According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 300,000 people are diagnosed with Lyme disease each year in the United States.
Lyme disease is a very treatable disease, but the pain and discomfort it can cause the body can be really extreme if it is not detected early on. Just like with recognizing the symptoms of a stroke, knowing the signs of Lyme disease can help you get crucial medical attention sooner rather than later.
This painful and often debilitating disease is caused by a bacteria carried in blacklegged and deer ticks. When an infected tick bites you, the bacteria can make its way into your bloodstream, causing you to contract Lyme disease.
The CDC writes, "Seek medical attention if you observe any of these symptoms and have had a tick bite, live in an area known for Lyme disease, or have recently traveled to an area where Lyme disease occurs." While this should never take the place of professional medical advice, recognizing these symptoms in yourself or others can make the difference between getting necessary immediate treatment or not.
Some of these symptoms I had known about before, but I had no idea about many of them. Scroll through to see the early signs of Lyme disease, which usually occur in the first 30 days, as well as the advanced signs, which can occur up to months later.
Early Symptoms of Lyme Disease
One of the clearest signs that you may have Lyme disease is a very unique bullseye rash that occurs in between 70 and 80 percent of infected people.
According to the Mayo Clinic, "From 3 to 30 days after an infected tick bite, an expanding red area might appear that sometimes clears in the center, forming a bullseye pattern. It is typically not itchy or painful." It may get bigger over time, potentially reaching as big as a foot across.
These rashes tend to be a signature sign for those with Lyme disease, so if you spot this, you should see your doctor right away.
Muscle aches can be commonly associated with Lyme disease soon after infection.
According to Healthline, these muscle aches can be hard to diagnose. They write, "The incubation period can lead to confusion about your symptoms. If you don't remember being bitten, you may think you have the flu and won't necessarily connect the tick bite and your symptoms."
While muscle aches can be associated with many different ailments including the flu, if you are experiencing them soon after being bitten by a tick, you should see your doctor right away.
Fatigue can be a sign of many things, including simple overexertion. However, it can also be a sign of Lyme disease.
According to Lymedisease.org, 76% of people with Lyme disease will experience fatigue in the early stages of the infection. Fatigue can often be misdiagnosed as something else, so it is important to consider it in conjunction with the other Lyme disease symptoms.
If you feel severe fatigue and have recently been exposed to ticks, you may want to be safe rather than sorry by seeking medical attention.
A fever is another one of the flu-like symptoms that can develop in the early stages of Lyme disease.
The CDC writes, "Fever and other general symptoms may occur in the absence of [a] rash." A prolonged fever, or a particularly high fever, is always cause for alarm, as it could be an indication of several serious problems.
If you experience a fever, particularly in conjunction with a rash or some of these other symptoms, you should see a doctor as soon as possible.
A sudden or severe headache is never a symptom that you should ignore, and it is also one of the possible signs of Lyme disease.
The Mayo Clinic writes that "a headache may accompany the rash." And according to Lymedisease.org, 70% of infected people experienced headaches in the early stages.
Like many of these flu-like symptoms, a headache could certainly be an indication of something else, but it is better to get it checked out to be safe.
Swollen lymph nodes are generally a sign that something out of place is going on in your body and can be one of the indicators of Lyme disease.
The CDC includes swollen lymph nodes among the "early signs and symptoms" to watch for when determining if you may have been infected. Lymph nodes are located throughout your body, including your neck, armpit, and groin regions.
Again, if you experience swollen lymph nodes in conjunction with any of these other symptoms, it is probably best to pay your doctor a visit.
Go to the NEXT page for the advanced symptoms of lyme disease that are just as vital and surprising.
Advanced Symptoms of Lyme Disease
As Lyme disease progresses in the body, new symptoms such as joint pain can begin to appear.
The Mayo Clinic writes, "Bouts of severe joint pain and swelling are especially likely to affect your knees, but the pain can shift from one joint to another." The pain may feel like vague joint soreness and can recur for months or even years if the disease is not addressed.
Ideally, you will receive treatment before Lyme disease advances. However, if you are experiencing joint pain, it is important to bring it to the attention of your doctor.
Dizziness is another one of those symptoms that you should never ignore, as it can have a lot of medical explanations that can be quite serious. One of those possibilities is Lyme.
According to Healthline, "Dizziness [is one of the] advanced symptoms of Lyme disease."
Mild or rare dizziness might not be an indication that something serious is wrong, though you should probably have it checked out anyway. But episodes of dizziness, in conjunction with other advanced symptoms, should definitely be taken seriously.
Everybody gets a stiff neck now and again. But it could be an indication of an advanced level of Lyme disease.
According to WebMD, "Some patients also experience a complex range of other symptoms, including stiff neck." This stiff neck could occur in the early stages, but it is also possible many months after your tick bite.
The important thing is to pay attention to how you are feeling and to see your doctor if you think a stiff neck might be masking something more serious.
Though it is not the most common symptom, some people do experience heart palpitations as a result of Lyme disease. Regardless, heart palpitations are rarely a good sign and should be taken seriously.
According to the Mayo Clinic, "Several weeks after infection, some people develop heart problems, such as an irregular heartbeat. Heart problems rarely last more than a few days or weeks."
Because of the extreme nature of certain heart problems, you should see your doctor any time you detect irregularities with your heart.
If you experience drooping of the face at any point, you should definitely see a doctor. It could be a sign of Lyme disease, but it could also indicate a stroke or something else equally as serious.
The CDC lists facial or Bell's palsy, which they consider "loss of muscle tone or droop on one or both sides of the face," as one of the later Lyme disease symptoms.
This is a very serious symptom, so make sure to seek medical attention immediately.
Plenty of us can be forgetful, but noticeable short-term can be a sign of something more serious like Lyme disease.
WebMD and the CDC both list memory loss as one of the possible later symptoms among infected people.
Short-term memory loss could be attributed to many things, and some forgetfulness is certainly natural. But as with all of these symptoms, it is better to be safe than sorry when it comes to getting it checked out by a doctor.
Knowing the signs and symptoms of Lyme disease can make a very important difference in how soon a person with the infection is able to get crucial medical treatment.
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