Lyme disease is caused by three types of bacteria belonging to genus Borrelia. The bacteria in Europe is the Borrelia aphelia. Ticks are the main carriers of the Lyme disease and can transfer the disease to humans with a bite. New York is the most common area where ticks carry the disease, which over half the ticks are infected. There are several symptoms of Lyme disease and depends on what area the tick has bitten. Some of these symptoms include a red rash that expands and brings on a flu like symptom. If progressed, it could cause problems with the heart, the nervous system and joint abnormality.
There are three phases or stages of Lyme disease which are; early localized disease, early disseminated disease and late disease. The early localized disease is the first phase in where there is skin inflammation that occur within a few days to a week after a tick bite. A rash will develop and may look similar to a bull’s eye appearance with a bright red outer ring with a clearing in the middle. With the rash, tiredness, stiff muscles and joints and swollen lymph nodes as well as headaches may appear. Many people will not know if they were bitten by a tick or when it may have happened, but looking out for these symptoms may prompt one to see their doctor.
The last phase is the early disseminated disease in where the disease can affect the heart and the nervous system. Inflammation of the heart can result as well as abnormal heart rhythms. This is the worst stage as it can cause heart failure as well as Bell’s palsy of the nervous system in where it can cause muscle paralysis. Meningitis, stiffness and pain, arthritis, inflammation of the joints and confusion are all associated in the last phase of Lyme disease.
Diagnosing Lyme disease in the early stages may prove to be successful as the doctor usually does not have to do any blood tests, but may look for the red rash and do tests that involve checking the joints, heart and nervous system. Blood testing for Lyme disease may be done by the doctor if Lyme disease symptoms prove to be present and the patient has been bitten by a tick within the past month.
Early stages of Lyme disease are usually curable with antibiotics and different types of antibiotics will be used depending on what stage of Lyme disease a person has. The red rash that is usually present with Lyme disease will normally disappear after a week of using the antibiotics. If a red rash that looks like a bull’s eye is present, it is time to seek immediate medical attention from your doctor so he can prevent any further progress of the Lyme disease. If a person develops a later stage of Lyme disease, intravenous drugs, such as penicillin and Rocephin may be given by the doctor. The doctor may remove the excess fluid around the joints and may prescribe a pain medicine to help with the pain.
