Lyme disease is an illness which occurs as the result of being bitten by a deer tick infected with the Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria. People who frequently go camping or hiking through North America's and Europe's wooded areas have a higher chance of encountering deer ticks which is why they should learn how to recognize signs of the illness and how to treat Lyme disease as well as find out how they can reduce the risk of exposure to it.
The symptoms vary from person to person, and sometimes they don't appear until as long as one month after the tick bite occurred. Common symptoms include fever and chills, headache, sore joints and muscles, and fatigue, as well as a bull's-eye pattern at the bite site. Some patients will also have a body rash. While rare, serious complications include miscarriage in pregnant women, liver or eye inflammation, Bell's palsy, irregular heartbeat, weakness or immobility of limbs, and meningitis.
A tick bite will not necessarily result in one contracting Lyme disease because not all deer ticks carry the bacteria, however it's always advisable to see a doctor as soon as possible if a bite is detected. If left to its own course, this illness can cause chronic arthritis and damage to the nervous system, which is why early treatment is critical.
Diagnosis is not normally done based on symptoms alone since there are also many other conditions which have similar manifestations. Without the characteristic rash, the doctor will likely ask the patient a series of questions, and also order some lab tests to look for antibodies to this particular strain of bacteria, namely the ELISA-enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and Western blot tests.
If the tests confirm that the patient has Lyme disease, antibiotic therapy will be started immediately. The outlook for the patient's long-term recovery is improved substantially if treatment is administered promptly. A two to four week course of oral doxycycline or amoxicillin is most often given, but it is not recommended to continue it past this point since this may be harmful.
Patients who have nervous system or cardiac involvement may be given antibiotics through an IV drip for up to two weeks. Children under the age of 9 or women who are breast-feeding, will be given either amoxicillin or penicillin, as doxycycline can stain developing teeth. Erythromycin is often given to those who are allergic to penicillin-based drugs.
Prevention of Lyme disease is the best cure. When one will be outdoors in areas that are grassy or wooded, it's a good idea to wear light-colored, snug clothing which covers the arms and legs, tuck shirts into pants and pant-legs into socks or boots, stay on the central trails and avoid overgrown areas, wear repellents containing DEET or the tick repellent Permethrin, and spray it on clothing before venturing out. After returning home, checking oneself and their family members for signs of ticks is important, if they are removed early, infection may not occur.
Serious implications are generally not a issue with Lyme disease provided the patient seeks treatment right away. It is important to note however, that the presence of antibodies in the bloodstream does not mean that one is immune to future infections. Taking preventative measures before going outside is always recommended.
The symptoms vary from person to person, and sometimes they don't appear until as long as one month after the tick bite occurred. Common symptoms include fever and chills, headache, sore joints and muscles, and fatigue, as well as a bull's-eye pattern at the bite site. Some patients will also have a body rash. While rare, serious complications include miscarriage in pregnant women, liver or eye inflammation, Bell's palsy, irregular heartbeat, weakness or immobility of limbs, and meningitis.
A tick bite will not necessarily result in one contracting Lyme disease because not all deer ticks carry the bacteria, however it's always advisable to see a doctor as soon as possible if a bite is detected. If left to its own course, this illness can cause chronic arthritis and damage to the nervous system, which is why early treatment is critical.
Diagnosis is not normally done based on symptoms alone since there are also many other conditions which have similar manifestations. Without the characteristic rash, the doctor will likely ask the patient a series of questions, and also order some lab tests to look for antibodies to this particular strain of bacteria, namely the ELISA-enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and Western blot tests.
If the tests confirm that the patient has Lyme disease, antibiotic therapy will be started immediately. The outlook for the patient's long-term recovery is improved substantially if treatment is administered promptly. A two to four week course of oral doxycycline or amoxicillin is most often given, but it is not recommended to continue it past this point since this may be harmful.
Patients who have nervous system or cardiac involvement may be given antibiotics through an IV drip for up to two weeks. Children under the age of 9 or women who are breast-feeding, will be given either amoxicillin or penicillin, as doxycycline can stain developing teeth. Erythromycin is often given to those who are allergic to penicillin-based drugs.
Prevention of Lyme disease is the best cure. When one will be outdoors in areas that are grassy or wooded, it's a good idea to wear light-colored, snug clothing which covers the arms and legs, tuck shirts into pants and pant-legs into socks or boots, stay on the central trails and avoid overgrown areas, wear repellents containing DEET or the tick repellent Permethrin, and spray it on clothing before venturing out. After returning home, checking oneself and their family members for signs of ticks is important, if they are removed early, infection may not occur.
Serious implications are generally not a issue with Lyme disease provided the patient seeks treatment right away. It is important to note however, that the presence of antibodies in the bloodstream does not mean that one is immune to future infections. Taking preventative measures before going outside is always recommended.
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