The most prevalent tick-borne disease in these areas, Lyme disease is spread through the bite of an infected black-legged tick, also known as a deer tick. Lyme disease is caused by four main species of bacteria, including Borrelia burgdorferi and Borrelia mayonii.
Symptoms of Lyme disease
There are many different Lyme disease symptoms, which typically manifest in stages but can occasionally overlap.
Early signs and symptoms
When a tick is bitten or removed, a small, red bump that resembles the bump from a mosquito bite frequently develops and goes away over a few days. This common occurrence does not signify Lyme disease.
The following symptoms and signs, however, can appear up to a month after infection:
Rash.An expanding red area (erythema migrans), which can spread to 12 inches (30 centimeters) in diameter and sometimes clears in the center, may appear three to thirty days after an infected tick bite. It is typically not itchy or painful, but may feel warm to the touch.
Although not everyone with Lyme disease develops the rash, which can appear in multiple locations on the body, erythema migrans is one of the telltale signs of the illness.
Other symptoms.The rash may be accompanied by fever, chills, fatigue, body aches, headaches, stiff neck, and swollen lymph nodes.
Later signs and symptoms
If left unattended, additional Lyme disease symptoms, such as those listed below, could develop over the coming weeks or months.
- Erythema migrans.Other parts of your body may experience the rash as well.
- Joint pain.Your knees are particularly susceptible to episodes of excruciating joint pain and swelling, though the discomfort can move between different joints.
- Neurological problems.You may experience numbness or weakness in your limbs, meningitis, Bell’s palsy, and impaired muscle movement weeks, months, or even years after infection. You may also experience temporary facial paralysis on one side.
Less common signs and symptoms
Some individuals experience: several weeks following infection.
- Heart issues, such as a fast or slow heartbeat
- Eye inflammation
- Liver inflammation (hepatitis)
- Severe fatigue
Causes of Lyme disease
The bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi and Borrelia mayonii, which are primarily carried by black-legged or deer ticks and cause Lyme disease in the United States, can be difficult to spot in young brown ticks because they are often no bigger than a poppy seed.
A deer tick bite from an infected animal transmits the bacteria that causes Lyme disease, which travels through the skin and into the bloodstream.
If you find an attached tick that appears swollen, it may have fed long enough to transmit bacteria. Removing the tick as soon as possible may prevent infection. In most cases, a deer tick must be attached for 36 to 48 hours to transmit Lyme disease.
Risk factors
Your occupation and your favorite outdoor activities can all have an impact on your likelihood of contracting Lyme disease. The most prevalent risk factors for Lyme disease include:
- Spending time in wooded or grassy areas.Children who spend a lot of time outside in these regions are particularly at risk, as are adults with outdoor jobs. Deer ticks are primarily found in the heavily forested regions of the Northeast and Midwest.
- Having exposed skin.Wear long sleeves and long pants to protect yourself and your kids if you live in an area where ticks are common, and keep your pets out of tall weeds and grasses because ticks attach easily to bare flesh.
- Not removing ticks promptly or properly.If you remove a tick within two days, your risk of contracting Lyme disease is low, but if the tick remains attached to your skin for 36 to 48 hours or longer, bacteria from a tick bite can enter your bloodstream.
Complications
Lyme disease left untreated can lead to:
- Chronic Lyme arthritis joint inflammation, especially in the knee
- Facepalsy and neuropathy are examples of neurological symptoms.
- defects in the brain, like memory loss
- Heart rhythm irregularities
Prevention
Cover up.Stick to trails and avoid walking through low bushes and long grass when in grassy or wooded areas; wear shoes, long pants tucked into your socks, a long-sleeved shirt, a hat, and gloves.
Use insect repellents.Parents should spray their children with insect repellent, keeping their hands, eyes, and mouth out of the way, and use insect repellent with a 20% or higher concentration of DEET.
Apply permethrin-containing products to clothing or purchase pretreated clothing, but be aware that chemical repellents can be toxic; always read and follow instructions.
Do your best to tick-proof your yard.Mow your lawn frequently, eliminate tick habitats like brush and leaves, and neatly stack wood in dry, sunny spots to deter tick-carrying rodents.
Check your clothing, yourself, your children and your pets for ticks.Deer ticks can be as small as the head of a pin, so unless you search carefully, you may not find them. Be especially vigilant after spending time in grassy or wooded areas.
Ticks frequently stay on your skin for hours before attaching, so it’s beneficial to take a shower as soon as you enter your home. Taking a shower and using a washcloth might help to get rid of any unattached ticks.
Don’t assume you’re immune.There is a possibility of recurring Lyme disease.
Remove a tick as soon as possible with tweezers.When you have completely removed the tick, dispose of it by putting it in alcohol or flushing it down the toilet, and then apply antiseptic to the bite area. Gently grasp the tick near its head or mouth; don’t squeeze or crush the tick; and pull slowly and steadily.
Homeopathic Treatment of Lyme disease
Ledum –Especially impacts people with rheumatic disease, which undergoes all the changes from functional pain to altered secretions and deposits of solid, earthy matter in the tissues.
Rhododendron“Well-marked gouty and rheumatic symptoms”
Kalmia –“A rheumatic remedy …”
Gaultheria“Inflammatory rheumatism, pleurodynia, sciatica, and other neuralgias, come within the realm of this remedy,” and so on.
Comments are closed.