Dr. M.J. Bazos,
Patient Handout
LYME
DISEASE
About Your
Diagnosis
Lyme disease (LD) can affect many parts of the
body including the skin, nerves, brain, heart and joints. Lyme disease is a
curable infection caused by a microorganism called Borrelia burgdorferi.
This organism is carried and spread to individuals by certain types of ticks.
However, only half of the individuals who have LD actually remember being bitten
by a tick. Lyme disease is mainly present in certain regions of the United
States including the Northeast, the Midwest (mainly in Wisconsin and Minnesota),
and along the West Coast. Although LD is an infection, you cannot catch it from
an individual who already has it. Lyme disease is usually diagnosed by the types
of symptoms it causes. A blood test may help confirm the diagnosis, but it is
not 100% accurate. Therefore, Lyme tests should not be relied upon to make the
diagnosis unless you have symptoms that are very likely caused by
LD.
Living With Your
Diagnosis
Lyme disease often occurs in
stages, and individuals may only have one or a few of the symptoms before it is
diagnosed and treated. Treatment of LD cures the infection and prevents
progression of the disease. Some of the earliest symptoms of LD are a rash and
flulike symptoms such as fever, chills, muscle and joint aches, fatigue,
headache, and enlarged lymph glands. The rash occurs at the site of the tick
bite (often on the armpit, groin, or thigh) and is usually raised or flat, and
red with a white area in the center. A later stage of LD affects the brain,
nerves, and heart. The infection can cause meningitis, headache, weakness in the
face, arm, and legs, or nerve pain in the arms and legs. Infections in the heart
can cause inflammation and heart rhythm changes, causing fluttering in the
chest, chest pain, shortness of breath, lightheadedness, or fainting. The last
stage of LD occurs months after the infection. In this stage arthritis develops,
causing attacks of pain, swelling, and stiffness in joints, especially the knee.
Fatigue may persist throughout the stages of
LD.
Treatment
Because
LD is an infection, it is treated with antibiotics. Depending on the stage of
the disease or the types of symptoms being treated, the antibiotics may be given
by mouth or by vein. Unfortunately, despite treatment, some individuals with LD
have persistent fatigue, headaches, muscle aches, and joint pain. These symptoms
are not caused by an ongoing infection and do not improve with further
antibiotic therapy. While the infection is being treated with antibiotics,
symptoms such as pain can be treated with acetaminophen or nonsteroidal
anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Potential side effects of NSAIDs include
stomach upset, ulcers, constipation, diarrhea, headaches, dizziness, difficulty
hearing, and rash. Prevention of LD can be accomplished by reducing your risk of
exposure to ticks when you are in areas where LD is known to occur. Precautions
include using good insect repellents (containing “DEET”), wearing
long sleeves and pants, tucking pant legs into socks, wearing closed shoes
rather than sandals or loafers, brushing off clothes, and inspecting for ticks.
If a tick becomes attached, it should be removed with a tweezers by grasping the
tick close to the skin and gently pulling it
out.
The
DOs
• Take your medicines as
prescribed.
• Ask your doctor which
over-the-counter medications you may take with your prescription
medications.
• Take preventive
measures to avoid tick exposure.
The
DON’Ts
• Wait to see
whether side effects from medications will go
away.
When to Call Your
Doctor
• You experience any
medication side effects.
• The
treatment is not decreasing your symptoms in a reasonable amount of
time.
• You have new or unexplained
symptoms.