What is Lyme disease?

Lyme disease is a bacterial disease caused by infected ticks that spread to deer and humans. This disease is the most frequently reported flea-borne disease in the United States.

Early signs and symptoms

A small, red bump, similar to that of a mosquito bite, usually appears at the site of the bite or removes the tick and resolves within a few days. This happens normally not indicating Lyme disease.

However, these signs and symptoms may occur within a month after you become infected:

1. Rash : Between three and 30 days after being bitten by an infected tick, an enlarged red area may appear sometimes erased in the center, forming a bull's eye pattern. The rash (erythematous rash) develops slowly over days and may spread to 12 inches (30 cm). It is usually not itchy or painful but may feel warm to the touch. Rashes are one of the hallmarks of Lyme disease, although not everyone with Lyme disease will have a rash. Some people develop this rash in many parts of the body.
2. Other symptoms: Fever, chills, fatigue, body aches, headache, stiff neck and swollen glands may be accompanied by a rash.

The sign of lyme disease is a small, red bump, similar to that of a mosquito bite.

Signs and symptoms later

If left untreated, new signs and symptoms of Lyme infection can appear over weeks to months. Including:

1. The rash may appear on other areas of your body.
2. Joint pain: Severe joint pain and swelling particularly affects your knee, but pain can transfer from one joint to another.
3. Neurological problems: A few weeks, months or even years after infection, you may develop meningitis (meningitis), temporary paralysis on one side of the face (paralysis), numbness or weak limbs and impaired muscle movement.

Signs and symptoms are less common

A few weeks after being infected, some people develop:

1. Heart problems, such as an irregular heartbeat
2. Inflammation of the eye
3. Hepatitis (hepatitis)
4. Severe fatigue

Can Lyme disease be treated?

Lyme disease is best treated in the early stages. Early treatment is a simple 14 to 21 day course of oral antibiotics to eliminate all traces of infection. Medications used to treat Lyme disease include:

1. Doxycycline for adults and children over 8 years old
2. Cefuroxime and amoxicillin for adults, children and women who are breastfeeding or breastfeeding

Persistent or chronic Lyme disease is treated with intravenous antibiotics for a period of 14 to 21 days. Although this treatment helps eliminate the infection, your symptoms improve more slowly.

After antibiotic treatment, a small number of people still have some symptoms, such as muscle aches and fatigue. The cause of these continuing symptoms, called Lyme disease syndrome and treatment with many antibiotics does not help.