Facts About Lyme Disease

By Author: Steven Johnson
Total Articles: 494
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If you life on the East Coast or travel to the East Coast on vacation, when the temperatures climb you know that mosquitos are not going to be your only problem. For those that live along the East Coast, and in some parts of California, the disease known as Lyme Disease is more than a nuisance. Lyme Disease is a tick-borne illness that starts as a bacterial infection and can lead to some serious problems. It was named after the town in Connecticut where the first group of cases became diagnosed in the early 1970's. Severe cases can lead to neurological problems, depression, paralysis, and in pregnant women, the disease can be fatal to unborn babies. Read here to find out more about Lyme Disease and what the treatments of choice are for those who are suffering.
Lyme Disease occurs when you are bitten by a tick, and it burrows under your skin and emits a bacteria that is screw shaped. Unfortunately many people do not know they have even been bitten, and more than half of all Lyme Disease patients do not develop the early warning rash, and so this illness leads to many other complications such as cardiac problems, arthritis, ...
... joint pain and swelling, and stiffness that can be very painful.
The first sign that you or someone you love may have Lyme Disease will often be the warning rash that occurs after the tick bite. The rash will develop as a donut shape around the area of the tick bite, and this may take a few weeks even to occur. In more than half of the cases reported, this rash does not show up and you may not know you have a problem until more serious symptoms arise.
There are a number of treatments available for Lyme Disease, but given the wide array of symptoms you may experience, you will want to try a multi-pronged approach if your symptoms are extensive. Alternative therapies have been found to be very effective in treating Lyme Disease, and can include massage, physical therapy, and even occupational therapy if you have the common symptoms of swelling, tenderness, and joint pain. Soaking in Jacuzzi tubs or taking long warm baths will also alleviate some of your swelling and tenderness at the joints.
Of course, you will need to treat the infection as well in order to alleviate these symptoms permanently. Today's treatment for Lyme Disease is doxycycline, and is often the first course of treatment recommended by doctors. The reason for this is that this medication is more easily absorbed than other antibiotic medications, and only needs to be taken twice a day as opposed to other antibiotics where intake is more frequent. This factor helps ease side effects and will be more tolerated by your gastrointestinal tract. Overall you will find that Lyme Disease is not as scary as it sounds. If you have a standard case of Lyme Disease that has not progressed to more serious symptoms, you will find that treatment with Doxycycline will be a very effective way to quickly treat your infection and get you back to your life in no time at all.