Lyme disease is an infectious disease that is transmitted to human beings by tick bites. It is caused by a bacteria of Borrelia type which could be either Borrelia burgdorferi, Borrelia afzelii, Borrelia garinii or Borrelia mayonii. A deer tick is a carrier of his type of bacteria.
When the tick bites you, it transmits the bacteria in your body which finds its way into your bloodstream. Its incubation period is around seven days from which the symptoms start to manifest itself on the skin. The first notable symptom is redness of the skin around the bite which looks like a bull’s eye.
Lyme disease can be fatal if left untreated for long. It can affect your skin, then spread to joints which could affect the normal body movements. It may also affect your nervous systems as well as your heart causing chronical diseases like meningitis.
Lyme disease occurs in three notable phrases, and the first phase takes place three days after the tick bite which can last up to about thirty days. It is characterized by inflammation and redness of the skin around the bitten area. It may cause some rashes to appear some inches from the bitten point. These rashes are not painful or itchy, but you may feel warm on touching it. On a closer look, it may appear like bull’s eye.
The second stage is known as the early disseminated stage. At this stage, the rashes may spread to the other parts of the body. It normally takes place from the seven days to several weeks after the tick bite. This is where the victim starts experiencing some pain in the joints, headache which could signify the onset of meningitis. The effects on your nerves cause some neck stiffness and dizziness at this stage. This stage should be treated immediately. If not treated on time it leads to the next stage which is fatal and difficult to manage.
The third stage is known as the late disseminated stage which could take place anytime from the first month to one year. This stage is characterized by numbness, arthritis, swelling of joints and loss of memory. All these symptoms manifest themselves when the Lyme disease has already affected your nervous systems, joints, and your heart.
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