Lyme disease: what it is, main symptoms and treatment

Lyme disease, also known as tick disease, is a disease caused by the bite of a tick contaminated by the bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi , leading to the appearance of a circular red spot on the skin, which increases over time. Usually, the tick bites the skin without the person noticing it until the first symptoms appear.

As soon as the first symptoms are noticed, it is important to consult an infectologist or general practitioner to have tests, confirm the infection and start the appropriate treatment, which is usually done with the use of antibiotics.

If the treatment is not done or is done incorrectly, complications can arise, such as arthritis, meningitis or heart problems, which greatly decrease the quality of life.

Reddish circular stain

Main symptoms

Symptoms of Lyme disease are progressive, being classified into:

Initial symptoms

The initial symptoms appear between 3 to 30 days after the infected tick bite and include:

Skin lesion and redness at the bite site, similar to a bull's eye, between 2 and 30 cm, which increases in size over time; Tiredness; Pain in muscles, joints and headache; Fever and chills; nape.

When you have any of these symptoms, especially accompanied by a spot and redness on the skin, it is advisable to immediately consult a general practitioner, or infectious disease, to confirm the diagnosis and start treatment with antibiotics.

Late symptoms

Late symptoms appear when treatment is not started in time and are related to the onset of complications such as:

Arthritis, especially in the knee, where there is pain and swelling in the joints; Neurological symptoms, such as numbness and pain in the feet and hands, paralysis of the facial muscles, memory failures and concentration difficulties; Meningitis, which is characterized by pain in severe head, stiff neck and increased sensitivity to light; Heart problems, being noticed due to palpitations, shortness of breath and fainting.

In the presence of these symptoms, it is recommended to go to the hospital to receive treatment for the disease and avoid worsening of complications that, when not treated, can be life-threatening.

How to confirm the diagnosis

Lyme disease is usually diagnosed through blood tests that can be done 3 to 6 weeks after the person is bitten by the tick, which is the time it takes for the infection to develop and appear on the exams.

Thus, tests that can be used to detect Lyme disease include:

ELISA test: is a type of serological test performed with the objective of identifying specific antibodies produced by the immune system against the bacteria and, thus, checking the concentration of this bacterium in the body; Western Blotting test: it is a type of test in which a small blood sample is used to study the proteins that the antibodies used to fight the bacteria that causes the disease.

Lyme disease is confirmed when the results of both tests are positive. In addition, the doctor may request a blood count and the measurement of C-reactive protein (CRP) to identify an infection.

How the treatment is done

The treatment for Lyme disease is done through the use of antibiotics such as Doxycycline, for example, and the sooner the treatment starts, the faster the recovery, avoiding complications.

1. Use of antibiotics

Treatment for Lyme disease should always be indicated by the doctor and, normally, the infection is treated with antibiotics, such as Doxycycline 100 mg, which must be taken twice a day for 2 to 4 weeks or according to medical advice. In the case of children and pregnant women, the use of Amoxicillin or Azithromycin is indicated for the same period of time.

Generally, the antibiotic is taken orally, however, in more severe cases it is necessary to be hospitalized so that the medication is administered directly into the vein and complications can be avoided. In addition, women who are breastfeeding can be treated with antibiotics without the baby being at risk.

2. Physiotherapy sessions

In severe situations, Lyme disease can cause arthritis, especially in the knee, which leads to pain and swelling in the joints. In such cases, the person may need to have physiotherapy sessions to regain mobility and be able to do day to day activities without pain. The sessions are performed by physical therapists and include mobility exercises and stretching or use of equipment according to the severity of the case.

In some cases, the doctor may recommend the use of anti-inflammatory drugs, such as Ibuprofen for example, to decrease joint inflammation.

Check out some exercises that relieve the symptoms of arthritis in the knee and other joints.

What causes Lyme disease

Lyme disease is caused mainly by the bite of ticks infected by the bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi and that feed on human blood, mainly ticks of the species Ixodes ricinus . In order for these species of tick to be able to transmit the disease to people, it is necessary that it remains attached to the person for at least 24 hours.

This bacterium can be present in the blood of several animals, such as deer and rats, for example, and, when the tick parasitizes these animals, it acquires the bacterium and can transmit it to other animals and people.

How transmission occurs

Lyme disease is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi that can be present in the blood of several animals such as rats, deer or blackbirds, for example. When a tick bites one of these animals, it is also contaminated with the bacteria, and can then transmit that bacteria to people.

Ticks are so small that a person may not know they have been bitten, so if there is a suspicion, the best places to look for a tick on the body include: behind the ears, on the scalp, navel, armpits, groin or on the back of the knee, for example. The risk of becoming infected is greater when the tick can stay on the skin for more than 24 hours.

People who work in forest areas such as hikers, campers, farmers, forest workers or soldiers are at an increased risk of being bitten by ticks and acquiring the disease. See what other diseases can be caused by the tick.