Tick Safety and Lyme Disease

Seasonal & Safety • Medically reviewed August 2024by the Cedarcrest Health clinical content committee

The wooded hills and trails of the Allegheny Highlands region make for beautiful hiking, but they are also home to ticks that can carry Lyme disease and other illnesses. Taking a few precautions can greatly reduce your risk during the spring, summer, and fall months when ticks are most active.

Reducing Your Risk

• Wear long sleeves and pants when walking through wooded or grassy areas.
• Use an insect repellent labeled for tick protection.
• Stick to the center of trails and avoid brushing against tall grass.
• Check your body, clothing, and pets for ticks after being outdoors.
• Shower soon after coming indoors to help find and wash away unattached ticks.

If You Find a Tick

Remove an attached tick promptly using fine-tipped tweezers, grasping it close to the skin and pulling straight out with steady pressure. Clean the area afterward and note the date, since this information can be helpful if symptoms develop later.

Not every tick bite leads to Lyme disease, but it is worth watching the area for several weeks. A spreading red rash, sometimes with a bulls-eye appearance, along with fever, fatigue, or joint pain, are reasons to seek medical attention.

If you find an attached tick or develop symptoms after spending time outdoors, talk with your Cedarcrest Health primary care provider promptly, or call our Find-a-Physician line at (814) 555-2650.

Page last reviewed: 05/09/2026