August 17, 2026

Can a Lyme Disease Test Confirm That Treatment Worked? Lyme antibody tests are not tests of cure Positive or negative results cannot confirm eradication Treatment response must be assessed in clinical context Patients often ask whether a blood test can show that Lyme disease treatment worked. The short answer is no. There is currently no […]

Why Does My Skin Hurt From Light Touch? Pain from clothing, bedsheets, or a breeze Allodynia can occur with several neurologic and pain conditions The pattern and associated symptoms help guide evaluation One of my patients once told me, “Doc, the air hurts my skin.” He knew the description sounded unusual, but he was trying

Why Do Medical Guidelines Disagree—and What Should Patients Do? Expert panels may interpret the same evidence differently Recommendations reflect judgments about benefits, risks, and uncertainty Patients still need an individualized medical decision Patients often expect medical guidelines to provide one clear answer. It can therefore be unsettling to discover that respected professional organizations recommend different

Can the Public Help Detect Emerging Tick-Borne Disease Risks? Illinois residents submitted 740 ticks from 54 counties Ticks were encountered during 11 months of the year Community surveillance identified Lyme bacteria and other pathogens Public-health officials cannot collect ticks from every yard, park, trail, farm, or neighborhood. Yet those are the places where people and

Does Lyme Disease Affect Women Differently? Women may experience different symptoms and diagnostic barriers Sex and menopausal status may influence presentation and antibody testing Important questions about persistent illness remain unanswered Women with Lyme disease sometimes describe a difficult path to diagnosis: symptoms that do not fit the expected pattern, negative or inconclusive early tests,

Can Lyme Disease Risk Be Predicted Years in Advance? Tick populations reflect conditions over several years Weather and wildlife data may provide an early warning Regional forecasts could strengthen Lyme disease prevention Most people think about Lyme disease risk in terms of the current season. Was the winter unusually warm? Has the spring been rainy?

Is Lyme Disease Moving Farther South? Infected blacklegged ticks were found around homes in western North Carolina Approximately 40% of tested adult blacklegged ticks carried the Lyme bacterium Emerging risk may outpace surveillance maps and clinical awareness Lyme disease has traditionally been associated with the Northeast, mid-Atlantic, and upper Midwest. Patients in southern states may

My Symptoms Remain Unexplained. What Should My Doctor and I Do Next? Persistent symptoms may remain unexplained after initial testing Diagnostic uncertainty does not mean the symptoms are imaginary A clear follow-up plan can reduce the risk of dismissal or missed disease Living with unexplained symptoms can be frustrating and frightening. You may have undergone

Why Does Travel History Matter When Evaluating Lyme Disease? Travel does not have to mean leaving the country A weekend trip or outdoor activity may create tick exposure Geography can guide—but should not determine—the diagnosis When physicians ask about travel, many patients think only about international trips. However, travel history and Lyme disease may be

Are You Tired, Sleepy, Weak, or Exercise Intolerant? Low energy, sleepiness, weakness, and poor exercise tolerance can feel similar Each pattern raises different diagnostic questions Describing what happens can help guide evaluation “I am tired all the time” is one of the most common concerns patients bring to a medical visit. Yet the word “tired”