Lyme disease

Symptoms

A tick bite might appear as a small, itchy bump on the skin, like a mosquito bite. However, this does not necessarily indicate a tick-borne disease. Most people won’t even notice that they have been bitten.

Lyme disease symptoms tend to vary and often emerge in stages. Even so, the phases may overlap, and some do not experience any symptoms of the usual early stage.

Stage 1

Early Lyme disease symptoms often occur within a period of 3 to 30 days following a tick bite. This phase of the disease is accompanied by a limited group of symptoms, known as early localized disease.

The most common indicator of Lyme disease is a rash, although this is not always the case. The rash normally appears as a single circle that gradually spreads from the tick bite site. It might be clear in the middle and seem like a bull’s eye or target. While it feels warm when touched, this rash does not itch or cause pain.

Other symptoms of stage 1 are:

• Headache
• Fever
• Extreme fatigue
• Muscle pain and aches
• Joint stiffness
• Swollen lymph nodes

Stage 2

Lyme disease is likely to worsen without treatment. The symptoms usually emerge within three to ten weeks following a tick bite. This stage, which is known as early disseminated disease, is more common and severe.

Symptoms can include those of stage 1 along with the following:

• Multiple rashes on different body parts
• Neck stiffness or pain
• Muscle weakness on a single or both sections of the face
• Irregular heart rhythm due to immune-system activity in the heart tissue
• Pain that stems from the back and hips and spreads toward the legs
• Pain, weakness, or numbness that affects hands or feet
• Painful swelling in the eye or eyelid tissues
• Discomfort or vision loss due to immune-system activity within the eye nerves

Stage 3

During the third stage, which is known as late disseminated disease, thesymptoms present maybe from earlier stages along with additional ones.

In the U.S., the most widespread condition connected to stage 3 is arthritis in large joints, especially the knees. The pain, stiffness, or swelling symptoms can be persistent or intermittent. These symptoms often start 2 to 12 months after the tick bite.

In Europe, a common kind of Lyme disease can lead to a skin condition known as acrodermatitis chronica atrophicans. This disorder causes discoloration and swelling on the tops of the feet andbacks of the hands and sometimes appears over the knees and elbows. Severe cases may result in tissue or joint damage.

This skin problem can develop several months to years after a tick bite.

Causes

Borrelia bacteria is the primary cause of Lyme disease. In North America, the black-legged tick, which is also known as the deer tick, is the main carrier of this bacteria.

In Europe, another Borrelia species is responsible for Lyme disease. The ticks are carriers of these bacteria, which are known by different names, such as the castor bean tick, deer tick, or sheep tick.

Tick bites

Ticks usually attach to the skin of the host to feed on blood, swelling to several times their original size as they suck. Deer ticks may continue feeding for a number of days.

Ticks collect the bacteria from hosts, including rodents or deer, without becoming sick themselves. However, they can transmit the bacteria to another host. If an infected tick bites a person, the bacteria can enter the bloodstream. Removing the tick sooner, within 24 hours, reduces the likelihood of Lyme disease spreading.

Both younger and adult ticks could be carriers of the disease. The young ones are particularly small and difficult to detect; hence you may not see it when it sucks you.

Risk factors

The possibility of developing Lyme disease is determined by factors like spending time in areas where they live and thrive:

• Region: The castor bean tick is widespread all over Europe.
• Habitat: Ticks tend to thrive in wooded, grassy, or shrubby regions.
• Time of year: The possibility of Lyme disease increases during the spring, summer, and fall. However, ticks could be active at any time when the temperature is beyond freezing.

Complications

Some individuals with Lyme disease claim to experience persistent symptoms even after receiving treatment. Some of these long-term symptoms are:

• Arthritis that starts with Lyme disease and does not get better
• Body aches and pains
• Persistent fatigue
• Memory complaints

Generally, these disorders aren’t well understood. Medical providers sometimes diagnose these symptoms during post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome (PTLDS). Possible reasons for these prolonged issues include:

• Uncompleted treatment
• Recurrence of Lyme disease infection
• Immune system reaction to fragments of dead bacteria
• Autoimmunity, where the immune system activity attacks healthy tissues
• Other undiagnosed conditions besides Lyme disease

Diagnosis

The rash may be sufficient for diagnosis, especially for people living in places where Lyme disease is widespread.

Lyme disease diagnosis often involves the following:

• Reviewing all symptoms and signs
• Assessing the history of identified or potential tick exposures
• Conducting blood tests to identify the bacteria’s diseasefighting antibodies

Treatment

The main treatment for Lyme disease is antibiotics. Starting the treatment earlier increases the likelihood of recovering faster.

