What Are The Signs And Symptoms Of Lyme Disease
Tick bites are usually painless and most people do not know they have been bitten. Signs and symptoms of Lyme disease vary greatly from person to person, and may appear anywhere between 3 to 30 days after a person has been bitten.
Symptoms often include:
- Swollen lymph nodes.
One sign of infection can be an expanding rash, sometimes referred to as a “bull’s eye” rash because it may have rings spreading from the bite site ). It is important to note that rashes without the bull’s eye may occur, and that rashes do not appear in every case of Lyme disease infection.
The PHAC states that if left untreated, more severe symptoms may occur and can last from months to years. Severe symptoms may include:
- Severe headaches
- Additional EM skin rashes..
- Neurological disorders
- Nervous system disorders, including facial paralysis or Bell’s palsy .
- Intermittent muscle, joint, tendon, and bone aches
- Arthritis with severe joint pain and swelling, particularly the knees and less commonly in other joints such as the ankle, elbow, and wrists.
If untreated, a condition called late disseminated Lyme disease may occur. PHAC reports symptoms include recurring arthritis , nervous system and/or neurological problems. Symptoms can also include numbness and/or paralysis . Deaths from Lyme disease are rare but may occur.
PHAC provides more information on Lyme Disease.
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
How Do I Know If I Have A Tick Bite
Many people who develop the disease do not remember seeing ticks or being bitten. Tick bites commonly occur from May to September in North America, although blacklegged ticks can be active most of the year. Ticks sometimes move around on the body but they usually attach themselves to the skin and stay in one place. Before feeding, ticks look like small, brown scabs or freckles. After feeding, ticks may swell considerably, and could be as big as a raisin or a small grape.
Follow the link for more information about blacklegged ticks from the Government of Canada.
Don’t Miss: Stephen Buhner’s Herbal Protocol Lyme
A Reasonable Approach To Post
If you are being treated for PTLD, there is no magic bullet to treat this problem, but here are some important steps to consider:
- Choose a doctor you trust and who can work closely with you.
- If your doctor agrees to start antibiotics for several months, make sure you talk about the risks and cost, as this can be dangerous and expensive.
- Make sure not to rely solely on antibiotics. The evidence for a benefit from antibiotics is weak, and we rely mostly on physicians clinical experience and interest in the disease to design a personalized therapeutic plan. For some, a more holistic approach may be the way to go.
- If you try supplements, ask about their source and purity, as they are not FDA-regulated.
- Consider looking for services in medical school hospitals or clinics where they may have programs with ongoing research on how to diagnose and treat Lyme.
About the Author
What You Need To Know About Lyme Disease
-
Lyme disease is an infection caused by the spiral-shaped bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi, which is most commonly transmitted by a tick bite.
-
There are over 300,000 estimated new cases of Lyme disease in the United States each year.
-
The symptoms of Lyme disease depend on the how long the infection has been present in the body. The first sign of Lyme disease is often an expanding round or oval red “bullseye” rash.
-
If left untreated, people may develop neurological symptoms and heart problems, and have an approximately 60 percent chance of developing Lyme arthritis.
Don’t Miss: How To Relieve Lyme Disease Pain
What Should You Do If You Find A Tick
-
Don’t touch the tick with your bare hand.
-
Use a pair of tweezers to remove the tick. Grab the tick firmly by its mouth or head as close to your skin as possible.
-
Pull up slowly and steadily without twisting until it lets go. Don’t squeeze the tick, and don’t use petroleum jelly, solvents, knives, or a lit match to kill the tick.
-
Save the tick. Place it in a plastic container or bag so it can be tested for disease, if needed.
-
Wash the bite area well with soap and water and put an antiseptic lotion or cream on the site.
How To Treat Coxsackie Virus
To treat Coxsackie virus, no specific medication is required. Because viral diseases dont respond to antibiotics, most treatment plans consist of over-the-counter medication to help curb symptoms until the virus has been eradicated from the body. In the case of Lyme disease, antibiotics need to be administered to help the body rid itself of the Borrelia bacteria.
If you have both Lyme disease and Coxsackie virus, treatment becomes a little different. You will need to take antibiotics as well as over-the-counter medications to help with symptoms. Uncomfortable symptoms may feel worse because of the co-infection, but dual treatment is the best bet to rid yourself of the bacteria and virus and get back to normal.
