What Type Of Doctor Treats Lyme Disease
Ask U.S. doctors your own question and get educational, text answers â it’s anonymous and free!
Ask U.S. doctors your own question and get educational, text answers â it’s anonymous and free!
HealthTap doctors are based in the U.S., board certified, and available by text or video.
Lyme Disease Frequently Asked Questions
If you have not done so already, remove the tick with fine-tipped tweezers.
The chances that you might get Lyme disease from a single tick bite depend on the type of tick, where you acquired it, and how long it was attached to you. Many types of ticks bite people in the U.S., but only blacklegged ticks transmit the bacteria that cause Lyme disease. Furthermore, only blacklegged ticks in the highly endemic areas of the northeastern and north central U.S. are commonly infected. Finally, blacklegged ticks need to be attached for at least 24 hours before they can transmit Lyme disease. This is why its so important to remove them promptly and to check your body daily for ticks if you live in an endemic area.
If you develop illness within a few weeks of a tick bite, see your health care provider right away. Common symptoms of Lyme disease include a rash, fever, body aches, facial paralysis, and arthritis. Ticks can also transmit other diseases, so its important to be alert for any illness that follows a tick bite.
References:
Moody KD, Barthold SW, 1991. Relative infectivity of Borrelia burgdorferi in Lewis rats by various routes of inoculation.external iconAm J Trop Med Hyg 44: 135-9.
There are no reports of Lyme disease being spread to infants through breast milk. If you are diagnosed with Lyme disease and are also breastfeeding, make sure that your doctor knows this so that he or she can prescribe an antibiotic thats safe for use when breastfeeding.
How Is Lyme Disease Diagnosed
Dr. Forouzesh reviews your symptoms, medical history, travel history, along with detailed physical exams to determine your possible exposure to Lyme disease. If necessary, she can order a two-tiered blood test to ensure an accurate diagnosis.
If youre able to save the tick, it can be helpful in your diagnosis, so bring it with you to your appointment. If you cant properly remove a tick that burrows into your skin, schedule a visit with Dr. Forouzesh immediately for assistance.
Also Check: Dr Rawls Lyme Protocol Reviews
Ethics Of Propaganda And Persuasion
In 2005, representatives of the LDA in New Jersey, USA, and CALDA in California, USA, wrote to the Director of the CDC, criticising the information about Lyme disease on the organisations website and its warning about improper diagnostic tests. In December, 2006, a New Jersey congressman complained that it was inappropriate for CDC to highlight IDSAs findingsto the exclusion of others. Lost in these political discussions was the absence of scientific merit in the arguments raised by activists. ILADS leaders claim their practice guidelines are evidence-based and peer-reviewed, but they were not subjected to an external peer-review process by the journal in which they were published as a supplement. Moreover, the support they cite for their guidelines, consisting mainly of anecdotes, studies of animal systems of questionable relevance to human disease, and uncontrolled studies of long-term antibiotic treatment, does not meet accepted criteria for evidence-based medicine.,,, The ILADS guidelines were funded by two activist organisations, the LDA in New Jersey and the Turn The Corner Foundation.
Bannwarth Syndrome In Early Disseminated Lyme Disease
Welcome to another Inside Lyme Podcast with your host Dr. Daniel Cameron. In this episode, Dr. Cameron will be discussing the case of a 66-year-old man with Bannwarth syndrome with urinary retention in early Lyme disease. By Dr. Daniel Cameron Omotosho and colleagues described this case in an article entitled A Unique Case of Bannwarth Syndrome in Early Disseminated Lyme Disease.¹ The man presented to the emergency room with generalized
Read Also: Can Lyme Disease Cause Afib
Diagnosing & Treating Lyme Disease Online
Lyme disease is caused by a bacterium known as Borrelia burgdorferi. This bacteria is transmitted to humans when they are bitten by an infected blacklegged tick aka the deer or bear tick. Since these ticks are so small, it can be difficult to know when you have a tick on you or if you have been bitten. If you have been bitten, you will typically produce symptoms of fever, headache, fatigue and a skin rash in the shape of a bulls-eye. This bulls-eye shaped rash is also known as erythema migrans.
