Lyme 101

In looking for a definition of Lyme I discovered that the definitions are as varied as the symptoms. The most concise definition is given by The Centre For Disease Control. They define Lyme Disease as “A tick-transmitted inflammatory disorder that begins with a characteristic skin rash, and may be followed weeks to months later by neurological, cardiac, or joint abnormalities.” Encyclopedia Britannica gives a more in-depth look at the stages of Lyme and many of it's symptoms both short term and long term.

“In humans the disease progresses in three stages. The first and mildest stage is characterized by a circular rash in a bull’s-eye pattern that appears anywhere from a few days to a month after the tick bite. The rash is often accompanied by such flu-like symptoms as headache, fatigue, chills, loss of appetite, fever, and aching joints or muscles. The majority of persons who contract Lyme disease experience only these first-stage symptoms and never become seriously ill. A minority, however, will go on to the second stage of the disease, which begins two weeks to three months after infection. This stage is indicated by arthritic pain that migrates from joint to joint and by disturbances of memory, vision, movement, or other neurological symptoms. The third stage of Lyme disease, which generally begins within two years of the bite, is marked by crippling arthritis and by neurological symptoms that resemble those of multiple sclerosis Symptoms vary widely, however, and some persons experience facial paralysis, meningitis, memory loss, mood swings, and an inability to concentrate.

Because Lyme disease often mimics other disorders, its diagnosis is sometimes difficult, especially when there is no record of the distinctive rash. Early treatment of Lyme disease with antibiotics is important in order to prevent progression of the disease to a more serious stage. More powerful antibiotics are used in the latter case, though symptoms may recur periodically thereafter.”

This is probably the most clear and concise explanation of how Lyme affects the body that I have ever encountered.