Featured image by Erik Karits on Pixabay
You May Like: What Is Lyme Disease And What Are The Symptoms
Does Treatment Immediately After A Tick Bite Negate Signs Of Early Infection
Not every tick carries B. burgdorferi. The infection rate of ticks also varies with geographic region. Therefore, treatment should not be performed based on a tick bite alone. If the tick was found on the animal it can be sent in for B. burgdorferi PCR. PCR for Anaplasma can be performed simultaneously if requested. If the tick was infected, early treatment can be considered. However, a tick must feed for at least 24 hours on an animal or human for B. burgdorferi transmission to occur. Only a serological test will confirm whether transmission of B. burgdorferi occurred and the animal was infected. Antibodies can be detected in infected animals as early as 3-4 weeks after infection. Lyme Multiplex testing is recommended after that time. Treatment can be initiated immediately afterwards if antibody levels are positive. Treatment during this early infection phase is generally very effective.
Ticks And Illness: Lyme Disease And Powassan Virus
Warm weather has arrived the sun is shining and the days are longer, but unfortunately ticks may be joining you as you spend more time outdoors.
Predictions for 2017 show the U.S. has the potential for the highest number of ticks reported in recent years, which also increases the risk of tick-borne illnesses such as Lyme disease and Powassan virus . In the Northeast, mid-Atlantic and upper Midwest, the number of infected ticks continues to rise.
Tick-bite prevention is key. Although anyone can get tick-borne illnesses, people who spend a lot of time outdoors in certain regions are at particular risk.
What are Lyme disease and POW? While Lyme disease is caused by a bacterium and POW disease is caused by a virus, both are commonly found in small rodents like mice or squirrels and are transmitted to humans by the bite of an infected blacklegged tick, also known as the deer tick. POW can cause damage to the central nervous symptom, including meningitis and encephalitis. Lyme disease can cause a bullseye rash, arthritis, meningitis, or enter the tissue of the heart and cause a condition called Lyme carditis.
How do I prevent a tick bite? Prevention and detection are important if you are planning to spend time outdoors this season. Try to avoid areas with high grass and leaf clutter, wear light colored clothing with long sleeves, use a repellant, and thoroughly check your childs body and hair for ticks. Its also important to bathe as soon as possible after coming indoors.
Don’t Miss: Western Blot Test Lyme Accuracy
How Do You Test For Coxsackie Virus
Testing for Coxsackie virus is generally relaxed and often merely includes a simple physical examination. Because the virus presents itself with a rash, sores, and other obvious symptoms, its easy for doctors to determine the infection by simply looking at a patient and asking a few questions.
The problem with the physical examination to diagnose Coxsackie virus, though, is that those who have been infected but are no longer exhibiting symptoms may not receive the positive diagnosis they need.
This is when a more invasive test needs to be done, such as Infectolabs ELISA test. The ELISA test is an enzyme immunoassay designed to look for specific antigens or antibodies to determine whether an infection has occurred. These tests are highly accurate and can diagnose a patient based on whether the infection occurred in their body at any time in the past, as opposed to only during the examination.
Empirical Data And Clinical Trial:
After treating well over 50 verifiable Lyme patients I have come to a number of conclusions.
Read Also: What Are The Symptoms Of Lyme Disease In Cats
Which Antibodies Does The Vaccine From Merial Induce
It is a recombinant vaccine based on Osp A. Vaccinated animals should develop high antibody levels to OspA and maintain negative antibody levels to the remaining two antigens. Infected/non-infected animals can be identified based on OspC and OspF antibody values. Detection of the early Lyme infection stage is possible after using this vaccine.
What’s The Best Way To Prevent A Tick Bite
Ticks can’t fly or jump. But they live in shrubs and bushes and can grab onto you when you pass by. To avoid getting bitten:
- Wear pants and socks in areas with lots of trees and when you touch fallen leaves.
- Wear a tick repellent on your skin and clothing that has DEET, lemon oil, or eucalyptus.
- For even more protection, use the chemical permethrin on clothing and camping gear.
- Shower within 2 hours after coming inside. Look for ticks on your skin, and wash ticks out of your hair.
- Put your clothing and any exposed gear into a hot dryer to kill whatever pests might be on them.
How do you know if you’ve been bitten?
Since ticks are so small, you’ve got to have pretty good eyes to see them.
If you have a small, red bump on your skin that looks like a mosquito bite, it could be a tick bite. If it goes away in a few days, itâs not a problem. Remember, a tick bite doesnât necessarily mean you have Lyme disease.
If you notice a rash in the shape of a bull’s-eye, you might have a tick bite. Talk to your doctor about treatment.
If you have an allergic reaction to ticks, you’ll notice a bite right away.
Don’t Miss: Lyme Disease In Dogs Cure
Ongoing Symptoms Of Lyme Disease
A few people who are diagnosed and treated for Lyme disease continue to have symptoms, like tiredness, aches and loss of energy, that can last for years.