The rash can gradually grow over a period of days. Sometimes, the rash can grow to about 12 inches across! The rash may be warm to touch, but rarely itches or is painful. If there is a chance you have been exposed to ticks recently, it is important to check your body for the creepy crawlers because you might not be able to feel the reaction.
The chances of getting Lyme disease from a tick bite will depend on the following:
- The kind of tick
- Where you were when the bite occurred
- How long the tick was attached to you
These ticks will have to be attached to you for at least 24 hours to transmit Lyme disease. If Lyme disease is left untreated, the infection can spread to the joints, the heart and the nervous system.
Options for treatment of Lyme disease may include:
- A prescription of antibiotics
- A prescription for nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories
- A referral to a specialist
- Where a bloodwork test may be administered
Lyme disease symptoms can vary, but patients typically experience:
Which Areas Are More Likely To Have It
The tick that causes Lyme disease has been moving from the Northeast and upper Midwest into the Southern and Western U.S., Mexico, and Canada. Cases in California and Florida are on the rise. After a drop between 2017 and 2018, the numbers jumped a little bit in 2019.
But most Lyme cases in 2019 were in 15 states: Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New
Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. Washington, DC, is also a hotspot.
In 2019, Pennsylvania had the most Lyme infections, with 6,763. New York was next, with 2,847 cases.
In the Southern U.S., where itâs hotter, ticks stay under leaves so they don’t dry out. This means people donât get Lyme from Southern ticks very often because they don’t usually come out to bite.
Even though people only report about 30,000 cases of Lyme infection in the U.S. each year, there are actually around 476,000 a year. The same tick also can spread other diseases, including babesiosis, anaplasmosis, and Powassan virus. Those diseases are also on the rise in the U.S.
Whoâs likeliest to get Lyme disease?
Boys up to age 15 and men between the ages of 40 and 60 are the most likely to get Lyme disease. Thatâs because they tend to play outside and go camping, hunting, and hiking.
Why are there more ticks now than there used to be?
There are several reasons why Lyme is spreading. Some of these are:
You May Like: Homes For Sale Old Lyme Ct
Identify Doctors Trained In The Diagnosis And Treatment Of Tick
You can access a variety of online resources and directories to locate doctors who are specifically trained in identifying and treating tick-borne illnesses. These do not have to be infectious disease specialists they can be physicians from any practice area who simply have extensive experience with tick-borne diseases.
It is particularly important to find a Lyme expert if you suspect that you may have Lyme disease, since it is the most frequently misdiagnosed of all tick-borne diseases. Finding a Lyme-literate medical doctor a physician who is familiar with the vast range of symptoms that may indicate infection at various stages of the disease, as well as potential coinfections and other complexitiescan help ensure that you get the right treatment, right away.
To find a doctor who is also a Lyme expert, you may want to explore the following resources:
Note: Some of these organizations may require you to submit a form or create a login to access their databases.
What Is A Chronic Lyme Disease Doctor
A Lyme Disease Doctor, also known as a Lyme Literate Doctor, is a specialist who understands Lyme disease well enough to not only comprehend the vast ranges of symptoms, stages, and co-infections that may indicate a Lyme disease infection, but also to address them effectively. Unfortunately, not all doctors are open to treating Lyme disease, and even if they are, it is an incredibly difficult disease to diagnose.
Known as the Great Imitator, Lyme disease has the unfortunate ability to be able to mimic hundreds of other illnesses, which is why it sometimes takes years for patients to receive both proper diagnosis and treatment.
Read Also: Long Term Effects Of Lyme Disease In Humans
The Truth About Antibiotic Treatments
Until recently, many doctors in Canada tended to prescribe only one round of antibiotics, irrespective of the stage of infection. However, current research suggests that a single course of antibiotics is often insufficient for treating Lyme disease, especially if the infection has been untreated for several months.
