Who really wants to experience a bug bite? No one! We can all live without the itchy, pesky annoyance of bug bites in our lives.

That’s why our team at AFC Urgent Care TN wants to offer you tips on how to protect yourself from bug bites this summer.

Why Is It Important to Protect Myself From Mosquitoes?

While most mosquito bites are harmless, there’s the very real potential for them to carry disease. In fact, mosquitoes can be carriers of many different diseases, including the Zika virus and West Nile virus, among others.

The good news is that protecting yourself from the ever-present mosquito doesn’t have to be challenging. Some basic precautions can help keep you safe.

Preventing Mosquito Bites

• Use an insect repellent.
• Wear long sleeves and pants to protect skin.
• Limit exposure to mosquitoes.
• Use a mosquito net when sleeping outdoors.
• Wear light colors.

How Can I Protect Myself From Tick Bites?

Well, we talked about mosquitoes, but ticks are another real and present danger during the Tennessee summers. Like mosquitoes, ticks also harbor dangerous diseases, including Lyme disease.

If you spot a tick on your skin, remove it using fine tweezers. Pull it upward and avoid putting any pressure or squeezing the tick, which can cause some of the tick body to remain stuck in your skin.

Tick Bite Symptoms

• A red spot on skin
• Full body rash
• Neck stiffness
• Headache
• Nausea
• Weakness
• Fever
• Muscle or joint pain

Did you suffer a tick bite? Stop by an AFC Urgent Care TN clinic to determine if you’ve been exposed to Lyme disease.