Previous Next References A history of Lyme disease, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. David L. Horn, MD Cancer Care. Emergency Services. Cesarean Birth. Imaging Services. High Blood Pressure. Laboratory Services. Maternity Services. Hip Replacement. Primary Care. Type 2 Diabetes. Surgical Services. Home Care. Support Groups. Stroke Awareness. Fitness Classes. Integrative Therapy. Weight Management. Parking Information.
Gift Shop. Patient Meals. That way you can get checked and treated, if needed. Call right away if you get a red-ringed rash, lasting flu-like symptoms, joint pain or a swollen joint, or facial paralysis. Doctors usually treat Lyme disease with a 2- to 4-week course of antibiotics. People whose Lyme disease is diagnosed quickly and treated with antibiotics almost always have a good outcome. They usually feel back to normal within several weeks of starting treatment.
Lyme disease is not contagious, so you can't catch it from another person. But you can get it more than once from ticks that live on deer, in the woods, or travel on your pets. So always be cautious, even if you've already had Lyme disease. There's no sure way to avoid getting Lyme disease.
But you can minimize your risk. Be aware of ticks when you're in high-risk areas. If you work outdoors or spend time gardening, fishing, hunting, or camping, take precautions:.
If you use an insect repellent containing DEET, follow the directions on the product's label and don't overapply it. Place DEET on shirt collars and sleeves and pant cuffs, and only use it directly on exposed areas of skin. Be sure to wash it off when you go back indoors. You should know how to remove a tick just in case one lands on you or a friend.
To be safe, remove the tick as soon as possible. Note: Don't use petroleum jelly or a lit match to kill a tick. They won't get the tick off your skin quickly enough, and may just cause it to burrow deeper into your skin.
Larger text size Large text size Regular text size. What Is Lyme Disease? Not everyone with Lyme has all of these, though: A circular rash at the site of the tick bite, typically within 1—2 weeks of infection, often is the first sign of infection. It's considered typical of Lyme disease, but many people never get one.
Symptoms of the initial illness may go away on their own. But in some people, the infection spreads to other parts of the body. Symptoms of this stage usually start several weeks after the tick bite, even in those who didn't have the rash. Eva Sapi. Lyme disease is caused by a spirochete—a corkscrew-shaped bacterium called Borrelia burgdorferi. It can affect any organ of the body, including the brain and nervous system, muscles and joints, and the heart.
Patients with Lyme disease are frequently misdiagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis, and various psychiatric illnesses, including depression. Misdiagnosis with these other diseases may delay the correct diagnosis and treatment as the underlying infection progresses unchecked.
Most people get Lyme from the bite of the nymphal, or immature, form of the tick. Nymphs are about the size of a poppy seed.
Because they are so tiny and their bite is painless, many people do not even realize they have been bitten. Once a tick has attached, if undisturbed it may feed for several days. The longer it stays attached, the more likely it will transmit the Lyme and other pathogens into your bloodstream. Refer to tick section. If pregnant women are infected, they sometimes pass Lyme disease to their unborn children and, while not common, stillbirth has occurred.
Some doctors believe other types of human-to-human transmission are possible but little is known for certain. Lyme disease has been found on every continent except Antarctica.
Rates have increased significantly over time. Some of this increase may be because of disease spread, but it is also likely that it reflects growing public awareness of the disease.
Not all ticks are infected. Within endemic areas, there is considerable variation in tick infection rates depending on the type of habitat, presence of wildlife and other factors.
0コメント