Treatment Starts With Accurate Diagnosis
The only way to get the proper treatment for your tick-borne disease is to get the right diagnosis in the first place and one of the best ways to do that is, if possible, to see a physician whos experienced with tick-borne diseases. Accurate diagnosis also requires high quality testing at a reputable lab. Learn more about why doctors and patients trust the tests offered by IGeneX.
Don’t Miss: Lyme Disease Specialists In Maryland
What Treatment Options Are Available For Lyme Disease
In many cases, you can recover from Lyme disease if treatment occurs in a timely manner. If diagnosed with early Lyme disease, Dr. Forouzesh can prescribe oral antibiotics to fight the infection, which usually leads to a complete recovery.
If Lyme disease is already affecting your nervous system or joints, Dr. Forouzesh will determine if intravenous antibiotics are needed to treat the infection.
If possible exposure to Lyme disease is suspected, Dr. Forouzesh can evaluate you and provide information and advice on what treatment will be needed, as well as how to avoid future exposure to Lyme disease and tick bites.
Find out more about Lyme disease testing and prevention by calling the Hoboken office directly or booking an appointment online.
Notes On Serological Tests
For patients with illness lasting over a month, only IgG testing should be performed . A positive IgM test alone is not sufficient to diagnose current disease in these patients.
Due to antibody persistence, a positive serological test cannot distinguish between active and past infection.
Serological tests:
- should not be done as a test of cure
- cannot be used to measure treatment response
The EIA test:
- may yield false-positive results when used as a stand-alone test
- may cross-react with antibodies to commensal or pathogenic spirochetes
- there may be some viral infections for certain autoimmune diseases
Don’t Miss: Tick Bite Lyme Disease Symptoms Pictures
What Kind Of Doctor Tests For Lyme Disease
In fact, any kind of doctor can test you for Lyme disease. However, that doesnt mean its a good idea to have your dermatologist or podiatrist order the diagnostic tests. Many people simply see their family physician or primary care doctor to get diagnosed and treated for Lyme.
There are also doctors who specialize in Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses, called Lyme-literate doctors, who you may want to consult instead more on that a little later in this article.
Finally, there are other types of specialists you may or may not need to consult with depending on the duration and severity of your symptoms.
For example, many patients wonder if they need to see an infectious disease specialist.
What Makes Yale Medicine’s Approach To Lyme Disease Unique
The discovery of Lyme disease is actually credited to two Yale physiciansAllan Steere, MD, and Stephen Malawista, MDwho identified the mysterious inflammatory disease after a rash of illnesses cropped up during the summer of 1975. That year, two mothers living in Old Lyme, Conn., refused to accept the diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis among the children living in their town.
The mothers reached out to the Connecticut State Department of Health and the Yale School of Medicine for help, starting an epidemiological study that would ultimately uncover the bacterial infection transmitted by ticks. Today, doctors in Yale Medicines neurology department provide care for patients who have infections that affect the nervous system.
Thanks to a powerful partnership with research programs at Yale Medicine, patients benefit from the most recent advantages in treatment.
Read Also: Sleep Inn East Lyme Ct
What Do You Do If There’s A Tick Under Your Skin
Use a pair of fine-tipped tweezers to remove it as soon as possible. Pull upward with steady pressure. If parts of the tick are still in your skin, try to get those with the tweezers, too. After everything is out, clean the bite area with rubbing alcohol or soap and water.
You probably wonât get infected if you remove the tick within 36 to 48 hours.
How do you throw away a tick?
Put it in soapy water or alcohol, stick it to a piece of tape, or flush it down the toilet.
What Causes It
Lyme disease is caused by a bacteria. Infected ticks spread the bacteria by biting people or animals.
