Guidelines For How To Prevent and Treat New Or Recent Tick Bites


With the weather getting warmer there are more opportunities to spend time out in nature, walking, hiking, bicycling and just enjoying the great outdoors. The warmer temperatures also mean tick season is upon us and some health care officials are predicting 2017 could be the worst tick season we have seen in recent years. This could mean an increased risk for Lyme disease and other tick borne infections.


Keep in mind that ticks are not the only insects that can be carriers of Borrelia burgdorferi. Mosquitos, spiders, flees, flies and mites can also be infected with the bacteria and can transmit it to humans via a bite. This is not meant to instill more fear but to create another learning opportunity. Remember, not all ticks or other insects carry Borrelia and be mindful that it takes more than a tick/insect bite for someone to start manifesting Lyme disease symptoms.


The intention behind this blog post is to share information about ways to prevent tick bites and to provide potential treatment options for new or recent tick bites. For simplicity this article will mainly refer to tick bites, however, the same guidelines discussed here can be applied to insect bites in general.



As the saying goes “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” let’s start by talking about ways to prevent and minimize the possibility of a tick or insect bite.

1. Use a natural insect repellent

1. The Honest Company® has a natural bug spray product called Honest Bug Spray which you can get at Costco or online
2. Wondercide™ Natural Products is a company that has several non-toxic insect repellent products

2. Wear proper clothing when outdoors

1. Wear long sleeved shirts and long pants
2. Tuck your pants into socks

3. Do a post –walk /hike body check

4. Take herbs known to prevent insect bites and support the immune system

1. Cistus incanus, also known as Mediterranean rockrose, is an herb recommended by Dr. Dietrich Klinghardt to help prevent tick and other types of insect bites. General dosing guidelines are as follows: BioPure Cistus Tincture, 2 dropperfuls three times per day or BioPure Cistus Tea, start with 2 cups per day, slowly increase to 8 cups per day.
2. Astragalus membranaceus, or simply astragalus is recommended by Stephen Buhner to help optimize immune function. He recommends taking 1,000mg minimum per day.




How To Properly Remove And Dispose of The Tick

  1. Using fine pointed tweezers, grasp the tick as close to the skin’s surface as possible.
  2. Using steady and even pressure, gently pull upward in the opposite direction from which the tick embedded.
  3. Do not squeeze, twist or jerk the tick. Do not apply creams over the tick or hold a hot match to it. Doing any of these may increase the chance of transmitting the bugs.
  4. Once you remove the tick, clean the bite area and your hands with soap and water.
  5. Dispose of a live tick by placing it in alcohol or a sealed container, or just flushing it down the toilet. A tick should never be crushed with your fingers.


Dr. Klinghardt’s treatment recommendations for new tick bites:

  1. Injecting the tick bite with ozone. This is best when done within 72 hours of getting a bite.
  2. Doxycycline 200mg twice daily for 3 weeks OR doxycycline 100mg twice daily + minocycline 100mg twice daily for 3 weeks. Probiotics should always be part of the treatment plan when antibiotics are used.
  3. BioPure CockTail Tincture, Hyaluronic Acid Tincture and Cistus Tea and/or Tincture


Stephen Buhner’s treatment recommendations for new tick bites:

  1. Astragalus 3,000 mg daily for 30 days, then indefinitely decreasing that to 1,000mg per day.
  2. Andrographis tincture + green clay. Mix the two ingredients together to make a paste and apply to the tick bite area, as a way to prevent an active infection.


Joette Calabrese’s treatment recommendations for new tick bites:

  1. Ledum palustre 200C dosed every 3 hours for the first day, then decreasing to two times per day for one week. Then twice per week for one month and finally once per week for another month.
  2. Aurum arsenicum 200C. Taken at the same time as Ledum, if the tick was discovered in the last few days.
  3. Borrelia 30C or Lyme Nosode 30C. Used in cases of older bites in addition to the first two remedies.

Joette also recommends preserving the tick in 180 proof vodka, grain alcohol or brandy. Which can be later used to make an iso-phatic remedy in case the first three remedies do not work.


As a reminder, this blog post is meant for educational purposes only. If you have a new or a recent tick or insect bite please schedule a consultation with your doctor at Sophia Health Institute to discuss best treatment options for you.


Hope you all have a great summer! Be well!