Lyme disease is a bacterial disease transmitted by the bite of various species of ticks in the United States, including the deer tick, the Lone Star tick, tick and American dog. Signs of Lyme disease fall into two categories. Early symptoms of Lyme disease following a pattern of flu-like symptoms accompanied by a rash, while late-stage signs of Lyme disease include fatigue and widespread neurological symptoms.
The first signs of Lyme disease is the characteristic rash of Lyme disease, which appears between three and 30 days after infection. Up to 80% of people with Lyme disease will have this rash, called erythema migrans. The rash typically begins as a small patch of redness, which may have a small raised bump at the center. In the course of several days the eruption may expand to a diameter of up to 12 inches (30 cm).
Many other signs of Lyme disease may accompany or follow the onset of the rash. Often these early symptoms mimic the symptoms of influenza, and may include fever and chills, fatigue, headache, muscle and joint pain, and swollen lymph nodes. Some people may develop erythema migrans or more, in addition to the initial rash.
If these symptoms are not diagnosed and the patient is not treated, further signs of Lyme disease will eventually appear. New symptoms may arise days or weeks depending on the individual case. Joint pain and stiffness, palpitations, dizziness and sleep disturbance symptoms are possible at this stage. Some people may have neurological symptoms such as limb weakness, paralysis, and stupor, convulsions, confusion, or Bell's palsy, characterized by loss of muscle tone in the face. Some symptoms may disappear on its own initiative, although the disease is left untreated.
Late signs of Lyme disease can appear after several months. About 60% of people with untreated Lyme disease will begin to experience episodes of arthritis. This pain and swelling usually affects large joints like the knees. In approximately 5% of the people, neurological symptoms such as memory loss, impaired concentration, and numbness in hands and feet, can persist for years after initial infection.
treatment of Lyme disease usually involves a course of antibiotics to kill bacteria that cause disease. If the diagnosis is made early enough, a single course of antibiotics is usually sufficient to cure the patient. A small number of patients may continue to have symptoms such as disturbed sleep, joint pain and muscular, neurological symptoms, and fatigue after treatment. And 'the thought of these symptoms do not indicate an autoimmune response caused by infection of Lyme disease.
