What is Lyme Disease?
Lyme disease is caused by a bacteria called Borrelia Burgdorferi carried by the black-legged tick, also known as the deer tick. Patients get Lyme disease when they are bitten by this type of tick, the most common areas are: groin, armpits and sclap.. However, for the disease to be transmitted, the tick needs to feed for 24 to 48 hours.
Symptoms
It takes time for patients to notice the symptoms of Lyme disease, they can start showing after 3 days and in some cases, even 30 days after the bite. This disease has a wide range of symptoms:
Early stages of Lyme Disease before treatment
- Fever
- Chills
- Headhache
- Fatigue
- Muscle and joint pain
- Swollen lymph nodes
Advanced stages of Lyme Disease without treatment
- Severe headache
- Neck stiffness
- Rashes on other areas of the body
- Arthritis with severe joint pain and swelling
- Loss of muscle tone on one or both sides of the face
- Irregular heartbeat
- Inflammation of the brain and spinal cord
- Shooting pains, numbness, or tingling in the hands or feet
The rash is the most common symptom for patients to know its Lyme disease, it can grow up to 12 inches and it feels warm to the touch, in some cases it itches or it’s painful.
*If the tick is removed within 48 hours, you aren’t likely to get infected.