Antibiotic pills

The standard Lyme disease treatment involves taking antibiotics orally, usually for 10 to 14 days. The duration of treatment might be longer based on symptoms. Therefore, it is crucial to complete the entire course of medication even if your condition starts improving.

IV antibiotic

The doctor can recommend an antibiotic administered directly into a person’s vein. This is known as intravenous IV antibiotic, which may be used to treat severe diseases, particularly those with symptoms of:

• Persistent arthritis
• Disorders affecting the heart
• Disorders affecting the nervous system

Preventive use of antibiotics

The healthcare provider may suggest taking antibiotics as a preventive technique (prophylaxis) if all these 3 conditions occur:

• The tick that bit you is identified as a deer tick
• You reside in or have recently visited a region where Lyme disease is widespread
• The tick remained attached to your skin for 36 hours or even more

In general, the only proven remedy for Lyme disease is antibiotics. The other forms of treatments haven’t been tested or confirmed to be effective.

Illness after Lyme Disease

The phrase“chronic Lyme disease” is sometimes used to describe long-term symptoms that people believe to be connected to a previous Lyme infection case. However, this term is not correctly defined. Studies indicate that these symptoms are not caused by ongoing disorders triggered by Borrelia bacteria. Furthermore, research states that continuous use of antibiotics does not alleviate these symptoms.

If you experience new or persistent health issues after Lyme disease, consult your healthcare provider right away. This is because the symptoms could be due to several possible causes and your doctor may help determine the reason for their occurrence and recommend appropriate treatment.

Prevention

To effectively prevent Lyme disease, you should try avoiding tick bites while outdoors. Many ticks normally latch onto the lower legs and feet when you walk or work in wooded, grassyplaces or overgrown grounds. Once attached to the body, ticks start crawling upward to find a site to burrow into the skin.

Here are some guidelines to protect yourself if you live in or are planning to go to regions where ticks could be present:

Using tick repellents

• Spray all outdoor outfits, shoes, and tents, as well as other camping equipment using a repellent containing 0.5% permethrin. However, some clothing and items may come pre-treated with permethrin.
• Apply an insect repellent officially listed with the Environmental Protection Agency to any exposed parts of the skin apart from the face. Choose repellents containing DEET, IR3535, picaridin, para-menthane-diol (PMD), oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE) or 2-undecanone.
• Avoid using products with PMD or OLE on minors below 3 years old.

Dressing for protection

• Put ona light-colored outfit to make it easy for you or other people to spot ticks.
• Don’t wear open-toed shoes or sandals.
• Wear long-sleeved shirts and tuck into your pants.
• Put on long pants and tuck into your socks.

Checking for ticks

• Take a shower immediately to wash away any loose ticks, and check your skin for ticks that may have burrowed in.
• Use a mirror to thoroughly check your body while paying attention to the underarms, hair as well as hairline. You should also inspect your waist, ears, between the legs, behind the knees, and inside the tummy button.
• Lastly, inspect your gear and before washing your outdoor clothing, place them in the dryer on high heat for about 10 minutes so as to kill any ticks.

Lifestyle and Home Remedies

These essential steps will help you remove a tick if you find it on your body:

• Gloves: If accessible, put on medical or similar gloves to shield your hands.
• Tweezers: Using fine-tipped tweezers, firmly grasp the tick close to its mouth, and near to your skin.
• Removal: Gently and steadily, pull the tick away from your skin, and do not jerk or twist it. Remove any remaining mouth parts using clean tweezers.
• Disposal: Place the tick in alcohol to kill it. Avoid crushing it to prevent exposure to bacteria. Dispose of the tick by flushing it down the drain or toilet. Alternatively, you can wrap it lightly in tape and throw it in the trash, or seal it in a bag and put it in the freezer.
• Storage: If you suspect you have a tick-borne illness, store the tick in a container, label it with the date, and put it in the freezer for evaluation later on.
• Cleanup: Once you remove the tick, wash your hands and the tick bite site with soap and water. After that, clean both your hands and the site using rubbing alcohol.

Avoid applying petroleum jelly, rubbing alcohol, fingernail polish or putting a burning match on the tick.

What to Expect from Your Doctor

Prepare to respond to these questions by writing down your answers prior to the appointment:

• What symptoms have you had?
• When did the symptoms start?
• Has anything gotten better or worsened the symptoms?
• What medications, herbal remedies, dietary supplements, and vitamins do you regularly take?
• Have you recently changed your medications?
• Are you allergic to any drugs, or do you have any other allergies?