Warning signs of Lyme disease: what to watch out for during tick season

Lyme disease is an inflammatory illness caused by bacteria transmitted via black-legged ticks (more commonly known as deer ticks). Lyme disease can last for years and lead to arthritis and neurological and cardiac disorders.

An early sign of Lyme disease is a circular rash (Erythema migrans) that appears three to 30 days after getting a tick bite. It’s usually not itchy or painful but may feel warm to the touch.

Other early symptoms of Lyme disease include fever, body aches, headaches and swollen lymph nodes. Later symptoms may include severe joint pain, heart palpitations, short-term memory loss and other cognitive problems or facial paralysis.

To guard against Lyme disease, make sure to take precautions when in grassy or heavily-wooded areas, including:

• Wearing long sleeves, closed-toe shoes and long pants tucked into your socks.
• Using insect repellents with a DEET concentration of 20 percent or higher.
• Checking your clothing, skin and pets carefully for ticks.
• Removing ticks as soon as possible using tweezers, making sure to remove the insect’s entire body. Bacteria usually enters your bloodstream after the tick has been attached to your body for 36 to 48 hours.

If you notice symptoms of Lyme disease after a tick bite, contact your doctor. Treatments for Lyme disease are more effective when they’re given earlier rather than later.

Did you know?
Lyme disease is named after the town of Lyme, Connecticut, where an outbreak occurred in the early 1970s. Scientists studying the outbreak eventually discovered that the disease was caused by infected tick bites.