Very painful, bruised, red, tick bite.

Dear Sysy,

What color was the tick?

These two links are pictures of the ticks to help you identify whether or not it could be a deer tick. 

http://www.uptodate.com/contents/image?imageKey=PI%2F18578&topicKey=PI%2F4017&source=see_link&utdPopup=true

http://www.uptodate.com/contents/image?imageKey=PI%2F18469&topicKey=PI%2F4017&source=see_link&utdPopup=true

Symptoms of Lyme Disease include: 

• Rash.A few days to a month before you have other symptoms, a small, red bump may appear at the site of the tick bite. Over the next few days, the redness expands, forming a rash in a bull's-eye pattern, with a red outer ring surrounding a clear area. The rash, called erythema migrans, is one of the hallmarks of Lyme disease. Some people develop several of these rashes, an indication of bacteria multiplying in the blood stream.
• Flu-like symptoms.Fever, chills, fatigue, body aches and a headache may accompany the rash.
• Migratory joint pain.If the infection is not treated, you may develop bouts of severe joint pain and swelling several weeks to months after you're infected. Your knees are especially likely to be affected, but the pain can shift from one joint to another.
• Neurological problems.In some cases, inflammation of the membranes surrounding your brain (meningitis), temporary paralysis of one side of your face (Bell's palsy), numbness or weakness in your limbs, and impaired muscle movement may occur weeks, months or even years after an untreated infection.
• Less common signs and symptoms.Some people may experience heart problems — such as an irregular heartbeat — several weeks after infection, but this rarely lasts more than a few days or weeks. Eye inflammation, hepatitis and severe fatigue are possible as well.

Although right now your bite appears to be a red bump, if it is a deer tick bite, it will expand to look like a bulls-eye. I would advise you not to wait until that happens and please go see your doctor immediately as Lyme Disease treatment is most effective when started immediately. 

Keep us posted,

Rosa