Symptoms:

Watch for the symptoms of tick-borne diseases in the weeks following a tick bite -- muscle or joint aches, stiff neck, headache, weakness, fever, swollen lymph nodes, and other flu-like symptoms. Watch for a red spot or rash starting at the location of the bite.

The symptoms below refer more to the problems resulting from the bite itself, not the diseases that a bite may cause. Some of the symptoms are specific to one variety of tick or another but not necessarily common to all ticks.

• Apnea (breathing stopped)
• Difficulty breathing
• Loss of movement (paralysis)
• Severe pain at bite site (some varieties), lasting for several weeks
• Swelling at bite site (some varieties)
• Weakness
• Uncoordinated movement