Lyme disease is a tick-borne illness caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi. It can cause a variety of symptoms, including fever, fatigue, rash, headache, and joint pain. Lyme disease is most common in the northeastern and midwestern United States, but it can also occur in other parts of the country.
Prevention
The best way to prevent Lyme disease is to avoid being bitten by ticks. Here are some tips for preventing tick bites:
- Wear long-sleeved shirts and pants when you are outdoors, especially in wooded areas.
- Tuck your pants into your socks and tuck your shirt sleeves into your pants.
- Use insect repellent with DEET or picaridin.
- Check yourself for ticks after spending time outdoors.
If you find a tick on your skin, remove it immediately with tweezers. Be sure to remove the entire tick, including the head.
Diagnosis
If you think you may have Lyme disease, see a doctor right away. There is no single test for Lyme disease, so your doctor will likely order a combination of tests, including:
- Blood tests to detect antibodies to the Borrelia burgdorferi bacterium
- Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test
- Western blot test
Treatment
Lyme disease is typically treated with antibiotics for 14 to 28 days. Early treatment can help prevent complications, such as arthritis, heart problems, and neurological problems.
If you are diagnosed with Lyme disease, it is important to complete the full course of antibiotics, even if you start to feel better. Skipping doses or stopping antibiotics early can increase your risk of developing complications.
Remember, early detection and treatment of Lyme disease are important. If you think you may have Lyme disease, see a doctor right away.
Additional Resources:
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): https://www.cdc.gov/lyme/
- National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID):
https://www.niaid.nih.gov/diseases-conditions/lyme-disease - Lyme Disease Association: https://www.lymediseaseassociation.org/
Dr. Kre Johnson is a Board Certified Family Medicine Physician and the sole owner of Brownstone Healthcare and Aesthetics. She is the Medical Director of the City of Birmingham’s Employee Health Clinic-Brownstone BWell Birmingham. She is the Event Producer of Wifeology and the founder of Three Twenty Girls, Inc. She loves God, traveling, and all things Southern!!
Brownstone BWell: Brownstone Healthcare has partnered with the City of Birmingham to offer primary care services to the employees of the City of Birmingham for $0 copayment. This partnership is for preventative services & screenings and sick visits. We partner with your current primary care physician and our goal is to keep you out of the ER and urgent care. We do not share your information with the City of Birmingham. We uphold HIPPA and professional standards. You can visit us at our downtown location 1700 5th Ave N Birmingham, AL 35203 or Trussville: 4643 Camp Coleman Road #117 Trussville, AL 35173 205-202-5650 call for your appointment today.
