In summer, we spend more time outdoors – in forests, parks and meadows. This is precisely when it is easiest to come into contact with a tick, which may carry dangerous diseases. Dolnośląski NFZ reminds us how to protect ourselves and when it is essential to see a doctor.
The season is in full swing – thousands of cases
Tick activity increases as early as February, but June, July and August are the months in which doctors observe the most cases of tick-borne diseases. In 2024, in Lower Silesia alone, primary care doctors provided assistance to more than 62,000 people with Lyme disease, while 60 patients were hospitalized with viral encephalitis.
– A tick may seem harmless, but its bite carries a serious health risk – warns Anna Szewczuk-Łebska, spokeswoman for Dolnośląski NFZ.
How can you protect yourself?
- Avoid walking in tall grass and brush without appropriate clothing.
- Wear long sleeves and trousers, and use repellents.
- After every walk, carefully inspect your body – including your head, ears and the bends of your limbs.
- Remove the tick as quickly as possible, preferably with a special tool available at a pharmacy.
- The shorter the parasite remains in the skin, the lower the risk of infection. After removing the tick, disinfect the bite site and monitor for symptoms.
When should you see a doctor?
The following require immediate medical consultation:
- a rash, redness or swelling around the bite site,
- fever, headaches, nausea,
- neurological symptoms.
If necessary, a doctor will issue a referral to a specialist or for hospital treatment.
Important: do not have the tick tested!
Testing a tick cannot determine whether a person has become infected – reminds Monika Pintal-Ślimak, president of the National Council of Laboratory Diagnosticians. If there are doubts, it is the patient, not the parasite, who is diagnosed.
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