Just ripped off a BUG sticking to my scalp!

[Fritzo]

If it was this, you'll need to apply a crowbar to get rid of it.

 

[Platypus]

Originally posted by: Squisher

Originally posted by: Platypus

Originally posted by: wade3
So yea I did some research and I should be fine. most ticks are harmless

Its a small kind, prolly got it from the woods I go hunting twice a week in.

Size has NOTHING to do with it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyme_disease

I'd go get checked.

From that link:

Tick removal

Many old wives' tales exist about the proper and effective method to remove a tick, however it is generally agreed that the most effective method is to pull it straight out with tweezers.[82] Data have demonstrated that prompt removal of an infected tick, within approximately 36 hours, reduces the risk of transmission to nearly zero; however the small size of the tick, especially in the nymph stage, may make detection difficult.[68]

Except he just ripped it out improperly.. meaning there's most likely remnants of the tick in his scalp.

 

[krylon]

Originally posted by: Platypus

Originally posted by: wade3
DAMMIT IT WAS A TICK!!!

What do I do now????

Since you already flushed it there's no way to test it for Lyme disease.

Was it big or small? The smaller deer ticks are the carriers of LD (I think?) but it's hard to say how long it'd been there, could be filled up w/ your blood.

Call your doc, I think there's a shot for LD before the onset of it. Also, the head might be stuck in there still. NEVER pull it off in the future, use a match to make it move backwards out of your head and let go.

Wikipedia doesn't agree, so you must be wrong.

 

[Newbian]

Originally posted by: Fritzo
If it was this, you'll need to apply a crowbar to get rid of it.

Someone already beat you to the punch on that one.

 

[Fritzo]

Originally posted by: Newbian

Originally posted by: Fritzo
If it was this, you'll need to apply a crowbar to get rid of it.

Someone already beat you to the punch on that one.

Don't worry---after a time warp I'll be first.

 

[krylon]

Originally posted by: Platypus

Originally posted by: Squisher

Originally posted by: Platypus

Originally posted by: wade3
So yea I did some research and I should be fine. most ticks are harmless

Its a small kind, prolly got it from the woods I go hunting twice a week in.

Size has NOTHING to do with it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyme_disease

I'd go get checked.

From that link:

Tick removal

Many old wives' tales exist about the proper and effective method to remove a tick, however it is generally agreed that the most effective method is to pull it straight out with tweezers.[82] Data have demonstrated that prompt removal of an infected tick, within approximately 36 hours, reduces the risk of transmission to nearly zero; however the small size of the tick, especially in the nymph stage, may make detection difficult.[68]

Except he just ripped it out improperly.. meaning there's most likely remnants of the tick in his scalp.

How do you know?

 

[shiner]

Originally posted by: wade3

Originally posted by: mugs
You go hunting twice a week and you don't know what a tick looks like? How is that possible?

you gotta start somewhere

anyways it's more like chasing rabbits and turkeys at my friends farm with my bb gun

Do you also say pew pew pew while you are "hunting"

 

[nakedfrog]

Originally posted by: krylon
How do you know?

I was running my hands through my head and I feel a bump on my scalp.

I rip it off and find a bug. It was attached and I had to pull it to remove.

Sounds like a reasonable assumption...

 

[SunnyD]

I pulled a tick off one of my dogs the other night.

 

[Platypus]

Originally posted by: krylon

Originally posted by: Platypus

Originally posted by: Squisher

Originally posted by: Platypus

Originally posted by: wade3
So yea I did some research and I should be fine. most ticks are harmless

Its a small kind, prolly got it from the woods I go hunting twice a week in.

Size has NOTHING to do with it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyme_disease

I'd go get checked.

From that link:

Tick removal

Many old wives' tales exist about the proper and effective method to remove a tick, however it is generally agreed that the most effective method is to pull it straight out with tweezers.[82] Data have demonstrated that prompt removal of an infected tick, within approximately 36 hours, reduces the risk of transmission to nearly zero; however the small size of the tick, especially in the nymph stage, may make detection difficult.[68]

Except he just ripped it out improperly.. meaning there's most likely remnants of the tick in his scalp.

How do you know?

Because if you just rip it out, there will be pieces left. Ticks lodge into your scalp with their teeth and hold on. Either way, your life isn't something you should fuck around with. If you're comfortable thinking you got an entire tick out of a part of your head you can't even see then by all means go for it.

 

[Newbian]

Originally posted by: Fritzo

Originally posted by: Newbian

Originally posted by: Fritzo
If it was this, you'll need to apply a crowbar to get rid of it.

Someone already beat you to the punch on that one.

Don't worry---after a time warp I'll be first.

Sadly that can be true.

Then we can make fun of the other poster.

 

[FeuerFrei]

wow, you must have been ticked!

 

[Fullmetal Chocobo]

Originally posted by: effowe
Sppooooooooooooooon!

ROFL

 

[silverpig]

What you need is one of those monkeys that cleans the other monkeys by sifting through their fur and eating ticks.

 

[AreaCode707]

Originally posted by: Dirigible
Some people have given bad advice here.

To remove a tick you want to nab it way down by the head and pull it out with a firm steady pressure (do not yank). You want the tick to let go and not just rip it to pieces, leaving bits behind that can cause infection. There are special tools that make this more easy.

Do not pull on the body, use a lit match, a cigarette, or vaseline to remove a tick. Those methods can cause the tick to spit its toxins into you, increasing your likelihood of getting disease, or can result in tick bits being left behind to cause infection.

Once you've removed the tick, keep it for testing. Depending how cautious you are, you may want to get all ticks tested or just if you start having symptoms (note that the bullseye target rash that denotes lyme disease does not always appear).

Read up on lyme disease and its symptoms - it is serious shit and can mess you up. Be alert for them.

OP, as others have stated, you probably want to ensure all the tick parts were removed.

-Dirigible, not a doctor, but someone more experienced with ticks than he'd like.

This, plus:

If the tick was still flat (meaning that it hadn't sucked much blood) it probably hadn't been there very long, decreasing your chances for Lyme's Disease. Larger ticks are less likely to be carriers than the smaller deer ticks. Since you noticed it and were able to grab onto it to pull it out, it's probably not a deer tick. I wouldn't panic about disease at this point, just have someone help check to make sure you got the whole thing out.

They make special tick-remover devices, little flat pieces of metal that have an angled end and a v shaped wedge; they work very well to catch the tick by the head and pull it out. They're a few cents at any sporting store and worth picking up to have around the house.