Lyme Disease

Lyme Disease

Dr. Jennie Berkovich

When I was doing my training in Florida, Lyme Disease was an unusual diagnosis. This tick-borne illness isn’t common in the Southeast, so it wasn’t until I started practicing in the Midwest that I really started learning about the spectrum and nuances of Lyme. It’s a topic with a tremendous amount of misinformation and worthwhile to address. Lyme disease is an infection caused by bacteria spread through certain types of tick bites. It’s most common in the northeastern, mid-Atlantic, and north-central United States. The percentage of ticks infected with Lyme disease bacteria varies greatly, ranging from less than one percent to over 50 percent, depending on the area and life stage of the tick.

The symptoms of Lyme disease can vary:

Early Stage (3–30 days after tick bite):

A bull’s-eye rash

Fever

Chills

Headache

Tiredness

Muscle and joint aches

Later Stages (days to months after tick bite):

Severe headaches

Additional rashes

Facial paralysis

Joint pain and swelling

Heart problems

Dizziness

Nerve pain

When to Test for Lyme Disease

Not every tick bite leads to Lyme disease. We usually test for Lyme if:

There is a bull’s-eye rash.

There are symptoms AND the patient has been in an area where Lyme disease is possible.

Types of Tests

There are two main blood tests for Lyme disease: