I am an avid outdoorsy type. I spend significant amounts of time outside, especially in areas that tend to be infested with deer ticks. Frequent tick bites are an inevitability, not a possibility, for me. Because of this, I try to be very careful to watch for potential signs of diseases transmitted through ticks.
Lyme disease is one of the most common– and serious– forms of tickborne illness. This infection, caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi, spreads to humans from other infected animals via the deer tick. If treated early, Lyme disease tends to resolve quickly and cause few lasting problems. For this reason, it’s very important for people– especially those who experience frequent tick bites– to know how to identify symptoms of the disease and to seek treatment promptly when symptoms arise.
Here are some of the most common symptoms associated with Lyme disease.
Rash
Soon after a bite from an infected tick, a person with lyme disease will likely develop a rash. It begins as a small, reddish knot at the same location as the original tick bite, then gradually expands. Within a few days, it forms the characteristic “bulls eye” pattern, which is considered to be a red flag for Lyme disease. Left untreated, this symptom will precede many more severe complications. However, if you seek prompt help immediately after noticing the “bulls eye” pattern, your chances of uneventful recovery are good.
General Symptoms
In the early stage of Lyme disease, many, but not all, victims will develop generalized symptoms of illness, such as body aches and headache. Low to moderate fevers, often accompanied by chills, are also common. These symptoms are so similar to those associated with other illnesses that they may be mis-identified, especially if the victim does not develop the characteristic rash.
Untreated Lyme disease can cause intense inflammation of the joints. This inflammation usually has its onset weeks or months after the initial infectious tick bite. A person with Lyme disease might develop this inflammation, which causes severe swelling and pain, around any joints. The knees are most commonly affected, but the inflammation is likely to migrate between several localized points in the body. The intense pain and swelling may be initially mistaken for rheumatoid arthritis or similar conditions.
Some people with Lyme disease develop Bell’s palsy, a temporary form of facial paralysis or weakness. It may cause the victim of the condition to lose control over the muscles in the eyelids, lips, or other parts of the face. Although temporary, this symptom can be extremely alarming and even disfiguring. It develops as a result of inflammation of the meninges, the membranes surrounding the brain, and typically arises some time after the original untreated infection.
Weakness
Lyme disease can cause severe fatigue, weakness and impairment of muscle strength. If Lyme disease progresses to cause meningitis, it may weakness in the arms and legs, sometimes accompanied by loss of sensation. Other related symptoms include impaired muscle coordination and loss of fine motor skills. These symptoms are signs of advanced illness; they generally occur several months or years after the victim acquires the infection.
Lyme disease can be very serious if left untreated, but prompt identification of symptoms can enable fast treatment, thereby minimizing the likelihood of advanced infection. If you believe that you are showing any symptoms of Lyme disease, consult your health care provider immediately.
Mayo Clinic offers more information about the symptoms of Lyme disease.
