If Lyme disease is identified and treated promptly, many people recover fully. A standard course of antibiotics can effectively clear the infection, and symptoms typically resolve. However, some individuals experience lingering effects even after treatment. What Happens If Lyme Disease Is Left Untreated? If the infection spreads or is not diagnosed early, it can […]
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Can You Feel a Tick on You? The Short Answer: Sometimes — But Often Not If you’ve ever wondered, “Can you feel a tick on you?”, you’re not alone. Many patients assume they would notice a tick crawling or biting. In reality, ticks are exceptionally stealthy. In many cases, you won’t feel them at all—especially
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After 37 years treating Lyme disease, I’ve learned that one decision often makes the biggest difference in a patient’s outcome: choosing a doctor who knows how to treat chronic Lyme disease. Patients come to me after months—or even years—of fatigue, brain fog, pain, and frustration. Many have been told their tests are normal. Others were
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Post-Treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome (PTLDS): Definition and Clinical Context Post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome (PTLDS) is a research-defined term used to describe persistent symptoms following recommended antibiotic treatment for Lyme disease when no alternative diagnosis explains the clinical picture. Researchers typically define PTLDS as symptoms lasting at least six months after recommended therapy. These symptoms may
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Preventing Chronic Lyme Disease: A Clinical Guide Preventing chronic Lyme disease has been a central focus of my clinical practice for more than 37 years. I have treated thousands of patients with tick-borne illness, and the pattern is consistent: while many recover fully with early recognition and appropriate treatment, others—despite receiving care—develop persistent, disabling symptoms
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In 2020, investigators published a case involving a 13-year-old boy with Lyme arthritis, a common manifestation of Lyme disease, who developed a Herxheimer reaction when treated with doxycycline. On the 7th day of treatment, the boy developed a low-grade fever and severe arthralgias with intense hip, ankle and cervical spine pain and myalgias. You can
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A 23-year-old woman, who lived in Brooklyn, NY, had visited her primary care doctor complaining of bilateral knee swelling and pain. Three days prior, she had delivered a healthy baby girl. The pain was reported as 8/10 in severity and was exacerbated by walking, according to the authors. When the woman was 6 months pregnant,
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Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) is an autoimmune disorder in which your immune system mistakenly attacks the peripheral nerves surrounding the brain and spinal cord. GBS symptoms typically include weakness and/or tingling sensations in the legs, which can spread to the arms and upper body. This patient also reported having three episodes of loose stools, two episodes
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The man, in his 70’s, presented with dactylitis (severe swelling of the fingers or toes), onycholysis of the nails (nail separates from the skin) and scalp psoriasis, which lead to the diagnosis of psoriatic arthritis. However, he did not respond to treatment with corticosteroids or disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs. “A skin biopsy was performed showing histopathological
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A case report by Lazaro and Butt, published in the International Medical Case Reports Journal, describes a 67-year-old patient with Lyme disease and femoral neuropathy. This is believed to be the first reported case of isolated femoral neuropathy triggered by Lyme disease. What Is Femoral Neuropathy? Femoral neuropathy, also referred to as femoral nerve dysfunction,
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