What To Do If I Have Lyme Disease

Regression And Other Symptoms In Children

Children are the largest population of Lyme patients.

The CDC study of reported Lyme cases from 19922006 found that the incidence of new cases was highest among 5- to 14-year-olds . About one quarter of reported Lyme cases in the United States involve children under 14 years old .

Children can have all the signs and symptoms of Lyme that adults have, but they may have trouble telling you exactly what they feel or where it hurts.

You may notice a decline in school performance, or your childs mood swings may become problematic.

Your childs social and speech skills or motor coordination may regress. Or your child may lose their appetite.

Children are more likely than adults to have arthritis as an initial symptom 01267-2/fulltext#sec0040″ rel=”nofollow”> 25).

In a 2012 Nova Scotian study of children with Lyme, 65 percent developed Lyme arthritis . The knee was the most commonly affected joint.

Summary:

What To Expect At The Vets Office

If your pet has been diagnosed with uncomplicated Lyme disease, this is what you can expect to happen at your veterinarians office.

• Depending on the type of test used to screen for Lyme disease, a confirmatory test may be necessary.
• Urine protein screening — In general, only dogs who have symptoms of Lyme disease or protein in their urine should be treated with antibiotics.
• Dogs with protein in their urine should have regularly scheduled rechecks to monitor their condition.

What Are The Symptoms Of Lyme Disease

Symptoms can start anywhere from 3 to 30 days after the bite. They may look different depending on the stage of your infection. In some cases, you wonât notice any symptoms until months after the bite.

Early symptoms include:

All of those symptoms are also common in the flu. In most Lyme infections, one of the first symptoms youâll notice is a rash.

Without treatment, symptoms can get worse. They might include:

• Severe headache or neck stiffness
• Rashes on other areas of your body
• Arthritis with joint pain and swelling, particularly in your knees
• âDroopingâ on one or both sides of your face
• Inflammation in your brain and spinal cord
• Shooting pains, numbness, or tingling in your hands or feet

What does the rash look like?

Some Lyme rashes look like a bull’s-eye with circles around the middle. But most are round, red, and at least 2 inches across.

The rash slowly gets bigger over several days. It can grow to about 12 inches across. It may feel warm to the touch, but itâs usually not itchy or painful. It can show up on any part of your body.

How small are ticks?

Ticks come in three sizes, depending on their life stage. They can be the size of a grain of sand, a poppy seed, or an apple seed.

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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.

You can also have strange sensations like skin tingling or crawling, or numbness or itchiness 00090-7/abstract%20″ rel=”nofollow”> 27).

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:

Symptoms Diagnosis And Treatment

Symptoms

Symptoms of Lyme disease vary and may develop days or weeks after a person is infected from a tick bite. Early symptoms may include:

• Fever, chills, headache, muscle and joint pain, fatigue or swollen lymph nodes.
• A rash at the site of the tick bite develops in 70 to 80 per cent of people infected.
• A distinctive expanding, red ‘bulls-eye’ rash may develop at the site of the bite in some people.
• Later symptoms may include dizziness, abnormal heartbeat, mental confusion or inability to think clearly , nervous system disorders .

Diagnosis

Getting a diagnosis of Lyme disease can be difficult as your symptoms may be similar to other illnesses. Inform your health care provider of any travel outside of the province and whether you have developed a rash around a recent tick bite.

Prevention and early diagnosis of Lyme disease are important. Consult a health care provider as soon as possible if you think you may have Lyme disease. The earlier you receive a diagnosis and treatment, the better your chances to make a full recovery.

Your health care provider should:

• review your symptoms
• find out if you were in an area at risk of having Lyme-infected blacklegged ticks
• do a physical examination and
• order laboratory blood tests to see if you have certain antibodies that could indicate you have the disease.

Treatment

• sleep disturbance
• muscle and joint pain or
• mental confusion or inability to think clearly.

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Stage : Early Disseminated Lyme Disease

Early disseminated Lyme disease occurs several weeks to months after the tick bite.

Youll have a general feeling of being unwell, and a rash may appear in areas other than the tick bite.

This stage of the disease is primarily characterized by evidence of systemic infection, which means infection has spread throughout the body, including to other organs.

Symptoms can include:

• disturbances in heart rhythm, which can be caused by Lyme carditis
• neurologic conditions, such as numbness, tingling, facial and cranial nerve palsies, and meningitis

The symptoms of stages 1 and 2 can overlap.

