What does a tick crawling on a hand do? - briefly
It locates a thin spot of skin, inserts its hypostome, and starts drawing blood. While feeding, it can introduce pathogens into the host’s bloodstream.
What does a tick crawling on a hand do? - in detail
A tick that traverses a person’s hand proceeds through a series of biological steps that can affect health.
First, the arthropod uses its front legs to sense heat, carbon‑dioxide, and movement, guiding it toward a suitable attachment site. Once it finds a thin area of skin, the tick inserts its hypostome—a barbed feeding organ—into the epidermis. Saliva containing anticoagulants, anesthetics, and immunomodulatory proteins is released to keep blood flowing and to mask the bite. This secretion also creates a small, often unnoticed lesion that may remain open for several days.
During the feeding period, which can last from a few hours to several days depending on the tick’s life stage, the parasite engorges on the host’s blood. While ingesting blood, the tick may transmit pathogens such as Borrelia burgdorferi (Lyme disease), Rickettsia spp., or Anaplasma spp. The likelihood of transmission rises after the tick has been attached for 24–48 hours.
If the tick is discovered, removal should be performed promptly. The recommended technique involves:
- Grasping the tick as close to the skin surface as possible with fine‑pointed tweezers.
- Applying steady, upward pressure to pull the entire organism out without crushing the body.
- Disinfecting the bite site with an antiseptic.
- Storing the tick in a sealed container for potential identification and testing.
After removal, monitor the bite area for signs of infection—redness, swelling, or a characteristic “bull’s‑eye” rash—and seek medical evaluation if symptoms develop. Early diagnosis and treatment of tick‑borne illnesses rely on recognizing the bite and acting quickly.