Lyme Science Blog

After 37 years treating Lyme disease, relapse remains a critical issue, often due to the failure to completely eradicate the Borrelia burgdorferi bacterium with standard antibiotic treatment. This challenge has been recognized for decades, yet patients today still face persistent or recurring symptoms despite receiving what is considered adequate therapy. Understanding why Lyme disease can […]

I Never Learned About Lyme Disease in Medical School During my medical school, graduate school, and residency, Lyme disease simply wasn’t part of the medical school curriculum. At the time, Lyme disease had not yet fully entered the medical lexicon. The condition was still considered rare and geographically limited, far from the major public health

It starts small. A tick bite you never noticed. A fever that comes and goes. An ache you blame on a long day, a restless night, a bad chair. But Lyme disease, left unchecked, doesn’t stay small. It spreads. It settles. It rewires. And sometimes, it doesn’t leave.   The Joints: A Slow, Relentless Ache

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

Finding a Doctor Who Treats Chronic Lyme: What to Look For After 37 years treating Lyme disease, I’ve learned that one decision often makes the biggest difference in a patient’s outcome: finding a doctor who treats chronic Lyme disease. Patients come to me after months—or even years—of fatigue, brain fog, pain, and frustration. Many have

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 include fatigue, cognitive dysfunction, musculoskeletal pain, and sleep disturbance.

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

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