Lyme Disease

Commonly lyme disease is caused by one bacterium known as borrelia burgdorferi. An infected bug is the main carrier of this bacterium, called a blacklegged tick. A person becomes infected with lyme disease when they bite any part of the human body. When infected with lyme disease a rash is the main symptom that appears on most people infected with the disease. Erythema migrans is another term for the rash. Serious trouble can result if lyme disease is left untreated.

What to Expect

A skin rash that will usually not be that large is the main thing to expect when diagnosed with lyme disease. However the same small area may have more than one of these rashes. Individuals may also have a fever, a headache and also fatigue when they contract lyme disease.

Age Group

People of all ages can contract lyme disease since a simple bite from an infected blacklegged tick is all it takes to contract lyme disease. No age group has a greater chance of contracting lyme disease than another age group. Although you have a higher change of contracting lyme disease if you hike through the woods. You probability will be even higher if you don’t take the proper precautions when you go hiking.

Diagnosis and Testing of Lyme Disease

Lyme disease can be diagnosed in a few ways. This is because the same symptoms are shown in patients with lyme disease so that diagnosing is easy. You should always take a patient to a doctor for a second opinion on any symptoms that are shown. Once a doctor confirms that a person has lyme disease they can prescribe the right medication to fight the disease. To confirm the presence of lyme disease there are laboratory tests that can be done in addition to the main symptoms shown by the patients. It is not recommended that a doctor do a blood test in the early stages of the disease. This is because a false reading can be produced so a blood test should only be done in the later stages of the disease. Although the blood test is highly sensitive so even those without lyme disease can test positive.

Treatments for Lyme Disease

The main treatment for lyme disease is antibiotics in a program that lasts a couple of weeks and even if the disease disappears an individual should finish the antibiotic program. If the patients stops the program then the condition can come back again. No matter what stage the lyme disease is at the antibiotics are beneficial. Although another program of antibiotics may need to be prescribed for another couple of weeks in those with an advanced stage of lyme disease.

Complications

After and during lyme disease infection there are a few complications that can result. One type of complication often occurs to older women and it often happens a few years after the patient was diagnosed with the disease. The complication is some changing of the skin in the area of the original bite. Some swelling or discoloration of the skin may be experienced.

Another extremely serious complication can cause death in a patient. This happens if lyme disease is left untreated and it is called neuro borrelia. This usually occurs in one to five weeks. This complication affects the central nervous system and causes individuals to experience some back pain. Then the individuals starts to lose feeling especially in the face. Sometimes individuals confuse the symptoms of neuro borrelia with meningitis. The nervous system can shut down in extremely rare cases.

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