Identifying the Lyme Disease Rash

Lyme disease is caused by a specific bacteria that's transmitted to humans by the bite of a deer tick

. It was first identified in a group of individuals in Old Lyme, Connecticut in the 1970s, but was not linked to the particular bacteria until the 1980s. Though relatively rare, Lyme disease can happen to anyone who comes in contact with an infected tick, and if untreated it can cause long term damage to the joints and the heart.

This disease is not always easy to diagnose, however, because the early symptoms of Lyme disease are vague, and could indicate any number of conditions. However, in some people, Lyme disease presents a unique rash that helps in diagnosis. It is a distinct, red rash that takes on roughly the shape of a bullseye, and that can be several inches in diameter. It is an unusual rash that most people would not mistake for a common rash like a hive or psoriasis, though it does bear a slight resemblance to ringworm in that it has a defined border.

Other Lyme symptoms include tiredness, achiness, chills, fever, and joint pain that tends to move from one joint to another. It would be easy to mistake the symptoms of Lyme for the symptoms of flu. Anyone who has the Lyme disease rash should seek medical attention and be tested for the disease. First a screening test is done, and if this is positive, a second, more expensive diagnostic test is done to confirm or rule out Lyme disease, because the screening disease can produce false positives.

When the disease is confirmed, it is treated with antibiotics to kill the bacteria. This can almost always be done with oral antibiotics on an outpatient basis, but in people who are debilitated by other health conditions, treatment must occasionally take place in a hospital with intravenous antibiotics.

Though doctors know how to eradicate the bacteria that causes Lyme disease, sometimes people experience lingering symptoms for weeks or months after a person is "cured." Getting help for these problems can sometimes be difficult, because many medical professionals believe that once the bacteria is gone, everything is "back to normal." There are other doctors who specialize in helping people with lingering symptoms return to health through rest, nutrition, and other rehabilitation measures.

The characteristic Lyme disease rash should be taken seriously, and people with symptoms of the disease, including fatigue, fever, chills, and joint pain should bring these symptoms to the attention of their physician. In many cases, the symptoms are not caused by Lyme disease, but when they are, prompt treatment is important to minimize the possibility of long term debilitation.

Identifying the Lyme Disease Rash

By: Celio Jones

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