What is Lyme disease? It is an infection transmitted through a tick’s bite. A thick that is infected with a bacterium named “Borrelia burgdorferi”. This bacterium is transmitted to a tick from an infected animal that the latter has bitten such as mice and deer. Most people who are bitten by ticks never get the disease. It should be kept in mind that not all ticks have infections. Remember that the longer a tick stays on the body of a person, the higher the risk of getting Lyme disease.

What are the symptoms of Lyme disease at its early stage? Within one to four weeks after being bitten by the infected tick, patients usually notice and experience some symptoms. Thus, at the early stage of the disease, different symptoms start to appear and get noticed by the sufferer. In around seventy- eighty percent of Lyme disease cases, an expanding circular rash develops at the spot of the tick bite. This rash is referred to as “erythema migrans “. Flu-like symptoms are reported by some patients at the early stage. These symptoms may come in the forms of chills, fever, fatigue, headaches, joint pain, muscle aches and swollen lymph nodes.

When the infection has spread, what symptoms are associated with Lyme disease? It is of vital importance for the patient to have his condition checked, tested and treated at its early stage. Otherwise, the infection can spread and adversely affect other areas of the body such as the heart, joints and nervous system. This can occur around one to four months after being bitten by the infected tick. More and more rashes will appear throughout the body and the patient might feel arm or leg weakness and pain in intermittent periods. Other symptoms at this threatening stage include paralysis of facial muscles (Bell’s Palsy), poor memory, headaches and rapid heart beat.

What symptoms can be experienced as the disease is at its late stage? Among all Lyme disease stages, this is the most threatening and serious especially if prior treatments failed or no proper treatments ave been given at the earlier stage of the disease. This stage takes places several months after being bitten by the infected tick. Symptoms at this late stage include chronic inflammation of knee joints, poor functioning of nervous system, confusion, heart problems like inflammation of muscles in the heart, etc.

Can Lyme disease be prevented? Yes, it can. All you need to do is avoid as much as possible, getting bitten by a tick. It is well to keep in mind that all ticks are infected by the aforementioned bacterium so that you will take extra care of yourself even though it is not true. Remember that preventing from this disease does not mean you need to stay away from the sufferers of this disease nor killing the tick- infected pets. Bear in mind that human beings and pets cannot transmit the disease to you. The same thing holds true with various insects like flies, mosquitoes or fleas. Only infected ticks are transmitters of the infection.

Medical doctors are capable of diagnosing the disease through a series of physical examinations, blood tests and skin biopsy or skin tap. It must be noted that Lyme disease is a curable infection so there is nothing much to worry about. Most of these diseases can be cured with the use of antibiotics. At the early stage, the prescribed drugs for the disease are amoxicillin, doxycycline and cefuroxime. Long- term and intravenous antibiotics are prescribed for the late stage of the disease. There is no available human vaccine for Lyme disease currently.

There so many Lyme disease pictures you can take a look at online. These images can help you understand the disease better and all the things that characterize it. Lyme disease pictures show how this disease can ruin the life of a patient and attack the different parts of the body.