Lyme Disease

What causes Lyme Disease?

Lyme disease is a bacterial infection that can affect multiple systems in the body. It begins with a deer tick bite and usually presents with a localized skin rash.Named for the first reported case in Lyme, Connecticut in 1975, Lyme Disease is is predominantly found in the Northeast, the mid Atlantic states, and the upper Midwest. Although symptoms may vary and present differently between individuals, Lyme disease almost always starts with a skin rash.The rash may manifest at the site of the tick bite and most commonly will resemble a ring or bull’s-eye. Lyme Disease may also develop into several rash areas, seeming similar to hives, eczema or poison ivy. The rash can itch or feel hot. The condition can appear within days of a bite or weeks later. It can also resolve and then return several weeks later.

Lyme Disease Warning Signs

• A rash that resembles a ring or a bull’s-eye
• Headache
• Fatigue
• Stiff neck
• Muscle aches
• Joint aches
• Low grade fever and chills
• Sore throat
• Facial paralysis
• Swollen glands

Lyme Disease Treatment

• Best treated in the early stages with oral antibiotics.

Lyme Disease Prevention Tips

• Wear insect repellant
• Wear light colored, long pants and long sleeves when in outdoor wooded areas.
• Check skin and hair carefully after being outdoors
• Shower after outdoor activity (ticks take up to 6 hours to attach firmly to the skin)
• Tumble clothes in a dryer on high heat for an hour to kill remaining ticks
• Monitor tick bites very carefully
• Have tick bites checked by a dermatologist if suspicious.