Trochynskyi said the ordeal began around Midsummer, when he made sauna whisks in his backyard. Although he routinely checks for ticks after spending time outdoors, one bite went unnoticed until the next day.

"I removed it with special tweezers and disinfected the spot with rubbing alcohol," he recalled. "By that evening, I was already feeling worse."

Joint pain, fever and a general feeling of illness soon followed. Having previously had Lyme disease 15 years earlier, Trochynskyi recognized the symptoms, but doctors ended up diagnosing him with both Lyme disease and tick-borne encephalitis (TBE).

He was initially sent home with a course of antibiotics, but was later admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU) for treatment.

"A tick is so small, but it can cause so much pain," Trochynskyi said.

The musician is now recovering, and believes years of maintaining a healthy lifestyle has helped him on that journey. He said he recently went his first day without needing pain medication.

Tick checks and vaccination key

Looking back, Trochynskyi said he wishes he had been vaccinated against TBE.

"I've read so many stories from people under my [social media] post," he said. "Some recover in a few months, for others it takes a year or two. And some never recover at all."

While people can be vaccinated against TBE, no vaccine exists for Lyme disease, making prevention essential.

Always check for ticks after spending time outdoors, and remove any ticks promptly. The less time a tick remains attached, the lower the risk of infection.

Last year, Estonia recorded 3,276 cases of Lyme disease and 143 cases of TBE.

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