What is the element spreading Lyme disease? Ticks! Ticks live in grass and bushes and they attach to an animal passing near them, called the host. Ticks are small and may be hard to see with the naked eye. Young ticks, or nymphs, are the size of poppy seeds.



Early symptoms of Lyme disease (Borreliosis) - Some of the early symptoms of Lyme disease include the affection of the skin, joints, nervous system and other systems or organs. Symptoms and their severity can vary from one person to another.

Symptoms of Lyme disease are often described in three separate stages of the disease, although not all patients pass through all stages: The first sign of infection is usually a circular rash, called erythema migration, which occurs in 1-2 weeks after infection, but can occur 30 days after tick bite.

This rash often has a characteristic appearance of a bull’s eye, with a central red dot surrounded an area of clean skin, in turn surrounded by a red zone that extends. It can occur as a solid red ring extending. The area may be warm to the touch and usually not painful, or itchy. The target-shaped rash may be more difficult to observe in people who have darker skin, which may look like a sore. The rash usually goes away in about one month. Although this rash is considered typical of Lyme disease, there are many patients who do not have it.

Together with the hives, the infected person may have flu-like symptoms, like swollen lymph nodes, fatigue, headache and muscle aches. If untreated, initial symptoms may disappear by themselves. But in some people, infection can spread to other parts of the body. At this stage of Lyme disease, symptoms usually occur within weeks after the tick’s sting. The patient may feel very tired and very ill, or may have hives in several areas, depending on the location of the sting.

Lyme disease can affect the heart, which can lead to irregular heartbeat or chest pain. It can spread to the nervous system, causing facial paralysis or tingling and numbness of the arms and legs. It can start to cause headache and stiff neck, which can be considered symptoms of meningitis. For heavier people the disease main cause swelling and pain in joints.

Complications of Lyme disease - The last stage of Lyme disease can occur if the disease was not detected early and treated appropriately. Symptoms of Lyme disease in the last stage can occur weeks or years after the sting that caused the infection and include arthritis, especially in knees and later deterioration of cognitive functions in adults.

So if you find yourself walking in the woods, you should remember that bears and cougars are not the only threats you are facing. There may be many other risks involved in your regular hike, and one of these risks is a bite from a tick, and the subsequent Lyme disease infection. Even though not all tick bites cause Lyme disease infections, those that do need to be checked carefully. And I know, Lyme disease is not such a bad disease, I mean it is not like, say, cancer or necrotizing fasciitis, but it can cause a bit of discomfort and, I think you would agree, it is better to be safe than sorry. Correct? So start paying attention to what happens with your body and start looking more carefully at the insect bites you are dealing with.