Lyme disease is a common problem that is caused by two types of bacteria: Borrelia mayonii and Borrelia burgdorferi. Today, Lyme disease is known throughout the world, and it is the most common tick-borne disease within Europe and North America. It is possible to contract Lyme disease if you are bitten by a deer tick (or black-legged tick), that was already infected with the bacteria. Importantly, most health experts recommend that you are more likely to get Lyme disease if you typically live close to the woods, or frequently visit greasy areas. If you do frequent these areas, it’s crucial to take precautions to protect yourself against ticks.
What’s more, it’s also helpful to know how to recognize Lyme disease signs and symptoms on your body, so that you can contact a doctor as early as possible about the condition.
Early Lyme Disease Signs and Lyme Disease Treatment:
Usually, if you are bitten by a tick, then you will notice a small red bump appearing at the site of that bite, which resolves itself in a matter of days. This little bump is not an indication of Lyme disease. However, one of the most common early Lyme disease signs is a rash, which can appear within three to thirty days after you have experienced an infected tick bite. The rash will look like an expanding red area that sometimes clears up quickly in the center, forming a pattern similar to a bull’s-eye. This rash will then expand slowly over a number of days, and can reach up to a foot in length over time. Usually, people who suffer from a rash as a result of Lyme disease do not find it to be painful or itchy. Keep in mind that it is also possible to develop a rash in more than one area on your body. Another one of the most common early signs of Lyme disease is made up of flu like symptoms. If you find that you’re suddenly suffering from chills, fatigue, fever, headaches, and body pains that accompany your rash, it’s important to speak to a doctor straight away and start treatment.
Advanced Lyme Disease Signs:
If the condition is left untreated, new symptoms and signs for Lyme disease may appear in the following months or weeks. For some people, this means that further rashes begin to show up in other areas of their body, whereas others suffer extreme joint pain and swelling around their knees. In certain circumstances, a matter of months or weeks, or even years after an infection, a patient may develop inflammation in some of the membranes surrounding their brain, resulting in meningitis, or temporary paralysis in one side of their face. You may also struggle with impaired muscle movement, weakness, or numbness in your limbs.
Several weeks after the infection has taken root in your system, some people develop less common signs and symptoms associated with Lyme disease, including heart problems, such as an irregular heartbeat. Other uncommon signs include severe cases of fatigue, inflammation within the liver, and inflammation in or around the eyes.
