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LYME DISEASE SYMPTOMS |
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Lyme disease is a collection of effects
caused by Bb. Once Bb gains entry to the body through a tick bite,
it can move through the bloodstream quickly. Only 12 hours after
entering the bloodstream, Bb can be found in cerebrospinal fluid (which
means it can affect the nervous system). Treating Lyme disease early
and thoroughly is important because Bb can hide for long periods
within the body in a clinically latent state. That ability explains
why symptoms can recur in cycles and can flare up after months or
years, even over decades. It is important to note, however, that not
everyone exposed to Bb develops the disease. Lyme disease is usually described in terms of length of infection (time since the person was bitten by a tick infected with Bb) and whether Bb is localized or disseminated (spread through the body by fluids and cells carrying Bb). Furthermore, when and how symptoms of Lyme disease appear can vary widely from patient to patient. People who experience recurrent bouts of symptoms over time are said to have chronic Lyme disease. Early, localized Lyme disease The most recognizable indicator of Lyme disease is a rash around the site of the tick bite. Often, the tick exposure has not been recognized. The eruption might be warm or itch. The rash--erythema migrans (EM)--generally develops within 3-30 days and usually begins as a round, red patch that expands. Clearing may take place from the center out, leaving a bull's-eye effect; in some cases, the center gets redder instead of clearing. The rash may look like a bruise on people with dark skin. Of those who develop Lyme disease, about 50% notice the rash; about 50% notice flu-like symptoms, including fatigue, headache, chills and fever, muscle and joint pain, and lymph node swelling. However, a rash at the site can also be an allergic reaction to the tick saliva rather than an indicator of Lyme disease, particularly if the rash appears in less than 3 days and disappears only days later. Late, disseminated disease and chronic Lyme disease Weeks, months, or even years after an untreated tick bite, symptoms can appear in several forms, including: Fatigue, forgetfulness, confusion, mood swings, irritability, numbness Neurologic problems, such as pain (unexplained and not triggered by an injury), Bell's palsy (facial paralysis, usually one-sided but may be on both sides), and a mimicking of the inflammation of brain membranes known as meningitis; (fever, severe headache, stiff neck) Arthritis (short episodes of pain and swelling in joints) and other musculoskeletal complaints. Less common effects of Lyme disease are heart abnormalities (such as irregular rhythm or cardiac block) and eye abnormalities (such as swelling of the cornea, tissue, or eye muscles and nerves). |
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| LYME DISEASE RELATED ITEMS | ||
