Symptoms and Treatment of Lyme Disease

Transmission of Lyme disease to humans is the result of the bite from a black legged deer tick infected with the bacterium Borrelia borgderferi. Estimates show that nearly fifty percent of all deer ticks are infected with the Lyme disease causing bacterium, making humans more susceptible to infection from bites. When diagnosed and treated in the early stages, Lyme disease is curable but if left untreated can cause ongoing long-term complications.

Causes of Lyme Disease

Under normal circumstances, the bacterium Borrelia borgderferi lives and thrives in deer, squirrels, mice, and other small rodent animals. Transmission of the bacterium moves among different animals and eventually makes its way to humans through the bite of infected deer ticks who feed on blood. During the feeding process, ticks can infect their host with the disease or become infected themselves by the disease from their host, which typically takes at least 48 hours. Subsequently moving from host to host, the ticks spread the infection. Some of the ways humans become infected include:

* Pets – dogs, cats, horses, and other pets when either turned out or kept outside run the risk of being exposed to deer ticks. Although the pet does not actually infect humans, the ticks they carry can move from the pet to their human owners subsequently biting and infecting them with Lyme disease.

* Mothers – pregnant women who become infected with Lyme disease can suffer difficulties during pregnancy such as an infection of the placenta. Contracting Lyme disease during pregnancy may also cause a child to be stillborn. Immediate antibiotic treatment will protect the unborn baby from any negative effects of the disease as well as cure the mother.

* Blood Transfusions – research shows that the bacteria present in those infected with Lyme disease can survive in blood donated and stored for transfusion. Someone with Lyme disease who donates blood is in fact passing on infected blood to whoever receives the transfusion. Therefore, blood donors who are receiving antibiotic treatment for Lyme disease should not donate blood during that time.

Symptoms of Lyme Disease

The signs and symptoms of Lyme disease can be different from person to person affecting various parts of the body. Areas of the body most often affected by the disease include the heart, eyes, nervous system, joints and skin. Symptoms may be mild to extreme depending on the length of time a person has been infected by the disease and how long they have gone without treatment. Some of the symptoms exhibited when suffering from Lyme disease include:

* Rash – starting as a small, red, circular bump, appearing most likely at the bite location, the rash can then spread to an area covering twelve inches or more

* Joint pain – swelling in the joints that can migrate from joint to joint

* Body aches – similar to those experienced with the flu

* Headache

* Fatigue

* Fever and chills

* Dizziness

* Bell’s palsy – temporary facial paralysis and swelling of the cranial nerve

* Neuropathy – abnormal sensations in the hands and feet

* Irregular heartbeat – palpitations

* Meningitis – membranes surrounding the brains become inflamed

* Impaired memory or memory loss

* Mood swings

* Changes in sleep habits – experiencing possible bouts with insomnia

* Problems concentrating

Treatment of Lyme Disease

The primary treatment for early stages of Lyme disease is oral antibiotics. These are most effective if given within two weeks of having been infected. However, if the disease has progressed sometime without treatment, 14 days or longer, it may be necessary for your doctor to use intravenous antibiotics to treat the disease. Typically, the following antibiotics are used to treat Lyme disease:

* Oral antibiotics – include amonxicillin, doxycycline, and cefuroxime axetil

* Intravenous antibiotics – include penicillin and ceftriaxone

Lyme disease is a serious condition that is curable without lingering effects provided diagnosis and treatment are early, within a few weeks of the bite at most. If left untreated Lyme disease can progress rapidly effecting different organs and tissues doing substantial damage to affected areas and even after treated can have long-term negative effects on the body. If you believe you may have been bitten by a deer tick, it is recommended you seek immediate medical care for proper diagnosis and antibiotic treatment.

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DISCLAIMER: All information is intended for your general knowledge only and is not a guarantee of any success. This information has been previously researched but you should do your own research to expand your knowledge. This should not be consider as medical advice.