You get Lyme disease when the tick bites you and stays attached for 36 to 48 hours. If you remove the tick within 48 hours, chances are you won’t get infected.
When you’re infected, the bacteria travel through your bloodstream and affect various tissues in your body. If you don’t treat Lyme disease early on, it can turn into an inflammatory condition that affects multiple systems, starting with your skin, joints, and nervous system and moving to your organs later on.
Did you know?
Ticks can attach to any part of the body but are often found in hard-to-see areas, such as the scalp, armpits, and groin.