Two types of ticks carry the Lyme disease bacteria in the U.S. They are:
- . They spread the disease in the Northeast and Midwest.
- . They spread the disease along the Pacific coast, mostly in northern California and Oregon.
Dogs, cats, and horses can become infected with Lyme disease bacteria, but they can’t pass the illness to humans. But infected ticks may fall off the animals and then bite and infect humans.
Don’t Miss: Lyme Disease Specialist Rhode Island
What Is A Lyme
A LLMD is a physician whose experience with Lyme disease patients makes them familiar with the vast range of symptoms, co-infections, and complications associated with the disease at various stages. Because of this knowledge and expertise, many patients also find LLMDs more open-minded and understanding of their experiences, especially if theyre having a hard time getting an accurate diagnosis from another physician.
But how do you know if you need to see a LLMD? Below are some common reasons, any or all of which may apply to you.
Chronic Lyme Disease Statistics
- 72% of Lyme patients see four or more physicians before receiving a diagnosis.
- 36% of Lyme patients are unable to receive a diagnosis before at least six years of illness. 84% of Lyme patients are not diagnosed within the first four months of illness.
- 75% of Lyme patients experience severe or very severe symptoms.
- 63% describe two or more of their symptoms as severe or very severe.
*Statistics pulled from MyLymeDatas 2019 Chart Book by LymeDisease.org
The best Lyme disease doctors are not okay with the way that these statistics read and are therefore constantly looking for ways to innovate new treatments and technologies. They dont take no for an answer and actively listen and thoughtfully when their patients describe their symptoms. If you are looking for a Lyme disease doctor, we recommend asking your physicians the following questions:
- Do you have experience treating tick-borne illnesses?
- How do you diagnose Lyme disease? Which specific lab tests do you use to confirm diagnosis?
- Do you test for co-infections?
- Do you prescribe antibiotics or herbal remedies?
- Do you have any Lyme-specific success stories you can share with me?
- Do you strictly adhere to CDC testing criteria or are you open to alternate methodology?
Also Check: Lyme Nephritis In Dogs Symptoms
A Pioneer In Lyme Disease
Our program is led by Allen Steere, MD, one of the world’s foremost experts on Lyme disease. Dr. Steere discovered the illness in 1976 and laid the foundation for understanding the many manifestations of the disease, including Lyme arthritis .
Today, Dr. Steere is researching why some patients with Lyme arthritis have persistent joint inflammation after using antibiotic therapy to eliminate the Lyme disease bacterium. This research is leading to improved diagnostic and treatment capabilities for such patients.
How Is A Chronic Lyme Disease Doctor Different
Believe it or not, doctors who treat chronic Lyme disease effectively are actually few and far between. In fact, many medical professionals do not believe that chronic Lyme disease, also known as post-treatment-Lyme disease, exists at all. Others do little to address the entirety of the wide-ranging symptoms their patients face, which is why most patients suffering from chronic Lyme disease see at least four or more physicians before reaching a diagnosis.
Recommended Reading: How To Control Lyme Disease
Common Symptoms Of Lyme Disease
These symptoms include:
- Whole body pain
- Fever-like symptoms like chills and aches that persist over time
- Cognitive and memory problems
- Numbness or tingling in the extremities
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Irregular heart palpitations
If you are experiencing any of the following symptoms and have not been able to find a diagnosis or treatment that provides relief for your symptoms, you may be suffering from an undiagnosed case of Lyme disease.
Infectious Disease Physicians & Wound Care Specialists Located In Ocala Fl
Lyme disease is an infection carried by ticks that, if left untreated, can lead to chronic health issues. At Ocala Infectious Disease and Wound Center, Haris Mirza, MD, specializes in the treatment and management of Lyme disease. If you live around The Villages, Citrus County, Lake County, and Sumter County and have Lyme disease or are exhibiting symptoms of Lyme disease, call the office in Ocala, Florida, today or book an appointment online.
You May Like: Old Lyme Cottages For Sale