Visual Auditory And Sensory Symptoms
If the bacteria that causes Lyme disease moves into the central nervous system, it sensory issues. This can include sensitivity to light as well as other visual disturbances.
In some cases, Lyme disease can cause auditory issues. According to a 2021 study , Lyme disease may contribute to the development of lesions that may cause sudden sensorineural hearing loss.
The researchers noted that people with long-duration infections were more likely to experience permanent and irreversible changes in the cochlea or auditory nerve.
Obtaining An Accurate Diagnosis
If you do not have a map, how do you get to where you want to go? Recovering from illness works the same way. An effective treatment strategy is only as good as the accuracy of the diagnosis. Nuances associated with Lyme disease lab tests create a challenge to getting an accurate diagnosis.
I only rely on reputable Lyme specialty laboratories to make a diagnosis. Testing for chronic viral infections, mold illness, heavy metal toxicity, digestive disorders, and more presents the same obstacle.
Conventional labs like LabCorp and Quest are fine for general markers like blood counts, chemistry panels, and thyroid hormones, but specialized labs need to be used for all the conditions mentioned above. Even within specialized laboratories, some provide more accurate data than others.
The labs that provide me with the best map change over time based on advances in testing and my clinical observations. If you tested for tick-borne infections or the above conditions over a year ago, the tests should be repeated because testing has improved. Its essential to know the current status of the results.
Lyme Disease: Signs And Symptoms
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Unexplained Pain And Other Sensations
Some people with Lyme may have sharp rib and chest pains that send them to the emergency room, suspecting a heart problem 00090-7/abstract%20″ rel=”nofollow”> 27).
When no problem is found, after the usual testing, the ER diagnosis is noted as an unidentified musculoskeletal cause.
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Other symptoms have to do with cranial nerves.
- Ear-ringing . Tinnitus can be a nuisance, especially at bedtime when it seems to get louder as youre trying to fall asleep. About 10 percent of people with Lyme experience this (
- Hearing loss. One study reported that 15 percent of Lyme patients experienced loss of hearing .
- Jaw pain or toothaches that are not related to actual tooth decay or infection.
Summary:
How Is It Treated
Facial palsy is treated with oral antibiotics and Lyme meningitis/radiculoneuritis can either be treated with oral or intravenous antibiotics, depending on severity . Most people with Lyme disease respond well to antibiotics and fully recover. Varying degrees of permanent nervous system damage may develop in people who do not receive treatment in the early stages of illness and who develop late-stage Lyme disease.
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Late Lyme Disease Symptoms
Can Lyme Disease Be Prevented
To prevent Lyme disease, you should lower your risk of getting a tick bite:
- Avoid areas where ticks live, such as grassy, brushy, or wooded areas. If you are hiking, walk in the center of the trail to avoid brush and grass.
- Use an insect repellent with DEET
- Treat your clothing and gear with a repellant containing 0.5% permethrin
- Wear light-colored protective clothing, so you can easily see any ticks that get on you
- Wear a long-sleeve shirt and long pants. Also tuck your shirt into your pants and your pant legs into your socks.
- Check yourself, your children, and your pets daily for ticks. Carefully remove any ticks you find.
- Take a shower and wash and dry your clothes at high temperatures after being outdoors
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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What Are Signs And Symptoms Of The Third Stage Of Lyme Disease
Late stage Lyme disease can result when treatment is unsuccessful or started too late due to unrecognized symptoms or misdiagnosis. The late disseminated stage occurs months or years after initial infection and can have a major impact on a patients health and quality of life. Late Lyme arthritis is a third stage Lyme disease manifestation that involves fluid accumulation and pain in joints, particularly in the knee joints. Late neurologic disease is a 3rd stage condition that can also be debilitating and difficult to diagnose. Late disseminated Lyme disease symptoms include a variety of symptoms that are often neurologic in origin including: numbness in extremities, mental fogginess and concentration problems, and difficulty following conversations or processing information.
Access To Physicians With Experience Treating Lyme Disease
According to LymeDisease.orgs patient-driven research platform, MyLymeData, a significant obstacle to an accurate diagnosis is patient access to care by a healthcare provider experienced in Lyme disease and associated infections.
Almost 50% of respondents in the MyLymeData registry reported they saw over seven physicians before being diagnosed with Lyme disease. Treatments for Lyme disease are more effective the earlier they are implemented. Unfortunately, for 73% of respondents, it took over a year for a correct diagnosis.
In a MyLymeData survey of Lyme-treating doctors, physicians report the top three reasons patients receive a delayed diagnosis of Lyme disease are inadequate physician education about tick-borne diseases, false-negative lab results, and a prior misdiagnosis.
Barriers that contribute to a delayed or accurate diagnosis include poor insurance coverage for Lyme disease, healthcare costs, and a limited number of healthcare providers that diagnose and treat persistent Lyme disease.
As cases of Lyme disease rise in the United States and research studies demonstrate a clear need for improved diagnostics and treatment, we will likely see increased recognition and awareness by healthcare agencies and improved insurance coverage.
