What are the Three Different Stages of Lyme Disease and their Treatment Options?

Lyme disease is caused by a bacteria called Borrelia burgdorferi, and previously the disease was called borreliosis. It is spread to people through the bite of various types of black-legged ticks. The symptoms of Lyme disease are quite similar to flu symptoms such as headache, fatigue, muscle and joint pain, fever, swollen lymph nodes, impaired cognitive function, etc. There exists different stages of Lyme infection and the treatment of Lyme disease depends on which stage the disease is diagnosed.

Princy A. J | September 02, 2022

Certain diseases have no specific symptoms and are difficult to diagnose at the initial stages. Lyme disease is one of them. This particular disease is a bacterial infection that is caused when the black-legged tick bites a human being and stays attached to his body for 36 to 48 hours. The infection is caused by bacteria called Borrelia burgdorferi, therefore initially Lyme disease was also called borreliosis. When an individual gets infected, the bacteria travel through the bloodstream of the human body and affect various tissues in the body. If the disease is not treated timely, it could turn into an inflammatory condition that could affect multiple systems, including skin, joints, and the nervous system.

With the increasing cases of Lyme disease among people all across the world, the global lime disease treatment market is predicted to witness significant growth in the upcoming years. The market is envisioned to garner a revenue of $1,636.6 million and grow at a CAGR of 8.4% during the analysis timeframe from 2022 to 2031. The major players of the market include Sun Pharmaceuticals Industries, Inc., Galaxo SmithKline Plc, Mayne Pharma, Pfizer, Inc, Novartis AG, and many more.

What are the Stages of Lyme Disease?

Mostly, there are three stages of lime infection which are discussed below:

Early Localized Lyme: In this stage, an individual can experience flu-like symptoms such as fever, headache, chills, sore throat, swollen lymph nodes, and a rash. The rash often looks like a bull’s eye, red in color, and at least 2 inches long.
Early Disseminated Lyme: With this stage, people may suffer from flu-like symptoms of weakness, pain, numbness in their arms and legs, heart palpitations, and chest pain. Along with this, people may also observe a rash and a type of facial paralysis known as Bell’s palsy.
Late Disseminated Lyme: As the initial symptoms are very common like flu, individuals may reach this stage without even knowing. This can happen to them even after weeks, months, or years of the tick bite. The symptoms of this stage include severe fatigue and headaches, arthritis, dizziness, trouble sleeping, and confusion.

How is Lyme Disease Treated?

The treatment for Lyme disease depends on its stage. With the early-stage Lyme stage, doctors used to prescribe some antibiotics for 10 days to 3 weeks. The most common antibiotics for Lyme disease are cefuroxime, doxycycline, and amoxicillin. If these antibiotics are unable to give results for curing the infection then medical professionals may prescribe some other antibiotics either by mouth or as a shot. Depending on other inflammatory conditions, the doctor may prescribe needful antibiotics to treat meningitis, inflammation in the brain and spinal cord, or severe heart problems. In the late stage, many people may get arthritis treatment along with common antibiotics for Lyme disease.

People of Which Countries Are More Likely to Have It?

Most incidences of Lyme disease are found in U.S., Mexico, and Canada. The ticks that are causing Lyme disease are moving from the Northeast and upper Midwest to the Southern and Western U.S. The names of states where the cases of Lyme disease used to be found are listed below:

Maryland
Massachusetts
Connecticut
Maine
Delaware
Minnesota
New York
Rhode Island
Virginia
Washington, DC
New Jersey
Vermont
Pennsylvania

What are the Reasons for Having More Ticks Now than There Used to be?

There are a plethora of reasons why Lyme disease is spreading more mow. Some of them are listed below:

Drastic climate changes such as very hot or very cold temperatures
Planting of new trees especially in the Northeastern U.S.
Increasing frequencies of people coming in contact with white-tailed deer which is the favorite way for a black-legged tick to travel
Moving away of people from large cities to their natives

Who is Likeliest to Get Lyme Disease?

According to scientific research and studies, boys up to age 15 and men between the ages of 40 and 60 are most likely to get Lyme disease. This is mainly because people of this age group tend to go camping, hunting, hiking, and playing outside. Moreover, this disease is most common in older adults as they tend to work in their backyards more often. Therefore, it is suggested to elderly people to be very careful while being outside the home.

About the Author(s)

Princy A. J

Princy holds a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from the prestigious Tamil Nadu Dr. M.G.R. University at Chennai, India. After a successful academic record, she pursued her passion for writing. A thorough professional and enthusiastic writer, she enjoys writing on various categories and advancements in the global industries. She plays an instrumental role in writing about current updates, news, blogs, and trends.