit our facility whenever a concern comes up — it’s what we’re here for.