by Dr. Bill Rawls
Posted 9/16/22

How long a tick must be attached to a person to contract Lyme disease is the subject of much controversy. And, because different sources often post contradictory information, finding a reliable answer can be quite the challenge. Listen as Dr. Rawls discusses tick attachment times and sets the record straight. Read more about the Lyme disease-causing borrelia here.

Subscribe to our Facebook and YouTube to get updates when new episodes are posted.

Video Transcript

Question: How long must a tick be attached to contract Lyme?

Tim Yarborough: How long must a tick be attached before contracting Lyme?

Dr. Rawls: You know that misconception that it has to be attached for more than 24 hours to treat it, is purely that. It’s a misconception.

They’ve tracked it down to as little as six hours, possibly even shorter than that.

Anytime that tick has made contact with the bloodstream, some microbes can cross over, and we know that some microbes, not necessarily borrelia, but others can cross over. So any tick bite is suspicious.

Dr. Rawls is a physician who overcame Lyme disease through natural herbal therapy. You can learn more about Lyme disease in Dr. Rawls’ new best selling book, Unlocking Lyme.
You can also learn about Dr. Rawls’ personal journey in overcoming Lyme disease and fibromyalgia in his popular blog post, My Chronic Lyme Journey.