Lyme Disease Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis and Treatment

What Is A Lyme Disease?

Lyme disease is a bacterial infection which results due to an infected tick bite. The bite leaves a rash on the area where the tick had bitten and in most cases the rash resembles the shape of a bull’s eye. However, scientists and medical experts state that around 25% of the victims do not get a rash after the bite. Since a rash is not always necessary, victims must look out for other symptoms if they are in a doubt whether or not they have been infected by the Lyme disease. The Lyme disease is not dangerous if a person immediately seeks medical advice without a delay.

What Are The Alternate Names Of Lyme Disease?

Lyme disease is also known by the following names:

• Bannwarth syndrome.
• Borreliosis.

What Are The Symptoms Of Lyme Disease?

As mentioned above, mere observation of the rash is not the only way to judge Lyme disease. However, the following symptoms may also indicate that a person is suffering from it:

• Flu.
• Fever.
• Stiff neck.
• Headache.
• Fatigue.

Although these are some early symptoms, others may include muscle aches, lymph nodes and joint pain. However, if Lyme disease is left untreated for a longer period, it may result in some life-threatening symptoms like heart problems, erythma migrans, neurological symptoms and eye inflammation.

What Causes A Lyme Disease?

The bacteria named borrelia burgdorferi are responsible for causing Lyme disease. Blacklegged and certain species of ticks serves as the basis to carry the bacteria. When a tick bites an infected deer or mice, it takes up the bacteria B. burgdorferi. It then transmits the bacteria to people through a bite, causing Lyme disease.

What Are The Risk Factors Of Lyme Disease?

The probability to develop Lyme disease increases if:

• A person is wearing clothes that expose too much skin. This means that if he walks in an area where ticks are common, the chance of being bitten is high.
• A person roams around in a wooden or grassy area. These are the places where the tick-laden animals usually dwell and therefore infected ticks are found in such places.
• Having a pet animal that can transport the infected tick home.

How Is Lyme Disease Diagnosed?

It is normal to see a medical expert even if symptoms show up to confirm whether or not a person is victimized by Lyme disease. Therefore, tests like

• Western blot test.
• MRI (of brain).
• ELISA and
• PCR tests are seen as reliable by experts.

How Is Lyme Disease Treated?

Lyme disease is a disease that can efficiently be cured by using antibiotics. Doctors claim that the sooner the treatment begins, the faster will be the result. Certain oral and intravenous antibiotics usually cure Lyme disease, though, not necessarily. Bismacine is seen as an alternative by medicinal practitioners.

 

By : Natural Health News