Lyme Science Blog

Painful Feet in Lyme Disease: A Pattern Often Missed You stand up to walk to the bathroom at night—and wince. The soles of your feet ache like you’re stepping on broken glass. Painful feet in Lyme disease are often caused by nerve irritation or small fiber neuropathy rather than a simple foot problem. Clinical Insight:

Lyme Persisters: Why Symptoms Can Return After Treatment You finished treatment. The antibiotics are done. Your doctor says you’re cured. So why do you still feel terrible? For many patients, the answer may lie in Lyme persisters—dormant bacteria that survive antibiotic therapy and can reignite symptoms long after treatment ends. The Role of Lyme Persisters

PANS in Teens: When Lyme Disease Triggers Sudden Change Lyme Disease and PANS: Sudden Psychiatric Symptoms in Teenagers A healthy 16-year-old became unrecognizable within days. Once outgoing and confident, he suddenly developed anxiety, irritability, and repetitive rituals. His handwriting deteriorated, grades plummeted, and he withdrew from friends. Lyme disease PANS can cause abrupt psychiatric and

Physician Reluctance in Lyme Treatment: Risks for Patients Dr. Sarah reviewed the file carefully. Her patient exhibited all the classic symptoms of Lyme disease and had been exposed to ticks. But the test was negative. She knew from experience that early Lyme tests miss up to 50% of cases, yet she hesitated to make the

Lyme or Long COVID? How to Tell the Difference Quick Answer: Lyme disease and Long COVID can cause nearly identical symptoms—including brain fog, fatigue, and joint pain—making diagnosis difficult. Treatment response and clinical history often provide the best clues. Clinical Insight: When symptoms overlap this closely, the challenge is not just identifying the illness—but recognizing

Stopping Lyme Treatment Too Soon? Why Symptoms Come Back “I felt better—so I stopped treatment. Then everything came back.” This is a pattern many Lyme disease patients experience. Stopping treatment too soon can allow symptoms to return—sometimes stronger than before. Key Insight: Lyme disease recovery is not always linear. Decisions about stopping treatment should be

Risk Factors for Chronic Lyme Disease: Who Is Most at Risk? TREATED FOR LYME—BUT STILL SICK? SYMPTOMS NOT GOING AWAY? WHY DO SOME PATIENTS DEVELOP CHRONIC ILLNESS? Risk factors for chronic Lyme disease help explain why some patients recover fully while others develop persistent symptoms that last for months or years. “I thought treatment would

Low-Dose Naltrexone for Lyme Disease: Benefits, Risks, and What We Know Can low-dose naltrexone help Lyme disease symptoms? Low-dose naltrexone for Lyme disease has gained attention as a supportive option for patients with persistent pain, fatigue, sleep disturbance, and inflammatory symptoms. Quick Answer: Low-dose naltrexone may help selected patients with persistent Lyme symptoms, but it