Lyme Disease Update Review
Information on lyme disease symptoms,sign,diagnosis,treatment and complication.This is an infectious disease caused by ticks infected with Borrelia burgdorferi.
Surgery in Lyme Disease
There is no surgical treatment indication for Lyme disease.
In severe cases of chronic Lyme arthritis, removal of the lining of the affected joints (synovectomy) may be needed if the arthritis has not responded to antibiotics.
Lyme Disease Prognosis
Most patients treated promptly with an appropriate antibiotic have an uncomplicated course. True failures are rare, and in most cases re-treatment or prolonged treatment is the result of misdiagnosis and misinterpretation of serologic results rather than inadequate therapy.
What can I do to lower my chances of getting Lyme disease, or any other disease, from ticks?
Prevention begins with you! Take steps to reduce your chances of being bitten by any tick. Ticks are most active during warm weather, generally late spring through fall. However, ticks can be out any time that temperatures are above freezing. Ticks cling to vegetation and are most numerous in brushy, wooded or grassy habitats. They are no found on open, sandy beaches, but may be found in grassy dune areas. When you are outside in an area likely to have ticks (e.g. brushy, wooded or grassy places), follow these simple steps to protect yourself and your loved ones: Use a repellent with DEET (the chemical N-N-diethyl-meta-toluamide) or permethrin according to the instructions given on the product label. DEET products should not be used on infants under two months of age and should be used in concentrations of 30% or less on older children. Permethrin products are intended for use on items such as clothing, shoes, bed nets and camping gear, and should not be applied to skin.
Diagnosis and test in Lyme Disease
Lyme disease may be hard to diagnose because its symptoms are like those of many other illnesses. Your doctor will take a careful medical history and do a physical examination to help diagnose early Lyme disease. You may be asked whether you have recently visited an area where you may have been exposed to ticks. The doctor will ask about your symptoms and look for physical signs that may indicate Lyme disease. The clearest physical sign is an expanding, circular red rash (called erythema migrans). See a picture of a Lyme disease rash.
The often vague, flu-like symptoms of Lyme disease can easily be misdiagnosed as another illness(such as chronic fatigue syndrome).
