Tick-borne diseases are back. Here's the best way to check for tick bites this summer.

• Ticks tend to be smaller than a pencil eraser, but they can cause big health problems.
• A bite from a tick can lead to Lyme disease, or the lesser-known Powassan virus.

The recent death of a 58-year-old man in Maine this May is a reminder of how even tiny ticks can transmit viruses and bacteria that cause serious illness. According to the state health department on May 17, the man developed neurologic symptoms related to the rare Powassan virus and died in the hospital.

While fatal tick infections are rare, hundreds of thousands of Americans get Lyme disease each year, which can cause months of debilitating symptoms including joint pain and fatigue. Ticks can spread other diseases too, like babesiosis and Rocky Mountain spotted fever, so it's worth taking precautions against these bugs.

Ticks are most active when it's warm out

Ticks are mostly dormant during the winter, but they become more active during the warmer months — usually April through September — and tick season is getting longer due to climate change.

Not all ticks spread all diseases; there are several species of ticks across the country, and they are associated with different viruses and bacteria.

For this reason, it's important to note which tick species are most common in your area and any diseases they may spread. Lyme disease is typically associated with the blacklegged tick, which can be found up and down the East Coast.

How to check for ticks after spending time outside

The more time you spend outside, the more likely you are to come into contact with a tick.

Ticks live in grassy or wooded areas, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, so people may come across them in their own backyards or while doing outdoor activities such as camping or hiking.

Ticks like to hide in warm nooks of the body, so when checking for ticks make sure to first remove all of your clothes. Then, check your whole body, paying special attention to the areas under your arms, in and around your ears, behind your knees, in and around your hair, and even inside your belly button.

If you're going outside with a pet or child, you should check them for ticks as well. You can use a full-body mirror or enlist a buddy to help you check yourself in areas that are hard to see, like your back or behind your ears.

How to remove a tick the right way

Ticks may spend several hours exploring the body before they bite, so it's important to check for them immediately after coming inside. If you see a tick crawling on you that isn't attached, you can remove it by hand.

When a tick bites you, it releases a numbing agent in its saliva. You probably won't feel the bite, but the tick's saliva and blood may contain pathogens that can cause disease.

If you find a tick on your body that's embedded in the skin, locate the head of the tick and pull it out with tweezers using steady, slow pressure, taking care not to release the insect's blood or leave parts behind. Don't try to "suffocate" the tick by covering it with petroleum jelly or nail polish.

If the mouth of the tick detaches, that's ok — pull it out like you would a splinter.

After you've removed the tick, wash the bitten area with soap and warm water.

If the tick has embedded, some physicians will recommend that you save the insect in a ziplock bag in case you get sick and need it for testing. Otherwise, toss that tick into the toilet and watch for signs of infection in the following weeks.