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Symptoms Of Early Stage Lyme Disease
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , early-stage Lyme disease symptoms crop up within 3 to 30 days after exposure and can include but are not limited to:
- Joint pain and swelling
- Swelling of the lymph nodes
- Erythema migrans , a bulls-eye-shaped rash that appears at the site of the tick bite
Early Lyme disease does not always appear the same in all patients. For example, up to 30% of patients dont remember experiencing a bulls eye rash.
Lyme Disease Or Stari
An erythema migrans-like rash has also been described in humans following bites of the lone star tick. This condition has been named Southern Tick-Associated Rash Illness . Although the rash may be accompanied by systemic symptoms, disseminated or severe disease has not been reported. Because the cause of STARI is unknown, diagnostic blood tests are not available. It is not known whether antibiotic treatment is necessary or beneficial for patients with STARI. Nevertheless, because STARI resembles early Lyme disease, physicians often treat patients with the same antibiotics recommended for Lyme disease.
Lone star ticks can be found from central Texas and Oklahoma eastward across the southern states and along the Atlantic Coast as far north as Maine.
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How Is Lyme Disease Spread
Not all deer ticks are infected with the bacteria that cause Lyme disease. Ticks can become infected if they feed on animals such as mice and other mammals that are infected. The disease can be spread when an infected tick bites a person and stays attached for a period of time. In general, the tick must be attached for 36 to 48 hours or more. Lyme disease does not spread from one person to another. Transfer of the bacteria from an infected pregnant woman to her fetus is extremely rare.
Postlyme Disease Symptoms And Syndrome
The outcome of treatment in most patients with erythema migrans is excellent. Studies show, however, that when questioned at 6 months or more aftertreatment of erythema migrans, approximately 10% of patients will report purely subjective symptoms such as fatigue or musculoskeletal pains.17 These subjective symptoms are typically mild and may wax and wane in intensity. Patients who have them are referred to as having postLyme disease symptoms or syndrome, depending on the symptom duration and severity. The cause of these symptoms is currently unknown. Carefully done microbiologic evaluations in the United States have failed to find evidence of either persistentB. burgdorferi infection or a coinfection with a secondIxodes-transmitted pathogen. In patients with persistent symptoms attributed to Lyme disease, longer-term antibiotic treatment has been shown to have no additional beneficial effects on health-related quality of life beyond those with shorter-term treatment.A4 Furthermore, retreatment has provided either no measurable benefit or a benefit so modest or ambiguous that it was outweighed by the risks associated with the antibiotic therapy.17b Therefore, symptomatic treatment is recommended for such patients.
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What Causes Lyme Disease
Lyme disease is caused by bacteria. In the United States, this is usually a bacterium called Borrelia burgdorferi. It spreads to humans through the bite of an infected tick. The ticks that spread it are blacklegged ticks . They are usually found in the:
- Pacific coast, especially northern California
These ticks can attach to any part your body. But they are often found in hard-to-see areas such as your groin, armpits, and scalp. Usually the tick must be attached to you for 36 to 48 hours or more to spread the bacterium to you.
The Stages And Symptoms Of Lyme Disease
During the warm summer months, lakeside picnics, hikes through the woods, gardening, or just swinging in a hammock can be so pleasurable. Whats not so pleasurable is the thought of sharing the great outdoors with tiny little ticks, no bigger than a sesame seed, that can land on you and attach to your skin. Although the prevalence of Lyme disease is higher in Northeast than in some other areas of the country, not all ticks cause Lyme disease and the overall risk for contracting Lyme disease is relatively low.Lyme disease is contracted through the bite of infected deer ticks carrying a spirochete bacterium called Borrelia burgdorferi . Transmission of B. burgdorferi typically requires a minimum of 24 to 48 hours of tick attachment. According to the Centers for Disease Control, deer ticks have a four-stage life cycle , and the nymph ticks, about the size of a poppy seed, transmit B. burgdorferi to humans more frequently than the adult ticks. This is most likely because larger adult deer ticks are often discovered sooner and removed more quickly from the hosts skin.Review the various signs and symptoms associated with Lyme disease listed below. If you or a family member develop any concerning symptoms, see a visit your nearest PhysicianOne Urgent Care as soon as possible for a comprehensive evaluation.Early Localized Disease
- A red, expanding rash or bulls-eye rash at the site of a tick bite
Early Disseminated Disease
Late Disease
Post-Lyme Disease Syndrome
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What Are The Symptoms Of Lyme Disease
Early symptoms of Lyme disease start between 3 to 30 days after an infected tick bites you. The symptoms can include:
- A red rash called erythema migrans . Most people with Lyme disease get this rash. It gets bigger over several days and may feel warm. It is usually not painful or itchy. As it starts to get better, parts of it may fade. Sometimes this makes the rash look like a “bull’s-eye.”
