Lyme Disease Chronic
Chronic Lyme Disease
Lymes disease is caused by bacteria that are transmitted through a tick bite. Ticks contract the bacteria when they bite rodents or deer that have the disease. This disease is divided into three stages. The third stage is also known as chronic Lyme disease.
This disease occurs in all areas of the United States but is concentrated in the northeastern part of the US, the upper Midwest, and the Pacific coastline. It is most commonly seen from late spring through early fall.
Not everyone bitten by an infected tick will get sick and many who do will think they have the flu since the symptoms are similar. Symptoms of an initial infection are fever, chills, muscle pain, and headache.
The characteristic sign of Lyme disease is the bulls-eye rash that develops around the area bitten by the tick. Otherwise, the person may never know he was bitten. The disease is carried by the deer tick, which is very tiny and difficult to see on your body.
The second stage of this disease develops within days to weeks of the initial infection. Symptoms worsen and expand to include a stiff neck, joint inflammation, malaise, heart palpitations, blurred vision, and fainting.
People who were not treated during the initial infection and even those who were can go on to develop the chronic version of the disease. Stage 3, or chronic Lymes disease, can develop years after the initial infection.
Symptoms of chronic Lymes disease include fatigue, memory loss, chronic headaches, arthritis, sleep disorders, confusion, numbness, and tingling. Lymes disease can affect many body systems such as the brain, skin, muscles, nervous system, cartilage, and bones.
A blood test is taken to diagnose Lymes. This test is called the ELISA test. This test analyzes the blood for the presence of antibodies to the bacteria that cause Lymes disease. If the test is positive, it means the person has had the disease at some point in time. In addition, if the patient is experiencing nervous system disturbances, spinal tap tests will be abnormal.
Chronic Lymes disease is usually treated with an antibiotic for 28 days. The antibiotic may be administered through an IV although oral antibiotics are usually tried first. These include amoxicillin, cefuroxime, and doxycycline. If the first round of antibiotics does not clear up inflammatory joints and arthritis symptoms then another four-week course may be attempted. Severe cases may be treated with a four-week course of IV cefuroxime.
If chronic Lymes disease symptoms do not clear up after two rounds of antibiotics, additional treatment is not likely to help. Some symptoms may improve. Arthritis symptoms are the most difficult to reverse. Some people are left with symptoms severe enough to interfere with daily activities. For these cases, there is no known effective cure or treatment.
Heart problems can also arise as a result of chronic Lymes disease. These can affect the electrical conduction of the heart and slow the heart rate. Arthritis is the most common manifestation of this disease.
Prevention is the best protection against chronic Lyme disease. Keep your pets free from ticks. Wear protective clothing when outdoors. Use an insect repellent with DEET. If you notice a rash in a bullseye pattern, notify your physician. If you have ever had Lymes disease and develop symptoms of arthritis and fatigue, notify your doctor as soon as possible even if years have passed since your original infection.
Lymes disease is caused by bacteria that are transmitted through a tick bite. Ticks contract the bacteria when they bite rodents or deer that have the disease. This disease is divided into three stages. The third stage is also known as chronic Lyme disease.
This disease occurs in all areas of the United States but is concentrated in the northeastern part of the US, the upper Midwest, and the Pacific coastline. It is most commonly seen from late spring through early fall.
Not everyone bitten by an infected tick will get sick and many who do will think they have the flu since the symptoms are similar. Symptoms of an initial infection are fever, chills, muscle pain, and headache.
The characteristic sign of Lyme disease is the bulls-eye rash that develops around the area bitten by the tick. Otherwise, the person may never know he was bitten. The disease is carried by the deer tick, which is very tiny and difficult to see on your body.
The second stage of this disease develops within days to weeks of the initial infection. Symptoms worsen and expand to include a stiff neck, joint inflammation, malaise, heart palpitations, blurred vision, and fainting.
People who were not treated during the initial infection and even those who were can go on to develop the chronic version of the disease. Stage 3, or chronic Lymes disease, can develop years after the initial infection.
Symptoms of chronic Lymes disease include fatigue, memory loss, chronic headaches, arthritis, sleep disorders, confusion, numbness, and tingling. Lymes disease can affect many body systems such as the brain, skin, muscles, nervous system, cartilage, and bones.
A blood test is taken to diagnose Lymes. This test is called the ELISA test. This test analyzes the blood for the presence of antibodies to the bacteria that cause Lymes disease. If the test is positive, it means the person has had the disease at some point in time. In addition, if the patient is experiencing nervous system disturbances, spinal tap tests will be abnormal.
Chronic Lymes disease is usually treated with an antibiotic for 28 days. The antibiotic may be administered through an IV although oral antibiotics are usually tried first. These include amoxicillin, cefuroxime, and doxycycline. If the first round of antibiotics does not clear up inflammatory joints and arthritis symptoms then another four-week course may be attempted. Severe cases may be treated with a four-week course of IV cefuroxime.
If chronic Lymes disease symptoms do not clear up after two rounds of antibiotics, additional treatment is not likely to help. Some symptoms may improve. Arthritis symptoms are the most difficult to reverse. Some people are left with symptoms severe enough to interfere with daily activities. For these cases, there is no known effective cure or treatment.
Heart problems can also arise as a result of chronic Lymes disease. These can affect the electrical conduction of the heart and slow the heart rate. Arthritis is the most common manifestation of this disease.
Prevention is the best protection against chronic Lyme disease. Keep your pets free from ticks. Wear protective clothing when outdoors. Use an insect repellent with DEET. If you notice a rash in a bullseye pattern, notify your physician. If you have ever had Lymes disease and develop symptoms of arthritis and fatigue, notify your doctor as soon as possible even if years have passed since your original infection.
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