What Is Lyme Disease
Understanding :
Lyme disease – an infectious disease caused by the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi and is transmitted by ticks. Characterized by a tendency to chronic and recurrent course and a primary lesion of the skin, nervous system, musculoskeletal system and heart.
The disease was first identified in 1975 in the town of Lyme (USA), when a group of patients was found arthritis, characterized by an unusual course.
Infection occurs through the bite of an infected tick. Activators of Borrelia burgdorferi tick saliva fall into skin and within a few days, proliferate, then they spread to other parts of the skin and internal organs (including heart, brain, joints). Pathogens in a long time (years) may be stored in the body, causing chronic and recurrent course of illness. The chronic form of the disease may develop many years after infection. Lyme disease is diagnosed by special blood tests and symptoms.
Currently, there are techniques that can detect the disease faster than the previously used antibody tests.
Causes of: tick bite Ixodia dammini, which is a carrier of the spirochetes Borrelia burgdorferi.
Symptoms of Lyme disease:
emergence in place a tick bite redness. Red spot on the periphery gradually increases, reaching 1-10 cm in diameter, sometimes up to 60 cm or more. The form of round or oval spots, rarely wrong. The outer edge of the red inflamed skin over a few rises above the level of the skin. Over time, the central part of the spot becomes pale or cyanotic hue, creates a form of the ring. In place of a tick bite, in the center of the spot is determined by the crust, then a scar. Stain persists without treatment, 2-3 weeks, then disappears.
After 1-1.5 months develop signs of damage to the nervous system, heart or joints.
observed flu-like symptoms such as headache, fatigue, fever, fatigue, sore throat, muscle pain. Joints are hot, swollen and painful (most often affects the knee joints), pain in muscles and tendons.
Neurological symptoms – paralysis (most commonly on the face), skin sensitivity disorders, insomnia, loss of hearing.
From the Heart: arrhythmias, increased heart rate contractions, bradycardia, chest pain, dizziness, shortness of breath.
Depression, dementia.
Complications and the possible consequences of Lyme disease :
Lyme disease most often occurs in late spring or early summer. After 1-2 weeks of flu-like symptoms that may be accompanied by a rash, usually go away. Recent studies have shown that bacteria can penetrate into the brain and spinal cord in the early stages of the disease.
In the absence of treatment for early-stage disease within a few weeks or months developing complications from the heart, joints, nervous system. However, even among patients treated early, complications occur in 15% of cases.
Because non-specific symptoms, Lyme disease is often misdiagnosed and treated as rheumatoid arthritis, meningitis, multiple sclerosis.
Weakness, mood changes and neurological symptoms are common causes of misdiagnosis of mental illness, chronic fatigue syndrome and other rare disorders that may accompany these symptoms.
The disease is rarely lethal, but the complications of the heart may appear life-threatening arrhythmias, infections during pregnancy, which can lead to miscarriage.
What You Can Do :
When severe weakness, need to rest. Aspirin or paracetamol can be taken to ease flu-like symptoms and joint pain. If it affects the joints needed rest, or possibly permanent damage to affected joints.
What can a doctor:
to treat Lyme disease, prescribe antibiotics, usually tetracycline or penicillin, which are administered orally at least 2 weeks. In severe cases, a / in the introduction of antibiotics, sometimes for several months or more.
The sooner treatment is started, the better it is. If the infection occurred a pregnant woman, it must as soon as possible to inform your doctor, even if asymptomatic.
For suspected Lyme disease, the physician should prescribe treatment even before the results of blood samples. Pregnant women and patients with severe disease require hospitalization and / or w / antibiotics.
Long-term treatment of complications depends on the affected organs. To restore the affected joint may require surgical intervention.
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