- Muscle and joint aches
- Swollen lymph nodes
If the infection is not treated, it can spread to your joints, heart, and nervous system. The symptoms may include:
- Severe headaches and neck stiffness
- Additional EM rashes on other areas of your body
- Facial palsy, which is a weakness in your facial muscles. It can cause drooping on one or both sides of your face.
- Arthritis with severe joint pain and swelling, especially in your knees and other large joints
- Pain that comes and goes in your tendons, muscles, joints, and bones
- Heart palpitations, which are feelings that your heart is skipping a beat, fluttering, pounding, or beating too hard or too fast
- Shooting pains, numbness, or tingling in the hands or feet
Chronic Lyme Disease Vs Acute And Late Stage Lyme
One reason chronic Lyme disease is harder to detect and treat than Lyme at earlier stages is that chronic Lyme disease symptoms are more wide-ranging and varied. Chronic Lyme disease can cause symptoms of early Lyme disease such as fatigue and muscle aches to recur, but it can also cause new symptoms that affect different parts of the body.
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What Are The Treatments For Lyme Disease
Lyme disease is treated with antibiotics. The earlier you are treated, the better it gives you the best chance of fully recovering quickly.
After treatment, some patients may still have pain, fatigue, or difficulty thinking that lasts more than 6 months. This is called post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome . Researchers don’t know why some people have PTLDS. There is no proven treatment for PTLDS long-term antibiotics have not been shown to help. However, there are ways to help with the symptoms of PTLDS. If you have been treated for Lyme disease and still feel unwell, contact your health care provider about how to manage your symptoms. Most people do get better with time. But it can take several months before you feel all better.
Later Signs Of Lyme Disease
What if Lyme disease isn’t detected early on? The longer that disease-causing bacteria linger in the body, the more they disseminate, and as these microbes spread to tissues throughout the body, they can trigger a litany of symptoms. CDC says these may include:
- Severe headaches and neck stiffness
- Additional EM rashes. These lesions may pop up on other areas of the body
- A type of facial paralysis known as Bell’s palsy
- Arthritis with severe joint pain and swelling. Knees and other large joints are vulnerable
- Intermittent pain in tendons, muscles, joints, and bones
- Shooting pains, numbness, or tingling in the hands or feet
You might have persistent or episodic symptoms, said Dr. Green. Pain that seems to move through the body? That’s common too. “The hallmark of late Lyme is migratory joint pain: today my right knee hurts and tomorrow I’m limping on my left ankle, and, oh, my third finger of my right hand swelled up, and, oh, my neck has swelled up,” she said.
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Chronic Lyme: What Happens When Lyme Goes Untreated
The Lyme community typically uses the term chronic Lyme disease to describe a range of physical, cognitive, and emotional symptoms that crop up after getting Lyme disease and persist for months to years after infection.
The risk of chronic Lyme increases the longer a Lyme infection goes untreated or undertreated. In other words, patients are more likely to recover fully if their Lyme infection is detected and treated as early as possible after the discovery of a tick bite. This stage is usually marked by symptoms such as fevers, chills, muscle aches, and sometimes rashes.
When left untreated or undertreated, however, Lyme disease can spread throughout the body and affect:
- The central nervous system
- Muscles and joints
As Lymedisease.org points out, these symptoms can evolve, disappear, and reappear at different times.
How Are Dogs Tested For Lyme Disease
Diagnosis is made by a combination of history, physical signs, and diagnostics. For dogs, the two blood tests for diagnosing Lyme disease are called the C6 Test and Quant C6 test. Veterinarians perform both.
The C6 test detects antibodies against a protein called C6. Presence of the antibodies suggests an active Lyme infection. The C6 antibodies can be detected three to five weeks after an infected tick bites a dog and may be found in the bloodstream even before the dog shows signs of illness.
The next step is to do a Quant C6 test. This, along with urinalysis will help determine if antibiotic treatment is necessary.
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Signs And Symptoms Of Lyme Disease
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Overview
Lyme disease is an underreported, under-researched, and often debilitating disease transmitted by spirochete bacteria. The spiral-shaped bacteria, Borrelia burgdorferi, are transmitted by blacklegged deer ticks. Lymes wide range of symptoms mimic those of many other ailments, making it difficult to diagnose .
The blacklegged ticks can also transmit other disease-causing bacteria, viruses, and parasites. These are known as coinfections . These ticks that transmit Lyme are increasing their geographical spread. As of 2016, they were found in about half the counties in 43 of 50 states in the United States .
Lyme is the fifth most reported of notifiable diseases in the United States, with an estimated 329,000 new cases found annually . Some studies estimate that there are as many as 1 million cases of Lyme in the United States every year .
Most people with Lyme who are treated right away with three weeks of antibiotics have a good prognosis.
But if youre not treated for weeks, months, or even years after infection, Lyme becomes more difficult to treat. Within days of the bite, the bacteria can move to your central nervous system, muscles and joints, eyes, and heart .
Here is a list of 13 common signs and symptoms of Lyme disease.