Lyme Science Blog

Can Lyme Disease Cause Permanent Damage? Can Lyme disease cause permanent damage? In some cases, yes—especially when diagnosis and treatment are delayed. Lyme disease can affect the joints, nervous system, heart, and cognitive function, and some symptoms may persist over time. Quick Answer: Lyme disease can contribute to long-term complications involving the brain, nerves, joints, […]

Can You Feel a Tick on You? Wouldn’t you feel a tick bite? Not necessarily. Tick saliva contains natural anesthetics that numb the skin before attachment. Many tick bites go completely unnoticed — especially from nymph ticks. If you’ve ever wondered, can you feel a tick on you?, you’re not alone. Many patients assume they

Doctor Who Treats Chronic Lyme: What to Look For Finding a doctor who treats chronic Lyme disease can be difficult, especially when symptoms persist despite normal testing or prior treatment. Many patients spend months—or even years—searching for answers. Fatigue. Brain fog. Pain. Dizziness. Migrating symptoms. Patients are often told their tests are normal, their symptoms

Lyme Disease Recovery: Why Symptoms Can Last and What to Expect Lyme disease recovery varies widely depending on when the disease was caught, how it was treated, and whether coinfections are present. Even after completing antibiotics, some patients continue to experience symptoms for months or longer. For a complete overview, see the Lyme disease recovery

How to Prevent Chronic Lyme Disease: What Patients Need to Know Early decisions can influence long-term outcomes Symptoms do not always follow predictable patterns Prevention often depends on what is recognized early Preventing chronic Lyme disease begins with recognizing how early decisions affect long-term outcomes. Patients searching for how to prevent Lyme disease often want

Herxheimer Reaction in a Newborn With Lyme Disease Antibiotics can trigger a Herxheimer reaction. A newborn developed fever and tachycardia after treatment. Clinicians diagnosed neonatal Lyme disease. Jarisch-Herxheimer reactions have been reported in adults and children treated for Lyme disease, but published neonatal cases remain rare. In 2020, investigators described a 13-year-old boy with Lyme

Woman Develops Lyme Disease Symptoms After Giving Birth A WOMAN DEVELOPED LYME SYMPTOMS AFTER DELIVERY BUT HER INFANT REMAINED HEALTHY RAISING QUESTIONS ABOUT LYME DISEASE DURING PREGNANCY A 23-year-old woman from Brooklyn, NY, developed Lyme disease symptoms shortly after giving birth to a healthy baby girl. Three days after delivery, she visited her primary care

Lyme Disease and Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) Weakness and nerve symptoms may have multiple causes Lyme disease can occasionally resemble or accompany Guillain-Barre syndrome Early recognition may improve diagnosis and treatment decisions Lyme disease Guillain-Barre syndrome cases are uncommon, but clinicians practicing in endemic regions may need to consider Lyme disease when patients present with rapidly

Lyme Disease Misdiagnosed as Psoriatic Arthritis Lyme disease may mimic psoriatic arthritis and dactylitis Persistent swelling and skin findings can resemble autoimmune disease Failure to respond to standard arthritis therapy may warrant reevaluation A man in his 70s presented with dactylitis, nail changes, and scalp psoriasis, initially leading clinicians to diagnose psoriatic arthritis. The patient

Can Lyme Disease Cause Femoral Neuropathy? A Case of Leg Weakness and Pain Can Lyme disease cause neuropathy in the legs? Yes. In some patients, Lyme disease can affect specific nerves, leading to weakness, pain, and difficulty walking. A case report by Lazaro and Butt describes a patient with Lyme disease who developed isolated femoral