An infection that shows different symptoms according to stage, Lyme disease is caused by a bacteria called Borrelia burgdorferi. This bacteria can be given to people through contact with a deer tick or black-legged tick that has been infected. Usually, the tick gets infected when drinking blood from diseased mice or deer. There are various stages of Lyme disease that an infected individual can experience. Depending on how long you have been infected, and where the infection has spread to in your body, you may experience a number of different symptoms.
The First Stage
The first of the three stages of Lyme disease is known as “early localized Lyme disease”. It lasts for between one and four weeks after you have been infected. When you are suffering from this stage of Lyme disease, you may see a circular expanding red rash somewhere on your body, and feel as though you are coming down with symptoms often associated with the flu: such as fever and chills, headache and stiff neck, lack of energy, joint and muscle pain or swollen lymph nodes. In some situations, people in the earliest stage of Lyme disease don’t experience any symptoms at all.
The Second Stage
The second of the three stages of Lyme disease is “early disseminated infection”. When Lyme disease is not found and treated during the earliest stage, or if you do not experience symptoms that trigger you to see a doctor, the infection may worsen, affecting the nervous system, joints, skin, and heart within weeks after the initial infection. In this stage, symptoms may include a circular rash, or multiple rashes across your body as the infection spreads, as well as pain, weakness, or numbness in the legs or arms. You may struggle to use the muscles in your face, suffer from poor memory, or instances of fainting or headaches that happen almost continuously.
The Last Stage
The final of the stage of Lyme disease is known as late persistent Lyme disease, and this takes place if the area hasn’t been promptly treated. It can result in damage to the nerves, joints, and brain, and can occur years after the initial infection. At this stage, symptoms are often far more severe and may include feelings of fatigue, tingling or numbness in the hands, back or feet, an inability to control the muscles in the face, arthritis, problems with mood, sleep, or memory. Some people find that they struggle to speak properly in the last stages of Lyme disease, and may even suffer from very serious heart conditions. Though heart conditions are rare, they can occur months or even years after you’re bitten by a tick, and may present in serious problems such as inflammation of the structures around the house.
Problematically, some people find that heart problems are their first sign of Lyme disease if they have not suffered from any early symptoms. Most commonly, stage 2 and stage 3 symptoms are the first time in which a person begins to notice they may have been bitten by a tick.
