- Prevention
- Lyme Disease Symptoms
The
Lyme disease bacterium can infect several parts of the body,
producing different
symptoms
at different times. Not all patients with Lyme disease will
have all symptoms, and many of the symptoms can occur with
other diseases as well. If you believe you may have Lyme
disease, it is important that you consult your health care
provider
for proper diagnosis.
The first sign of infection
is usually a circular rash called erythema migrans or
EM. This rash occurs in approximately 70-80% of infected
persons and begins at the site of a tick bite after a delay
of 3-30 days. A distinctive feature of the rash is that
it gradually expands over a period of several days, reaching
up to 12 inches (30 cm) across. The center of the rash may
clear as it enlarges, resulting in a bull's-eye appearance. It
may be warm but is not usually painful. Some patients develop
additional EM lesions in other areas of the body after several
days. Patients also experience symptoms of fatigue, chills,
fever, headache, and muscle and joint aches, and swollen
lymph nodes. In some cases, these may be the only symptoms
of infection.
Untreated,
the infection may spread to other parts of the body within
a few days to weeks,
producing an array of discrete symptoms. These include loss
of muscle tone on one or both sides of the face (called facial
or "Bell's palsy), severe headaches and neck stiffness due
to meningitis, shooting pains that may interfere with sleep,
heart palpitations and dizziness due to changes in heartbeat,
and pain that moves from joint to joint. Many of these symptoms
will resolve, even without treatment.
After
several months, approximately 60% of patients with untreated
infection
will begin to have
intermittent bouts of arthritis, with severe joint pain and
swelling. Large joints are most often affected, particularly
the knees. In addition, up to 5% of untreated patients may
develop chronic neurological complaints months to years after
infection. These include shooting pains, numbness or tingling
in the hands or feet, and problems with concentration and
short term memory.
Most cases of Lyme disease can
be cured with antibiotics, especially if treatment is
begun early in the course of illness. However, a small percentage
of patients with Lyme disease have symptoms that last months
to years after treatment with antibiotics. These symptoms
can include muscle and joint pains, arthritis, cognitive
defects, sleep disturbance, or fatigue. The cause of these
symptoms is not known. There is some evidence that they
result from an autoimmune response, in which a person's immune
system continues to respond even after the infection has
been cleared.
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