Lyme Science Blog

Bilateral Facial Palsy, Lyme Disease, and Bell’s Palsy Bilateral facial weakness is uncommon Lyme disease can affect the facial nerves Early diagnosis may improve outcomes Bilateral facial palsy is rare and may signal an underlying systemic illness. Lyme disease is one important cause of bilateral facial nerve palsy, particularly in endemic areas where tick exposure […]

Lyme Arthritis in Children: Knee Swelling Without Rash Lyme arthritis in children may present with swollen knees without rash Children may not recall a tick bite before symptoms develop Early recognition may help prevent delayed diagnosis and joint complications Lyme arthritis in children may appear months after a tick bite and often presents without a

Lyme Disease Optic Neuritis: Can Lyme Cause Sudden Vision Loss? Lyme disease optic neuritis may cause blurry vision and central scotoma. Inflammation of the optic nerve can affect one or both eyes in Lyme disease. Early recognition and treatment may improve visual recovery. Lyme disease optic neuritis is a rare but potentially serious neurologic complication

Hearing Loss and Vertigo in Lyme Disease: When Inner Ear Symptoms Are Missed Hearing loss and vertigo in Lyme disease may occur when inflammation affects the inner ear, vestibular system, or vestibulocochlear nerve. Patients may also experience tinnitus, dizziness, ear pressure, imbalance, or difficulty reading during vertigo episodes. These symptoms can be part of a

Why Lyme Disease Becomes Disseminated: Delayed Diagnosis and Hidden Risk Factors Who is more likely to develop disseminated Lyme disease? Can delayed diagnosis increase the risk? Access to care may matter more than many realize. Risk factors for Lyme disease complications—including disseminated Lyme disease—may include more than tick exposure alone. A study by Moon and

Does Prior Trauma Affect Lyme Disease Symptoms? PRIOR TRAUMA? COULD IT AFFECT LYME SYMPTOMS? Prior trauma may influence how severe Lyme disease symptoms become in some patients. Earlier work by Solomon and colleagues showed that individuals with more lifetime traumatic events were more likely to report a painful and disabling course. Building on this, Mustafiz

Lyme Disease Radiculopathy in a Child Lyme disease can affect the nervous system in children. A 10-year-old boy developed painful cervical radiculitis. MRI findings suggested nerve root inflammation due to Lyme disease. Lyme disease can affect the nervous system and may lead to radiculopathy, radiculitis, or radiculoneuritis in some patients. Neurologic Lyme disease in children

Could there be subclinical cardiac involvement in early Lyme disease in children? In an earlier study by Woolf and colleagues, nearly 1 in 5 children (19.6%) children with an erythema migrans (EM) rash or a positive two-tier Lyme serology had EKG evidence of carditis. Twenty-four of the children had atrioventricular (11.2%). Their study did not

Does Permethrin-Treated Clothing Really Work? Permethrin-treated clothing is one of the most effective ways to reduce tick bites and lower the risk of tick-borne disease. As more individuals spend time outdoors during warmer weather, concerns about tick exposure increase. Researchers have examined not only the effectiveness of tick repellents and protective clothing, but also the

Do Birds Carry Ticks? What Mice and Chipmunks Reveal Birds can carry ticks. Mice can spread infection. Chipmunks may play a bigger role than expected. Birds, mice, and chipmunks can all carry ticks—but they play different roles in spreading Lyme disease. Do Birds Carry Ticks? Yes, birds can carry ticks. In one study, ticks were