However, you may come in contact with ticks even when walking on grass. Spray insect repellents containing DEET on clothing and exposed skin. When you come indoors, examine yourself carefully, dressed and undressed. If you find a tick attached to your body, grasp it with a pair of tweezers as close to your skin as possible and tug gently to remove it. Shower as soon as you come indoors.
Ticks require several hours to attach themselves, and in the meantime can be washed away.
Ticks removed within 48 hours of attachment are less likely to transmit infection. Save the tick in a closed jar for examination, and contact your physician promptly. Type Cause Comments Gonococcal arthritis Gonorrhea Increasingly common due to recent rise in sexually transmitted diseases, gonococcal arthritis can lead to permanent joint destruction within a few days following the first sign of joint pain. When a person has undiagnosed gonorrhea without the characteristic symptoms of painful urination or discharge, gonococcal arthritis may not be suspected until permanent damage has occurred. If gonorrhea is a possible cause of joint inflammation, antibiotic treatment should be started immediately, even before confirmation of diagnosis.