Lyme Science Blog

Can Lyme Disease Stay Dormant? Why Symptoms Come Back Later “I thought I was better—then my symptoms came back.” Can Lyme disease stay dormant? It can appear that way—but what patients often experience is a pattern where symptoms improve, then return over time. This “come and go” pattern is one of the most common—and most […]

You Look Too Healthy to Be Sick: The Reality of Invisible Illness in Lyme Disease “You look too healthy to be sick.” For many patients with Lyme disease, this phrase reflects the reality of living with an invisible illness—where symptoms are real, but not always visible. He came into my office smiling — but he

Can Lyme Disease Trigger Autoimmune Arthritis? What Happens After Infection Can Lyme disease trigger autoimmune arthritis? Some patients develop persistent or worsening joint pain months after infection—raising important questions about immune response and long-term risk. A recent study found that approximately 1–2% of patients developed inflammatory arthritis within two years of Lyme disease—higher than after

Why Symptoms Don’t Fit One Diagnosis Why symptoms don’t fit one diagnosis is a question many patients ask after months of appointments, testing, and partial answers. One label may explain the fatigue. Another may explain the pain. A third may be offered for dizziness, anxiety, or brain fog. But the full picture still does not

Why Some Ticks Won’t Come Out (And What to Do Next) Why are some ticks so difficult to remove? Most people expect a tick to come out easily—but in some cases, removal can be surprisingly difficult. In some cases, patients worry that part of the tick may still be embedded in the skin—raising questions about

Panic attacks after Lyme disease are not widely discussed in mainstream guidance, yet they appear in clinical practice more often than many physicians expect. In a published case report, Garakani and Mitton describe a patient whose prior Lyme disease history complicated the interpretation of new neuropsychiatric symptoms. The case raises important questions about diagnostic framing,

When Does a Herxheimer Reaction Start? Timeline and Duration Herxheimer reaction timeline is one of the most common concerns for patients starting Lyme disease treatment. Many ask: How soon will symptoms begin? How long will they last? Is day 3 normal? Quick Answer: A Herxheimer reaction typically begins within hours to a few days after

IBS and Lyme Disease: Why Gut Symptoms Don’t Always Fit IBS and Lyme disease can look surprisingly similar. Patients may develop bloating, constipation, abdominal discomfort, or irregular bowel habits—even when gastrointestinal testing is normal. These symptoms are often labeled as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). However, in Lyme disease, they may reflect changes in immune signaling

Conditions Lyme Disease Can Mimic (And Why It’s Often Misdiagnosed) Conditions Lyme disease can mimic are often the reason patients go months—or even years—without a clear diagnosis. Lyme disease rarely presents in a single, predictable way. Instead, symptoms may shift, overlap, and evolve across multiple body systems. Many patients are treated for multiple conditions—neurologic, rheumatologic,

Severe Herx Reaction Lyme Disease: When Symptoms Escalate Quickly Severe Herx reaction Lyme disease can be alarming. Symptoms may intensify suddenly after starting treatment, leaving patients unsure whether they are improving—or getting worse. This reaction, often referred to as a Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction, is typically linked to the body’s response to bacterial die-off rather than treatment