Lyme disease received its name from the town in Connecticut where many cases were found in 1977. It is a bacterial infection transmitted by ticks that are infected with Borrelia burgdorferi (or rarely Borrelia mayonii) who then bite a human and spread the bacteria. This infection is the most common vector-borne (bitten by a mosquito, tick, or flea) disease in the United States and is usually carried by deer who are infested with ticks. It is most often found in heavily wooded areas including the Northeast, North Central, and the Pacific Coast. A small number of cases are found in other areas due to migrating animals and people. Infestations are most prevalent in the spring and summer months and less common in fall and winter. The disease affects many of the body systems and tissues with a wide variety of symptoms. Lyme disease is often misdiagnosed as other illnesses due to the wide range of symptoms it causes. Testing is not always positive, and the disease can be mistaken for multiple sclerosis, seizures, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, hypochondria, and/or arthritis.
The onset of symptoms for Lyme disease usually occurs within 3 to 30 days after the bite. Early symptoms include fatigue, fever, headache, body aches, joint pain, and sometimes a round rash that looks like a “bullseye” at the site of the bite. This rash is known as erythema migrans and occurs in at least thirty and up to eighty percent of people with Lyme disease. The rash will usually appear within seven days of a tick bite and expands over several days reaching up to 12 inches or more in diameter. The rash is rarely itchy or painful and may feel warm to the touch. Other symptoms of Lyme include a wide range of full-body symptoms and are explained below:
Active/Early Lyme Disease
- Fatigue
- Fever
- Chills
- Headache
- Sweats
- Joint pain
- Body aches
- Sleep issues
- Brain swelling (encephalitis)
Late-Stage Lyme Disease
- Nerve pain
- Lyme carditis (heart palpitations or arrhythmia)
- Inflammation of the brain and spinal cord
- Shooting pains, tingling, or numbness in the hands or feet
- Arthritis and severe joint pain
- Bell’s palsy (facial drooping)
- Dizziness
- Shortness of breath
- Erythema migrans rashes in other areas of the body
- Swollen knee
Chronic Lyme Disease (occurs after treatment)
- Fatigue
- Joint and/or muscle pain
- Neuropathy
- Depression
- Cognitive dysfunction (concentration and memory difficulties)
- Headaches
- Heart murmur/palpitations
- Sleep issues
- Speech problems
Autoimmune disorders