ER Visits For Tick Bites Surge, CDC Confirms

As a mom living in New England, not a warm day has gone by in the past decade or so where I haven’t checked my kids for ticks. Yes, the wee vampires are the bane of my summer existence. They love to hide in the body’s nooks and crannies — in or behind ears, armpits, and nestled against hairlines — and, worst of all, they spread a number of diseases, including Lyme Disease, which can cause neurological damage if left untreated. And it turns out these suckers (pun intended) are particularly lively this year, according to data from the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

According to the latest report, emergency room visits for tick bites have been higher than average over the past three months. May is generally considered the pinnacle of tick season and 2025 was no exception. However, this past May saw more ER cases in the northeast in particular than any other month since 2019. And while we’re not halfway through July yet, July visits are up to their highest level since 2017.

And these are just the bites prompting hospital visits.

So what does this mean for you and your family? Here’s what you should know about ticks and what to do if you see one…

Know your ticks

There are lots of different ticks out there that carry numerous diseases, including Anaplasmosis, Colorado tick fever, Lyme disease, and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. As you can tell based on the fact that three of these illnesses are named for places, you’re more likely to encounter, say, a tick that will give you Lyme disease in Lyme, Connecticut than one that would spread Rocky Mountain spotted fever.

So get to know what ticks live in your area, what illnesses they might carry, and what symptoms to look out for. As a head’s up, telling the difference between a deer tick (the size of a pin head and can carry Lyme disease) and a dog tick (much larger and doesn’t) isn’t always easy, so…

Remove the tick carefully

Extricating a tick that’s decided to make a meal of you or your kids isn’t easy — they get in there — and you want to make sure to get the whole thing out as soon as possible. Per the CDC…

Grasp the tick as close to the skin’s surface as possible using clean fine-tipped tweezers. If fine-tipped tweezers are not available, use regular tweezers or your fingers to grasp the tick. Grasp the tick close to the skin’s surface to avoid squeezing the tick’s body.

Pull the tick away from the skin with steady, even pressure. Don’t twist or jerk the tick. This can cause the tick mouthparts to break off and remain in the skin. If this happens, your body will naturally push the mouthparts out over time as your skin heals. You can also remove the mouthparts with tweezers. If you cannot remove the mouthparts easily with tweezers, leave them alone.

After removing the tick, thoroughly clean the bite area and your hands with soap and water, rubbing alcohol, or hand sanitizer.

Personally, I’ve found this tool incredibly handy in removing ticks, particularly from wiggly, panicking children.

The CDC recommends disposing of the (live) tick by placing it in a sealed container (more on this in a second), wrapping it tightly in tape and throwing it in the garbage; flushing it down the toilet; or putting it in alcohol. Don’t crush it with your fingers.

Follow-up if necessary

While there are labs that purport to test discarded ticks for illnesses, the CDC does not recommend this as commercial labs are not held to rigorous standards and dubious test results can either lead to a false sense of security or panic (a tick with Lyme disease doesn’t necessarily mean you have Lyme disease).

Still, it can be useful to bring the tick in a plastic baggie to the doctor, who will likely be better able to identify what kind of tick has bitten you or your loved one.

Speaking of doctors, you should follow up with one if you develop a rash or fever within several weeks of removing a tick. Tell the doctor about the bite and when (and if possible, where) it occurred.

Ticks are gross and potentially dangerous, but knowing — as they say — is half the battle. Be aware of the danger they pose and what to look out for if you happen to get bit. Antibiotics and other treatments are available if you develop symptoms of tick-bourne illness. It’s not fun, but it is treatable!