Tickborne Illness

Every year, Nantucket Cottage Hospital treats hundreds of patients exhibiting symptoms of tickborne illnesses. Protect you and your family this year by knowing the signs of a tick bite, and how to treat it.

What if I find a tick?

» Remove the tick: Often removing a tick from the body will be sufficient to prevent any disease transmission. This is because tick usually must be embedded for upwards of 24 hours before transmitting most diseases.

» If you’ve found one tick, chances are there could be more. Make sure to pay extra attention between your legs, inside your belly button, under your arms and around your scalp.

» Monitor Symptoms: Before visiting a doctor, monitor your health for any potential signs of tick-borne diseases. If you notice any of symptoms, such as rashes, fever or chills, immediately seek out medical treatment.

The best treatment is prevention

» Avoid high-tick areas: Brushy and moist areas, areas with decaying leaves or fallen trees, and tall grass are all locations with high tick populations.

» Tuck your pants inside your socks: This will help to keep ticks off the skin.

» Check yourself: Conducting regular tick checks while outside will deny ticks the time necessary to transmit any tick-borne diseases.

Treatment Options

If you suspect you’ve been bitten by a tick or have symptoms of a tickborne illness, Nantucket Cottage Hospital offers easy and convenient medical care for tickborne illnesses at the Urgent Access Clinic in the NCH Anderson Building at 57 Prospect Street.

Same-day appointments are available Monday through Friday, from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Saturday from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Appointments can be made online at NantucketHospital.org/UrgentAccess through Mass General Brigham’s online Patient Gateway or by calling (508) 825-1000.