The Right Testing And Care = The Road To Recovery

So we talked about some of the complexities around detecting Lyme and its co-infections and also why some of the current testing is flawed. We also talked about a solution to testing that could detect Lyme in chronic cases. All of this comes down to finding a Calgary Lyme disease doctor who understands Lymes complexities and can provide you with private testing that is based on more current research.

When you see a provider, you want to test for multiple infections including:

• Borrelia
• Rickettsia
• Coxsackievirus

With proper lab testing, we can detect 15 confirmed infections that cause disease. We dont currently know all of the infections but the main thing to remember is to get lyme disease testing beyond just Borrelia burgdorferi.

TIP: If you have been tested for Lyme disease before and it came back negative but you have a sneaky suspicion that the test wasnt accurate , you may want to get re-tested.

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Signs Of Lyme Disease That Appear On Your Skin

Signs of Lyme disease

If you see a rash or another sign of Lyme disease on your skin, see your primary doctor right away. When caught early and treated, Lyme disease can be cured with antibiotics and most people recover fully.

Lyme disease is caused by a bite from a black-legged tick. If you are bitten by this tick and develop Lyme disease, you may see a bulls-eye rash. Its a common sign of Lyme disease, but its not the only sign.

Lyme disease occurs in stages. Heres what you may see on your skin during each stage.

Identify The Tick You Were Bitten By

Its important to identify the tick because different kinds of ticks can carry different bacteria, viruses, protozoa and parasites.

There are two families of ticks found in the United States: Ixodidae and Argasidae . Of the 700 species of hard ticks and 200 species of soft ticks found throughout the world, only a few are known to bite and transmit disease to humans. Knowing the type of tick will help you be aware of what possible symptoms to watch for.

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Who Is At Risk For Lyme Disease

Anyone can get a tick bite. But people who spend lots of time outdoors in wooded, grassy areas are at a higher risk. This includes campers, hikers, and people who work in gardens and parks.

Most tick bites happen in the summer months when ticks are most active and people spend more time outdoors. But you can get bitten in the warmer months of early fall, or even late winter if temperatures are unusually high. And if there is a mild winter, ticks may come out earlier than usual.

Things People Don’t Realize You’re Doing Because You Have Lyme Disease

When you have a chronic illness, you often develop habits to make it through each day. However, if this disease is invisible, like Lyme disease, it can make it difficult for others to understand why you do the things you do.

Lyme disease is a vector-borne bacterial infection that can affect nearly every aspect of the body. Since Lyme can cause so many different symptoms, those living with it have to learn how to cope and make it through their days. For me, I often have to wear sunglasses indoors because the light sensitivity is too much people often think I am hungover, but in reality, I am just trying to get through the work day without my eyes burning. It is hard when others dont understand what you are going through or why you are acting a certain way.

That is why we asked our Mighty community for some things people dont realize they are doing because they have Lyme. People dont always know what is going on in someone elses body. So maybe the next time you have to wear your pajamas to the grocery store, or your sunglasses inside, others will be more accepting and understanding of what you are going through.

Here is what our community shared with us:

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Treatment Following A Tick Bite

• In some circumstances, a single dose of antibiotic given within 72 hours of a tick bite might prevent the development of Lyme disease. Several criteria must be met:
• The tick must be identified as the blacklegged tick .
• The tick must have been attached for at least 36 hours .
• The tick bite occurred in a highly endemic area

How Can People Prevent Lyme Disease

There is currently no vaccine available to prevent Lyme disease however, there are three approaches to preventing Lyme disease.

Tick Avoidance

• Try to stay out of woodlands and brush areas where the tick thrives, especially during the peak season of summer and early fall.
• Wear garments that will create barriers to the tick attaching to the skin and biting.
• Tuck pant legs into socks so ticks cannot easily crawl the short distance from the ground to just above the sock line. Wear light-colored clothing to better identify ticks.
• The application of the insecticide DEET to clothing and skin has been found to decrease tick bites and the chance for Lyme disease infections.

Tick Removal

• Deer ticks need to remain attached to the skin for about 24-48 hours to transmit the Borrelia bacteria to the skin. Inspect all areas of the body after outdoor activity.
• If you notice a bite, it is very important to watch for symptoms, which usually show up in about three weeks.
• Ticks attach to areas that are warm and moist, such as
• the groin,
• the underside of a woman’s breasts, and
• the neck and hairline.

Antibiotic Treatment

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Can You Live A Normal Life With Lyme Disease

What do patients say?

