Although you can get Lyme disease from an infected tick, not all ticks are infected.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said in their 2024 annual report that the most acute Lyme disease cases were in the South East, the South West and London. But wherever you are in the UK, if you spend a lot of time in woodlands or grasslands you need to be aware. Ticks can also be present in your garden or local park.
However, you shouldn’t let this information put you off outdoor pursuits. Instead, you should learn how to reduce the risk of tick bites.
You’re more likely to be in an area where there are ticks if you are cycling, hiking or camping in the countryside. Try to avoid walking or cycling through vegetation or brushing past it. Keep to designated paths or cycleways.
If it’s not too hot wear long trousers and tops with long sleeves whether you’re in the countryside or at home, gardening. so that it is harder for a tick to find a patch of skin to bite.  If you’re going on an all-day or overnight trip, then consider using an insect repellent like DEET.
Give yourself a regular check to make sure there’s no ticks on your skin or clothing and don’t forget to check pets too.
If you know what you are looking for then you should be able to spot them even though they are small. Young ticks are around 1mm which is the size of a grain of salt, Adult ticks can grow to 1cm which is as big as a pea. They look a bit like a spider, and they have 6 or 8 legs.
They will bite you anywhere, but look on your waist, behind your knees, under your arm pits, your groin area and your hair line and scalp. Â
The easiest way is to use a tick removal tool, which you can buy at the pharmacy. You can also use fine-tipped tweezers. Using the tool, get hold of the tick as close to your skin as you can and pull upwards firmly.
Be careful not to crush it because you might leave the mouth part of the tick in your skin and this could cause irritation
When you’ve removed the tick, clean the wound area with soap and warm water and then apply some antiseptic cream.
Infected ticks carry a bacteria which can cause Lyme disease in humans. Not all ticks carry the infection, so if a tick bites you, it doesn’t mean you will get Lyme disease.
After a bite, you may notice a red rash like a bullseye on your skin. Not everybody gets this rash, but it is fairly common. The rash can develop between 3 and 30 days after the tick bite.
Other symptoms include headache, fatigue and a high temperature. You may also have tingling in your hands and feet, numbness or nerve pain. In some cases, you will notice a facial droop.
If you don’t develop symptoms soon after the bite, you may not associate your discomfort with the tick bite. If you see a doctor, tell them that you were bitten by a tick even if it was 3 or 4 weeks previously.
Lyme disease is treated with antibiotics, but some people continue to feel tired or have muscular pains for a long time after the antibiotic treatment has finished. There’s no medication for lingering symptoms, but they should, eventually improve.  Â
Tick encephalitis is passed to humans by ticks which are infected with the virus that spreads TBE. But the risk is very low in the UK. But if you are visiting China, certain parts of Europe, Japan and Russia, you are advised to have the tick encephalitis vaccination. Visit the CDC.gov website for a list of areas at risk from the virus.
We have insect repellent and tick removal tools if you are planning a trip into the countryside. Been bitten? come and see us for antiseptic cream. If you doctor has diagnosed Lyne disease, we can issue the prescription for your antibiotics and advise you about over-the-counter remedies for pain relief.
If you are going abroad and you want advice about the tick encephalitis vaccine or other vaccines to protect you from infections caused by other insects please come in and talk to a member of staff, give us a call on 01276 21002 or make an appointment online to visit our travel vaccination clinic.
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