Lyme disease is a bacterial infection caused by the borrelia bacterium and transmitted through the bite of an infected tick. It is one of the most common tick-borne diseases that can cause a wide range of symptoms. Early symptoms are usually flu-like, but if left untreated, the infection may spread to the joints, heart, and nervous system. href="https://gcorp.cc/">GCORP LLC, join us to review the symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of Lyme disease.

What is Lyme disease?

Lyme is one of the most common infectious diseases caused by tick bites in the temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, including the United States, Europe and parts of Asia. This disease is transmitted through the bites of ticks infected with bacteria of the Borrelia family.

Is Lyme disease contagious?

This disease is not transmitted from person to person and the only way it can be transmitted is through the bite of ticks infected with the Borrelia bacteria... So to get the disease, an infected tick must bite a person.... In general, Lyme disease is not transmitted from person to person through physical contact, saliva, air, or body secretions.. There is also no evidence of transmission from pets to humans, but pets may bring infected ticks into the home, If they do not transfer the mite to the human body.. Early removal, the possibility of transmission of infection is greatly reduced.

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Symptoms of Lyme disease in the body

The initial symptoms of this disease are mild.... Some people experience it without any symptoms and others have symptoms similar to flu symptoms.... The most common symptoms are:

• Headache
joint pain
• Fever
• Fatigue
• Skin rash in the form of a red ring

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If left untreated, the heart and nervous system may be affected. Symptoms of advanced Lyme disease include the following:

• Facial paralysis
• Neck stiffness
• Muscle pain
• Memory loss
Tingling sensation in hands and feet

Stages of Lyme disease

This disease has three main stages:

Step 1: Local

This stage starts a few days to a few weeks after the tick bite and is usually accompanied by the appearance of a red dot on the skin. This spot expands as a red circle with a bright center and has a shape similar to a bull's eye. The accompanying symptoms are fever, chills, fatigue, headache, and muscle pain, which some confuse with the symptoms.>

Second stage: scattered

A few weeks to a few months after infection, if the disease is not treated, the bacteria can spread from the initial site of infection to other parts of the body... The disease is advanced at this stage and symptoms such as arthritis, facial nerve rupture, and neurological disorders usually appear.

Third stage: chronic

If the disease is not treated in the previous 2 stages, it may appear months or years later in a chronic form with much more severe and prolonged symptoms. These symptoms usually include damage to the joints (severe joint pain, especially in the knees), heart (arrhythmias and myocarditis), and nerves (weakness or numbness in the hands and feet

Is Lyme disease fatal?

If this disease is diagnosed and treated on time, it is not fatal. In most cases, the doctor can treat Lyme disease in the early stages with appropriate antibiotics and prevent serious complications.. But when the disease is not treated in time and reaches advanced stages, it can cause serious problems such as damage to the heart, nervous system and joints.

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Lyme disease diagnosis method

Diagnosing this disease is a bit challenging because the initial symptoms can resemble those of some diseases such as the flu.. However, when you experience an abnormal skin rash in the form of red circles, especially if you have been in an area with a high prevalence of ticks, be sure to see an internist or an infectious disease specialist.. Occurrence... asks... Other tests needed to confirm the final diagnosis of Lyme disease include:

• Blood test: serological tests such as ELISA and western blot test are performed to identify antibodies produced against Borrelia bacteria.
• Complementary test: In some cases, the doctor takes help from complementary tests such as urine test, cerebrospinal fluid or skin biopsy to be more sure.

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Treatment of Lyme disease

The main methods of treating this disease include the following:

Pharmaceutical treatment

Treatment of Lyme disease in Iran, like in other countries, is done with appropriate antibiotics. Prescribed antibiotics for the treatment of this disease include the following:

• For the early stages of the disease, oral antibiotics such as doxycycline, amoxicillin or cefuroxime are prescribed for 2 to 3 weeks.
• If the disease has entered an advanced stage, the doctor prescribes intravenous antibiotics such as ceftriaxone or penicillin G for four to six weeks to reduce the severity of symptoms.
• When the infection is resistant to antibiotics, anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen or immune-boosting drugs such as hydroxychloroquine are prescribed.

Remember, follow-up and post-treatment care is very important to ensure a full recovery.... If the symptoms of the disease recur after a few weeks or months, the doctor prescribes stronger antibiotics for a longer period of time.

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Home Remedy

The main treatment of this disease should be done with antibiotics and under the supervision of a specialist doctor... Therefore, home treatment cannot be a good substitute for drug treatment... However, some home measures may help reduce symptoms and accelerate the recovery process along with drug treatment.... Here are some examples of home treatments:

• Enough rest and sleep for the body to fight infection
• Drinking enough fluids to eliminate toxins from the body
• Consumption of healthy foods containing vitamin C, vitamin B, iron and protein to strengthen the body's immune system
• Using herbs such as ginger and turmeric to reduce pain and inflammation
• Using relaxation techniques such as yoga, meditation and deep breathing to reduce stress
• Consumption of appropriate supplements under the supervision of a doctor such as vitamin C, vitamin B, zinc and magnesium
• Caring for the bite site and keeping it clean to prevent secondary infection

Symptoms of Lyme disease

Failure to diagnose and treat this disease on time can cause serious and long-term complications.... These complications sometimes appear in different body systems and may even continue after treatment.... Some of the common complications of this disease in the advanced and chronic stage are:

• Arthritis
• brain problems
• Heart disease such as arrhythmia and heart failure
• Neurological problems such as facial paralysis, numbness or tingling in hands and feet

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Some people may still have problems with memory, concentration, and cognitive processes after treatment for this disease. This condition is considered Post-Treatment Lyme Syndrome (PTLDS)..

How to Prevent Lyme Disease

The best way to prevent Lyme disease is to avoid tick bites infected with Borrelia bacteria. You can effectively reduce the risk of tick bites by taking the following steps:

• Wear long-sleeved clothing, long pants, and closed-toe shoes when going into tick-infested areas such as woods, lawns, or gardens.
• Use insect repellent sprays containing DEET or Permethrin.
• Check your body, clothes, and equipment carefully to remove them if they are present.... (Ticks usually attach to thin skin on the body, such as behind the knees, armpits, groin, and behind the ears.)
• Showering within 2 hours of being in suspected tick areas can help remove them from the skin and reduce the risk of disease transmission.
• To keep ticks out of your yard, cut grass and plants and spray them with chemical pesticides.
• Use anti-tick products for pets to keep infected ticks out of your home.
• If you live in areas where this disease is common, increase your awareness of the early signs of Lyme disease and the appearance of ticks.

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Guide to see a doctor

Lyme disease is a serious bacterial infection that, if not diagnosed and treated in time, can cause damage to various organs of the body.. This disease has flu-like symptoms in the early stages, and its main symptom is a spot with a red border and a bright center.... If you see such a spot with fever, joint pain, and extreme fatigue, be sure to see an international specialist or an international specialist...

You can visit the GCORP LLC website to ask more questions and address your concerns about the appearance of a Lyme rash, consult with the best medical specialists, including an online infectious disease doctor, or use the online appointment system for an in-person visit with an infectious disease specialist..

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources: clevelandclinic | Myoclinic | cdc