Lyme Science Blog

Undiagnosed Lyme Disease: When Symptoms Are Missed or Never Considered Undiagnosed Lyme disease often begins quietly—when key diagnoses are never considered. This pattern—undiagnosed Lyme disease due to incomplete evaluation—is one I see repeatedly in clinical practice. Just weeks ago, I evaluated a patient who specifically requested a consultation for Lyme disease. Before the visit, I […]

Lyme Disease Irritability and Mood Changes: Why It Happens Quick Answer: Irritability in Lyme disease is a common neurologic symptom driven by inflammation, autonomic dysfunction, and sleep disruption. Patients may feel easily frustrated, emotionally reactive, or unlike themselves. Lyme disease irritability is one of the most frequently reported but least understood symptoms of tick-borne illness.

Lyme Flare vs Relapse: What’s the Difference? Lyme flare vs relapse—what’s the difference? Many patients experience worsening symptoms and wonder whether this reflects a temporary flare or a more sustained relapse. Quick answer: A flare is typically temporary and triggered, while a relapse involves more persistent or progressive symptoms that do not clearly resolve. Patients

Why Early Lyme Disease Symptoms Are Often Missed Early Lyme disease symptoms—often referred to as early Lyme symptoms—are often missed because they can be subtle, nonspecific, and easily mistaken for more common conditions. Patients may experience fatigue, headaches, mild cognitive changes, or generalized discomfort—symptoms that do not immediately suggest a tick-borne illness. Because these early

Neuroinflammation in Lyme Disease Neuroinflammation in Lyme disease may help explain why symptoms such as brain fog, fatigue, and slowed thinking can persist—even when standard tests are normal and initial treatment has been completed. Many patients describe difficulty concentrating, memory problems, and reduced mental clarity that interfere with daily life. These symptoms are increasingly understood

Persistent Infection in Lyme Disease Persistent infection in Lyme disease is one proposed explanation for why some patients continue to experience fatigue, pain, cognitive dysfunction, sleep disruption, and autonomic symptoms after standard treatment. In clinical practice, this possibility remains important because some persistent symptom patterns are difficult to explain by a single post-infectious mechanism alone.

Persistent Lyme Disease: Why Symptoms Continue After Treatment Persistent Lyme disease describes ongoing symptoms that continue after Lyme disease treatment or fail to fully resolve over time. Patients may experience fatigue, brain fog, pain, dizziness, sleep disruption, or reduced function long after the initial infection. For a broader overview of symptom patterns, see our Lyme