Tick bites spread Lymes disease and it’s a bacterial infection caused by the “spirochete” bacterium. Other bacteria also cause the condition such as the Borrelia afzelii. It can impact the joints, skin, heart and the nervous system. This disease has several phases where it starts with the bite and redness appears. The diagnosis of Lyme disease is done by looking for antibodies in the blood or from the physical appearance of the patient. This condition can be treated with antibiotics. This isn’t a contagious disease but it can cause abnormalities in the affected areas.
Symptoms Stage I
It’s first caused by a tick bite and a red rash appears where the bite occurred. The rash is called erythema migrans. It may appear up to three days after the person was bitten by the tick but it might also take about a month to appear on the body. There a pattern of a “bulls-eye” with the rash that makes it distinct. The symptoms are a bit like having the flu with chills, fever, headache, fatigue, joint pain, muscle pain, and overall general weakness. This stage can develop over a period of several months. Some people might think they just have a bad case of the flue before they even spot the redness caused by the tick bite. This usually indicates that is Lymes disease.
Stage II-III
In the second stage of Lymes disease there more pronounced tiredness and overall weakness in the patient. There stiffness and severe join t pain. There can be eye irritation, facial weakness, irregular heartbeat, skin rashes and if the disease isn’t treated it goeѕ into the third stage. In this stage there can be neurological symptoms, such as paralysis, numbness or dizziness. Other symptoms include long-term arthritis. The condition is rarely fatal but it can impact a baby and be fatal if the mother gets it before pregnancy for the infant.
Treatment
The condition is treated with antibiotics such as cefuroxime or amoxicillin. A doctor should be consulted if you suspect you have the condition as it can be easily treated. For mild cases there’s usually an oral antibiotic that’s given for about 2-4 weeks to stop the spread of the disease. For more serious cases there can be intravenous given or a longer treatment depending how severe the disease has become. In the earlier stages the disease is easier to treat then when it becomes advanced.