Lyme Science Blog

Severe Pain After Dental Surgery in Lyme Disease: A PTLDS Case Can dental surgery trigger severe pain in Lyme disease? In some patients, the reaction can be far more intense than expected. Quick Answer: In post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome (PTLDS), central sensitization can amplify pain responses, leading to widespread pain beyond the surgical site. Clinical […]

Why Doctors Don’t Believe Chronic Lyme Disease “My doctor told me it’s all in my head.” If you have been told your persistent symptoms are imaginary, exaggerated, or unrelated to Lyme disease—you are not alone. The dismissal you are experiencing is real. And it happens more often than it should. Not all physicians dismiss persistent

Exercise Intolerance in Lyme Disease: Why Activity Triggers Post-Exertional Malaise Exercise intolerance in Lyme disease occurs when physical or mental activity leads to worsening symptoms such as fatigue, brain fog, dizziness, or pain—often hours after exertion rather than during it. Exercise intolerance in Lyme disease is closely linked to post-exertional malaise (PEM), where symptoms worsen

How Long Does Lyme Disease Last? Duration by Stage After 37 years treating Lyme disease, I’ve seen patients recover in weeks and others struggle for years. “How long will I be sick?” is the first question patients ask after diagnosis. Some are told they’ll recover in a few weeks with antibiotics. Others watch months turn

How I Became a Lyme Disease Doctor Quick Answer: There is no single path to becoming a Lyme disease doctor. It often comes from experience recognizing complex, multi-system illness patterns that don’t fit a typical diagnosis. Clinical Insight: Many patients with Lyme disease are missed because symptoms span multiple systems and do not follow a

Lyme Guidelines Conflict: IDSA vs ILADS Explained My patient had been sick for two years, caught between conflicting Lyme guidelines that left her doubting her own experience. One specialist told her, “You’re cured—what you’re experiencing now is psychological.” Another said, “You still have active infection and need continued treatment.” She didn’t know which doctor to

Babesia Symptoms Often Missed: Why This Coinfection Is Easy to Misdiagnose Babesia symptoms are often missed—especially when they overlap with Lyme disease or do not follow a typical pattern. Babesia is a malaria-like parasite spread by ticks and commonly found alongside Lyme disease. Unlike Lyme disease, which is caused by a bacterium, Babesia infects red

When Does Lyme Disease Become Chronic? Quick Answer: Lyme disease is generally considered chronic when symptoms persist for six months or longer after treatment—but the transition is defined more by persistence than by a specific timeline. Clinical Insight: Chronic Lyme disease is not defined by a date—it is defined by ongoing symptoms, functional impairment, and

Proactive Individualized Lyme Treatment: Why It Matters STILL SICK AFTER LYME TREATMENT? THE APPROACH MAY NEED TO CHANGE Some patients recover quickly after Lyme disease treatment. Others remain ill for months—or years. What makes the difference? Quick Answer: Proactive individualized Lyme treatment adapts to each patient’s symptoms, timing, and response—rather than relying on a fixed