Health providers across the Rochester region are seeing a sharp increase in tick-related visits this spring, prompting renewed warnings about Lyme disease and the importance of prevention, according to the University of Rochester Medical Center.
The medical center said emergency departments and urgent care facilities are treating significantly more patients for tick-related concerns than they were at the same time last year. Lyme disease, a bacterial infection transmitted through the bite of an infected black-legged tick, remains one of the biggest concerns associated with those encounters.
Medical experts say most Lyme disease infections can be prevented through prompt tick removal and early treatment. When diagnosed quickly, the disease is typically treated successfully with antibiotics. Left untreated, however, Lyme disease can lead to serious complications including facial paralysis, meningitis, heart problems, eye inflammation and arthritis.
Infectious disease specialists at UR Medicine recommend several steps to reduce the risk of tick bites, including wearing long pants and high socks when outdoors, avoiding tall grass and brush, using insect repellent, and conducting thorough tick checks after spending time outside. Parents are also encouraged to check children and pets, which can carry ticks into the home.
If a tick is found attached to the skin, experts recommend removing it immediately with tweezers using steady pressure. Black-legged ticks must typically remain attached for 24 to 36 hours before transmitting Lyme disease, and the risk increases the longer the tick remains embedded.
The most recognizable sign of Lyme disease is a bull’s-eye rash that develops around the bite site and gradually expands. Other early symptoms can include fever, fatigue, headaches, muscle aches and swollen lymph nodes. More serious symptoms, such as neck stiffness, facial drooping and joint pain, may develop weeks later if the infection is not treated.
Health officials also note that tick season is lasting longer as warmer temperatures arrive earlier and persist later into the year. While ticks become dormant during colder months, they become active when temperatures reach about 45 degrees, extending the period when people can be exposed.
Most people who receive timely treatment recover fully, health experts said, but anyone experiencing symptoms after a tick bite should contact a healthcare provider as soon as possible.
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