Stay Safe This Summer – What to do if You Find a Tick on Yourself

It's officially check for ticks season.

The other day my boyfriend and I were sitting on the couch after dinner watching TV. All of a sudden he raises his shin up and is like, "Oh snap, there's a tick on me"! I started panicking being like wait we have to burn if off of you. And he was like um ... no. It was in that moment I realized two things. I might be a little over dramatic. I also don't know what to do if I find a tick on myself.

Now that spring is here Illinois officials are warning residents about what to do about ticks. NBC Chicago details -

The Illinois Department of Public Health announced that May is Lyme Disease Awareness Month. Ticks carry Lyme and other debilitating and sometimes fatal illnesses such as Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Tularemia, Ehrlichiosis, and Babesiosis.

Removing ticks within 24 hours reduces the risk of disease. So that raises the question - how do you remove a tick? First, let's talk about removing a tick from a human.

So basically ...

1. Use tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin's surface as possible.
2. Pull upward with steady, even pressure.
3. After removing the tick, thoroughly clean the bite area and your hands with rubbing alcohol or soap and water.

One important thing - you never want to crush a tick with your finger. So what happens if you find one on your dog?

Stay safe this spring and summer. You can get all tick information you need right here.

H/T NBC

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