Description  
Lyme disease is a tick-borne illness that causes signs and symptoms ranging from rash, fever, chills and body aches to joint swelling, weakness and temporary paralysis. Lyme disease is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi. Deer ticks, which feed on the blood of animals and humans, can harbor the disease and spread it when feeding.  Reviewing the various literature on the disease, there appears to be disagreement if other types of ticks carry the disease as well.

You're more likely to get Lyme disease if you live or spend time in the grassy and heavily wooded areas where ticks carrying the disease breed. It's important to take common-sense precautions in areas where Lyme disease is prevalent. If treated with appropriate antibiotics in the early stages of the disease, you'll most likely recover completely. However, some people have recurring or lingering symptoms long after the infection has cleared.

Symptoms
Lyme disease signs and symptoms vary widely because Lyme disease can affect various parts of the body. Not everyone with the disease will have all of the signs and symptoms. But in general, Lyme disease can cause:

   Rash. A small, red bump may appear within a few days to a month, often at the site of the tick bite — often in your 
           groin, belt area or behind your knee. It may be warm to the touch and mildly tender. Over the next few days, 
           the redness expands, forming a rash that may be as small as your fingertip or as large as 12 inches (30 
           centimeters) across. It often resembles a bull's-eye, with a red ring surrounding a clear area and a red center. 
           The rash, called erythema migrans, is one of the hallmarks of Lyme disease, affecting about 70 percent to 80 
           percent of infected people.

   Flu-like symptoms. A fever, chills, fatigue, body aches and a headache may accompany the rash.

   Migratory joint pain. If the infection is not treated, you may develop bouts of severe joint pain and swelling several
           weeks to months after you're infected. Your knees are especially likely to be affected, but the pain can shift from
           one joint to another.    

   Neurological problems. In some cases, inflammation of the membranes surrounding your brain (meningitis),
          temporary paralysis of one side of your face (Bell's palsy), numbness or weakness in your limbs, and impaired
          muscle movement may occur weeks, months or even years after an untreated infection. Memory loss, difficulty
          concentrating, and changes in mood or sleep habits also can be symptoms of late-stage Lyme disease.

   Less common signs and symptoms. Some people may experience heart problems — such as an irregular heartbeat
         — several weeks after infection, but this rarely lasts more than a few days or weeks. Eye inflammation, hepatitis
         and severe fatigue are possible as well.

Left untreated, Lyme disease can cause: 
     Chronic joint inflammation (Lyme arthritis), particularly of the knee
     Neurological symptoms, such as facial palsy and neuropathy
     Cognitive defects, such as impaired memory
     Heart rhythm irregularities
     Memory loss
     Difficulty concentrating
     Changes in mood or sleep habits 

Diagnosis
These tests are most reliable a few weeks after an infection, after your body has time to develop antibodies. Even then, however, the tests aren't entirely foolproof. They include:

       Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test. The test used most often to detect Lyme disease, ELISA
       detects antibodies to B. burgdorferi. But because it can sometimes provide false-positive results, it's not used as the
       sole basis for diagnosis.

       Western blot test. If the ELISA test is positive, another test — the Western blot — is usually done to confirm the
       diagnosis. The Western blot detects antibodies to several proteins of B. burgdorferi.

       Polymerase chain reaction (PCR). This test helps detect bacterial DNA in fluid drawn from an infected joint. It's
       not effective at detecting infection of blood or urine. It's used for people who may have chronic Lyme arthritis. It
       may also be used to detect persistent infection in the cerebrospinal fluid of people who have nervous system
       symptoms.

Treatments and drugs
Oral antibiotics are the standard treatment for early-stage Lyme disease. These drugs often clear the infection and prevent complications.

Intravenous antibiotics
If the disease has progressed, your doctor may recommend treatment with an intravenous antibiotic for 14 to 28 days. This is effective in eliminating infection, although it may take some time to recover symptomatically. Intravenous antibiotics can cause various side effects, including a lower white blood cell count, gallstones and mild to severe diarrhea

Kimberly Callen, LCSW, CSAC, NBCCH
2 Cardinal Park Dr,  Suite 104A   Leesburg, VA  20175     
571-594-3338
kscallen@verizon.net    www.redmountaincounseling.net