These symptoms are often compared to fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome.
It’s not clear why this happens to some people and not others. This means there’s also no agreed treatment.
Speak to a doctor if your symptoms come back, or do not improve, after treatment with antibiotics.
The doctor may be able to offer you further support if needed, such as:
- referral for a care needs assessment
- telling your employer, school or higher education institution that you require a gradual return to activities
- communicating with children and families’ social care
Page last reviewed: 05 July 2021 Next review due: 05 July 2024
Can We Test Fluids Other Than Serum
Yes, CSF samples can be submitted from horses with neurological signs. The CSF sample needs to be submitted together with a serum sample from the same animal and taken at the same time. The relative increase of antibodies in CSF can indicate local production of antibodies in the CNS. Typically, one or two antibody values are increased more than 2-fold if B. burgdorferi contributes to the neurologic condition.
For other samples, contact the lab first .
Read Also: Dr Gary Wormser Lyme Disease
Diagnosis Of Lyme Disease
to take a sample of the fluid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord . Fragments of the bacteriaâs genetic material may be present and detected using the polymerase chain reaction technique Polymerase chain reaction Genetic diagnostic technologies are scientific methods that are used to understand and evaluate an organism’s genes. Genes are segments of deoxyribonucleic… read more . This technique produces many copies of a gene and enables doctors to identify Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria rapidly.
Seven Herbal Medicines Can Kill Lyme Disease Bacteria In Test Tube
Researchers have determined that seven herbal medicines are highly active in test tubes against B. burgdorferi, the bacteria that causes Lyme disease, compared to the control antibiotics, doxycycline and cefuroxime.
Published in the journal Frontiers in Medicine, the laboratory study was funded by the Bay Area Lyme Foundation and supported in part by The Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation.
Researchers at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and colleagues at the California Center for Functional Medicine and FOCUS Health Group, Naturopathic collaborated on the study.
Since traditional antibiotic approaches fail to resolve symptoms in up to 25% of patients treated for Lyme disease and many suffer disabling effects of the disease, there is a need for novel treatment proven effective against B. burgdorferi, said the papers co-author Sunjya K. Schweig, MD, CEO and co-director, California Center for Functional Medicine and Scientific Advisory Board Member, Bay Area Lyme Foundation.
Also Check: How Do You Treat Lyme Disease In Dogs
What Are The Stages Of Lyme Infection
There are three stages:
- Early localized Lyme: Flu-like symptoms like fever, chills, headache, swollen lymph nodes, sore throat, and a rash that looks like a bull’s-eye or is round and red and at least 2 inches long
- Early disseminated Lyme: Flu-like symptoms like pain, weakness, or numbness in your arms and legs, changes in your vision, heart palpitations and chest pain, a rash , and a type of facial paralysis known as Bellâs palsy
- Late disseminated Lyme: This can happen weeks, months, or years after the tick bite. Symptoms might include arthritis, severe fatigue and headaches, dizziness, trouble sleeping, and confusion.
About 10% of people treated for Lyme infection donât shake the disease. They may go on to have three core symptoms: joint or muscle pain, fatigue, and short-term memory loss or confusion. This is called post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome. It can be hard to diagnose because it has the same symptoms as other diseases. Plus, there isn’t a blood test to confirm it.
Experts arenât sure why Lyme symptoms donât always go away. One theory is that your body keeps fighting the infection even after the bacteria are gone, like an autoimmune disorder.
My Theory On Lyme Disease Symptoms In Those With Or Without Co
Background:
I put forward that Lyme disease symptoms are not primarily generated by the Lyme bacteria, Borrelia burgdorferi, but by the reactivation of one or more herpes viruses within the peripheral and/or central nervous system. This reactivation will primarily affect the vagus nerve, which helps to control the heart, lungs, and digestive tract. Herpes virus plays no favorites and can affect any nerve as well as the entire brain.
Herpesviridae is a large family of DNA viruses of which there are 6 commonly known variants, HHV1-6. This family of viruses and its predilection to cause humans great suffering, acutely and over a lifetime, especially those with an immune system that is overtaxed or suppressed, is totally underestimated by the average person and most doctors Lyme literate or not.
Herpes 1-6 can not only invade our nervous system and tissue cells, but it can evade detection by our own immune system as well. Its lucky, I guess, that both of these mechanisms occur outside of the estimated 100 trillion bacterial cells that make up our microbiome because around 70 to 75 percent of our immune system is in our gut. The bad news is that 75 percent of all of my new patients come in to see me for gut-related problems. This 75 percent of potential immunity, so to speak, is now reduced by a little or a lot.
You May Like: Are Hives A Symptom Of Lyme Disease
