Once the weather warms up, and we start spending more time outside, the chances of getting bitten by one of the nasty bloodsuckers starts to skyrocket. Researchers estimate Lyme disease causes around 300,000 illnesses in the United States every year, with most occurring in the summer months in the Northeast and Midwest. (Folks living in western New Jersey also have a new foreign tick species associated with Japanese spotted fever to worry about.) What’s more, a major new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows Lyme disease cases are rising rapidly across the U.S. Between 2004 and 2016, tick-borne disease cases more than doubled, with 82 percent of those cases being Lyme disease. (Other tick-borne diseases include Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Anaplasmosis, and Ehrlichiosis.) Lyme disease is a bacterial infection that can strike if an infected tick bites you. These tiny critters—which look like black or dark brown sesame seeds—have vampire-like tendencies. “They drink blood and then regurgitate it into the bite site, injecting Lyme bacteria,” says John T. Raffalli , MD, an infectious disease specialist at CareMount Medical in Mount Kisco, New York. (Gross, right?) Once the bacteria get into your body, Lyme can start to wreak havoc. Early Lyme disease is usually characterized by flu-like symptoms. Over time, it can cause problems in your joints, heart, and nervous system. The good news is that it’s generally easy to treat. As long as you know what symptoms to look for, you can get help early on, and treatment is pretty straightforward.
What are the symptoms of Lyme disease?
Lyme disease can cause a range of symptoms. Within three to 30 days of getting bitten by an infected tick, you might have:
Flu-like symptoms: You may experience fever, chills, headache, fatigue, achy muscles and joints, and swollen lymph nodes. But unlike the flu, you won’t have coughing or congestion, says Kalpana D. Shere-Wolfe, MD, an infectious disease specialist the University of Maryland Medical Center Midtown Campus.A red rash: The rash can take on a bull’s eye shape and might get larger over time. It might feel warm to the touch, but it won’t be itchy or painful. It’s common, affecting up to 80% of people with Lyme disease. But some people do get other symptoms without a rash. As the disease progresses, you might notice other symptoms too.
According to the CDC, the following symptoms are more likely to strike in the months after getting bitten:
Additional rashesHeadaches or neck stiffnessSevere pain in your joints and musclesShooting pain, numbness, or tingling in your hands or feetDizziness or shortness of breathHeart palpitationsShort-term memory problems
How can you prevent Lyme disease?
The best way to avoid Lyme disease is simple: steer clear of ticks! Ticks tend to live in wooded areas with lots of bushes and long grass. That means you’re not only at risk when you’re out on a hike or a camping trip—you could also be bit if you have tall grass or trees in your own yard. Here’s how to protect yourself from bites:
Wear long sleeves and pants in wooded and grassy areasSpray yourself with repellent that contains 20% DEET, like Deep Woods OffClear weeds and brush from your yardCheck your body thoroughly after you’ve spent time in a tick-prone area—especially hard-to-see parts of your body (use a hand mirror!)
Read up on the mistakes that up your risk for Lyme.
What should you do if you find a tick?
If you spot a tick on yourself, there are a few things you should do. For starters, use a pair of tweezers to grab the bug as close to your skin as possible. Pull upward, taking care not to twist or tear the tick. Clean the affected area with soap and water and flush the tick down the toilet, the CDC recommends. (Read more about exactly what to do if you find a tick on you.) Once you’ve removed the tick, pay attention to any symptoms that might suggest Lyme disease, especially if you live in a Lyme disease-prone state like Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, New Jersey, Wisconsin, or Minnesota, to name but a few. If any signs or symptoms arise, call your doctor. “The best thing to do is visit an infectious disease specialist for an evaluation to see if you need testing,” recommends Linda Yancey, MD, an infectious disease specialist with Memorial Hermann Katy Hospital in Katy, Texas. ⚠️ If you’re experiencing Lyme symptoms and didn’t find a tick, you should still call your doctor. The bug could have bitten you and fallen off before you were able to find it. ⚠️
What is it like to get tested for Lyme disease?
A simple blood test looks for antibodies that show whether you’ve been exposed to the bacteria that causes Lyme disease. The only problem? It can take a few weeks for your immune system to build up antibodies. So you might get a false negative if you’re in the very early stages of the disease. (Since it’s easy to mistake other infections for Lyme disease, false positives can sometimes happen, too.) Your test results will determine your next steps.
If you get a positive reading: When caught early, the condition is easy to treat with oral antibiotics like doxycycline or amoxicillin. Antibiotics can still be effective later on, too. But the longer Lyme disease hangs around in your system, the more likely you are to develop complications like severe joint and muscle pain, heart problems, and neurological impairments, says Timothy J. Sellati, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer for the Global Lyme Alliance.If your test comes back clean: It’s important to be vigilant if your symptoms stick around. “If you have any combination of unexplained flu-like symptoms, headaches, a stiff neck, neurological problems, or joint and muscle pain you should ask your doctor about antibiotics for Lyme disease,” Sellati explains. “The sooner treatment is started, the more likely you’ll be to recover without lasting physical consequences of the infection.”
How’s Lyme disease treated?
The way Lyme disease is treated depends on the progression of the disease and the types of symptoms you’re experiencing. If caught in the early stages, Lyme disease recovery isn’t complicated. You will likely be prescribed oral antibiotics like doxycycline, amoxicillin, or cefuroxime and instructed to take the medication for 10 to 21 days. Your medication should stop the disease from progressing and will help to decrease the duration and severity of your symptoms. About 10 to 15% of people with early Lyme disease experience a brief worsening of symptoms within a day of starting antibiotics. This is called a Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction, and it lasts for about 24 hour. Most patients are instructed to continue taking their medication when this happens. If your Lyme disease is first recognized after it has spread beyond the site of the bite, antibiotics may be administered intravenously.
Any complications to know about?
The key to avoiding Lyme disease complications is to get treated right away. If Lyme disease progresses, you may face these complications:
Joint pain and inflammation, especially in the knee. This is called Lyme arthritisNeurological symptoms like muscle weakness on one side of the face (facial palsy)Memory problems, brain fog, and other cognitive defectsArrhythmia Extreme fatigue
