How to Identify Lyme Disease
Lyme disease is one of the most common tick-born diseases. Though it strikes most often in wooded eastern states, it has been reported at least once in every state in the union, including Hawaii. Like the also-common Rocky Mountain spotted fever, the bacteria-caused Lyme Disease is easily treated with antibiotics. But left untreated, it can lead to long-term physical complications. Here's how to check the progression of Lyme Disease in plenty of time.
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Instructions
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Take note of how you feel in the days after being bitten by a tick. Though not all symptoms occur in every case, they may include swollen lymph nodes, fever, chills, headache and joint pain.
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Watch for a tell-tale "bulls-eye" rash. The rash begins a few days or a month after the bite, usually in the same place where it occurred. Initially a red circle, the discoloration expands while the center heals, giving it the appearance of a bulls-eye.
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Look for other, similar lesions that may appear elsewhere on the body.
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Watch for these more advanced symptoms, if you fail to treat the initial ones: loss of facial muscle tone, stiffness of the neck or shooting pains through the joints and muscles, and even heart irregularities like palpitations and irregular heartbeats. These symptoms are fleeting, even without treatment.
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Expect recurring arthritis in the joints, and, more rarely, ongoing neurological symptoms if the disease is not treated. Even with antibiotics, a very few patients may experience lifelong reactions to exposure.
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Tips & Warnings
Most cases of Lyme Disease will respond favorably to treatment with antibiotics. Visit a doctor if you become symptomatic after receiving a tick bite.
Keeping your yard free of debris and wearing insect repellent will reduce your chance of exposure.
