Lyme Disease: Symptoms and Treatments

Lyme disease can cause serious problems and is often difficult to diagnose. The symptoms of lyme disease often mimic other ailments and illnesses making it hard to pin point the problem. Lyme disease was first discovered in the mid-70's when doctors reported an unusual amount of children suffering from rheumatoid arthritis. Most of the children lived in rural, wooded areas, and it was soon discovered that ticks were carrying the disease to children and adults alike.

The most common symptom of lyme disease is a rash that appears, usually around the area where bitten by a tick. The rash often resembles a bulls-eye or target but can be circular, triangular or even oval-shaped. The rash can stay small or grow to the size of a basketball or larger. Usually the rash is noticed within four weeks of the bite and can be accompanied by flu-like symptoms. Fever, headache and fatigue are the most prevalent of the symptoms.

After a few weeks, when left untreated, the tick bite can cause painful arthritis of the joints. These symptoms can last days or months and often attack the knee joints. Continually left untreated lyme disease can cause chronic arthritis pain and symptoms.

Lyme disease can also cause many neurological problems such as stiff neck, headaches, pain or weakness in limbs and difficulty concentrating. Although neurological symptoms are frightening and can be somewhat debilitating these symptoms usually disappear after days or months.

Heart problems can often accompany the other symptoms of lyme disease. Slow heartbeat, irregular heartbeat or shortness of breath are often noticeable. Less likely symptoms include eye inflammation, hepatitis and severe fatigue.

The easiest way for a physician to diagnose lyme disease is to notice the rash that appears but in many people, there is no rash. If the person remembers being bitten by a tick that's important information for a physician but most people do not know they've been bitten since tick bites are rarely painful.