Fontaine, a Lyme warrior, says the following: Yes, for the most part. But Lyme is a chronic, degenerative condition a multisystem inflammatory attack that must be intermittently battled on myriad fronts. There will be times of normality and times of distress. Peaks and valleys. Its critically important, then, that you guard your well-being and take good care of your body. Prioritize this and dont feel self-indulgent.

Another Lyme patient said: Think of food as medicine. Become better-informed in this regard, and always be mindful of what you eat. Poor diet, stress and a sedentary lifestyle can wreak havoc. And being attentive to mental health is every bit as important. Be kind to yourself and try to cultivate patience. Attitude and emotions color everything.

Andrea, who has been battling Lyme for over a decade, says: Chronic illness can be highly inconsistent symptoms-wise. Symptoms also vary from patient to patient and therefore can be additionally stressful. Recognizing this will help you move through difficult episodes and forward on your path to healing. I have started writing a blog to track and share my experience. That way I can inform, comfort, and help other Lymies in the online community. I also know of many that keep a private journal, which may be therapeutic in your case. I think, above all, its important not to isolate yourself.

Originally posted 2018-05-04 13:43:34.

How Is It Diagnosed

If youâve been outside in an area where ticks are known to live, you should tell your doctor. Theyâll also want to know about the symptoms youâre having. These details are crucial to making a diagnosis of Lyme disease.

Early symptoms that usually occur within the first month after a tick bite can include:

• Rash at the site of the tick bite that may look like a âbullâs-eyeâ

• Racing heart
• Problems with your short-term memory

Symptoms that come and go are common with Lyme disease. They will also depend on the stage of the disease.

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What You Should Do Or Not Do When Working With Lyme Disease

First things first, you need to inform your employer about your condition. Working in secrecy will not be a good idea considering that some days you will be too tired or experience muscle aches. Let your employer know all the information about Lyme disease and what you are likely to go through. If you are under medication, you should also inform your boss and give a rough idea of possible complications you might experience.

Do not overexert yourself. When you are suffering from Lyme disease, you will find out that you cannot work like you would if you were not sick. So, whenever you feel like you are too tired to work, your concentration is shaky, your arms have a tingling sensation or numb, have a severe headache, take a minute and pause.

Since Lyme disease may result in chronic pain and arthritis, you need to find a way to manage the pain. You could take pain medication such as ibuprofen or try home remedies that help relieve joint pain and stiffness.

Give a copy of your diagnosis to your manager and human resources so they can familiarize themselves with the condition. This is an important step for you, as the patient, to work if you have Lyme disease. Furthermore, treatment of Lyme disease, especially in the late stage, can take a long period of time. During the phase which you are undergoing treatment, at least they will be aware of how much you can do or cannot do with regards to your state of health.

Where Blacklegged Ticks Live

We continue to track where infected and uninfected blacklegged ticks are being found.

Public Health Ontarios Lyme disease page has a map that shows areas in Ontario where they estimate you are more likely to find blacklegged ticks.

Blacklegged ticks are spreading to new areas of the province because of climate change. They can also spread by traveling on birds and deer. While the probability is low, it is possible to find an infected tick almost anywhere in Ontario.

Ticks are most active in spring and summer, but can be found at any time of the year when the temperature is above freezing.

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What To Expect At Home

Home care for dogs with Lyme disease is relatively straightforward. Doxycycline is usually given by mouth twice daily for at least 30 days. Improvement in the dogs symptoms should be noted within 24-48 hours. If the dogs condition fails to improve in 72 hours or worsens at any time, call your veterinarian.

When Should You See A Doctor If You Think You Have Lyme

The rash is a pretty good indication that you may have been bitten. Take a photo of the rash and see your doctor. At this stage, treatment with antibiotics will probably work.

If you don’t have the rash but have symptoms like fatigue, fever, and headache but no respiratory symptoms like a cough, you may want to talk to your doctor.

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How You Get Lyme Disease

If a tick bites an animal carrying the bacteria that cause Lyme disease, the tick can become infected. The tick can then transfer the bacteria to a human by biting them.

Ticks can be found in any areas with deep or overgrown plants where they have access to animals to feed on.

They’re common in woodland and moorland areas, but can also be found in gardens or parks.

Ticks don’t jump or fly. They climb on to your clothes or skin if you brush against something they’re on. They then bite into the skin and start to feed on your blood.

Generally, you’re more likely to become infected if the tick is attached to your skin for more than 24 hours. Ticks are very small and their bites are not painful, so you may not realise you have one attached to your skin.