Lyme disease affects an estimated 476,000 people in the United States every year. When not treated, this disease — which is caused by ticks infected with a certain bacteria — can lead to complications, including arthritis, memory issues, and lowered immunity. Fortunately, Lyme disease is preventable, but it’s essential to take appropriate precautions when spending time outdoors.
Read on to learn more about the causes and symptoms of Lyme disease and discover treatments and prevention tips that can help you stay safe.
What Is Lyme Disease?
People contract Lyme disease when they’re bitten by a tick that is infected with Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria. The tick must be on your skin for between 36 and 48 hours to transmit the bacteria, and removing it within 24 hours can reduce your risk for infection. Many people who get Lyme disease usually live in or spend lots of time in forests and wooded areas.
What Causes Lyme Disease?
Ticks infected with Lyme disease are exposed to Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria when feeding on the blood of other animals, including deer and rodents. The ticks do not get sick, but they can pass the bacteria to humans. Your risk of infection from Lyme disease increases if you do not notice the tick on your skin and fail to remove it within 24 hours.
In the United States, ticks with Lyme disease are found in forests throughout Pacific Coast states, including Oregon and Washington, and in eastern states — particularly in northeastern, midwestern, and mid-Atlantic states. They are also found in south-central and southeastern Canada, and in most of Europe. Lyme disease ticks tend to live in shrubby or grassy areas and are most active when temperatures are above freezing.
What Are the Symptoms of Lyme Disease?
Lyme disease can cause a wide range of symptoms depending on the location of the tick bite and the length of time you’ve been infected.
Symptoms that occur three to 30 days after a bite may include:
- Fever and chills
- Headache
- Fatigue
- Muscle and joint aches
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Erythema migrans (EM) rash at the site of the tick bite
An EM rash resembles a target or bullseye and can grow up to 12 inches wide. It may feel warm to the touch but rarely causes pain or itching. EM rashes affect 70% to 80% of people with Lyme disease.
Symptoms that can occur months after a bite may include:
- Severe headaches
- Stiffness in the neck
- EM rashes on other parts of the body
- Facial palsy, or drooping or loss of muscle tone on one or both sides of the face
- Severe arthritis
- Muscle, joint, and bone pain
- Irregular heart rate
- Dizziness
- Shortness of breath
- Brain and spinal cord inflammation
- Nerve pain
- Numbness and tingling in the hands or feet
How Is Lyme Disease Treated?
Antibiotics are the most effective treatment for Lyme disease, given that it is a bacterial infection. Your healthcare provider may prescribe a course of oral antibiotics for between 10 and 14 days or give you intravenous antibiotics if your Lyme disease symptoms are more severe and affecting your heart, nervous system, or joints. In some instances, your provider may prescribe antibiotics as a preventive measure against Lyme disease, especially if you were recently bitten by a deer tick or the tick was attached to your skin for longer than 36 hours.
Tips for Preventing Lyme Disease
You can take steps to reduce your risk of contracting Lyme disease, even if you live in an area where these ticks commonly thrive. Most ticks attach themselves to your feet or legs when you walk through grassy areas, shrubs, and overgrown fields. After a tick attaches itself to your body, it may crawl to another part of your body where it can easily burrow into your skin and feed on your blood.
Steps you can take to prevent Lyme disease include:
- Wearing shoes and pants when spending time outdoors in areas where ticks are known to thrive
- Spraying your clothes and body with tick repellent
- Wearing light-colored clothing, which can make it easier for you to spot ticks
- Tucking your pants into your socks to reduce your exposure to ticks
- Showering right away after being outside to rinse away loose ticks
- Examining your entire body carefully after spending time outdoors
- Walking on cleared paths as much as possible when hiking or spending time in grassy, wooded areas
- Removing ticks carefully with tweezers right away if you notice them on your body or clothing
Make an appointment with your healthcare provider as soon as possible if you think you have been bitten by a tick. Your provider can perform a physical exam to make sure the tick is no longer attached to your skin and may prescribe antibiotics as a preventive measure to reduce your risk for Lyme disease.
Resource Links
- “Lyme Disease Data and Surveillance” via Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- “Lyme Disease Transmission” via Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- “Signs and Symptoms of Untreated Lyme Disease” via Centers for Disease Control and Prevention