Advanced Lyme Disease
Exploring the great outdoors is considered a healthy activity, unless you encounter a deer tick, which can result in Lyme disease. But, if the tick has been removed from the skin within 48 hours, there is less risk of contracting Lyme disease. For the most effective cure, medical treatment should begin early.
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Identification
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Lyme disease is a tick-born illness caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi. The bacterium is primarily carried by deer ticks. A person will typically come in contact with deer ticks in grassy and wooded areas. The ticks feed on the blood of humans and animals, and once they attach to a body they can be difficult to spot as they are very small.
Symptoms
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Not everyone with Lyme disease will experience all the early signs of the illness. A rash, near the bite can show up a few days or weeks after the infection. Flu-like symptoms might accompany the rash, including chills, fatigue, a fever and body aches. If not treated, advanced Lyme disease can result in migratory joint pain. Swelling and severe pain can occur, and knees are especially vulnerable.
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Treatment
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Early stages of Lyme disease is typically treated with oral antibiotics, such as doxycycline, amoxicillin or cefuroxime axetil. In advanced cases of Lyme disease, intravenous antibiotic is often recommended. Side effects of intravenous antibiotic include gallstones, diarrhea and a lowered white blood cell count. According to the Mayo Clinic, bismacine, an injection sometimes prescribed by alternate medicine practitioners should be avoided, as it may lead to kidney and heart failure.
Advanced
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If untreated, advanced Lyme disease can result in changes in mood or sleep patterns. There can be memory loss, cognitive defects and difficulty concentrating. A sufferer might experience heart rhythm irregularities. Advance Lyme disease can include chronic joint pain, which is known as Lyme arthritis. There can be neurological symptoms, such as neuropathy and facial palsy. Even if it is treated early on and the infection has been cleared, some people can experience lingering or recurring symptoms.
Untreated
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If the symptoms of Lyme disease have disappeared, yet there has been no treatment, this does not mean the disease has gone away on its own. If the infection is untreated, the disease can spread to other parts of the body, resulting in arthritis and problems with the nervous system.
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Resources
- Photo Credit A. Johnson
