Also known as Lyme borreliosis, Lyme disease is a minor infection caused by bacterial attack. Ticks, especially those of borrelia species, spread the bacteria. The bacteria then pass on from the tick to humans through a tick bite. The original source of the disease before getting to ticks is deer or mice. These animals pass the infection to ticks, but not all ticks will carry the infection. With extensive research and development of cures of most diseases, there are also major developments in the cure of Lyme disease. This article addresses the question of; is there a cure for lyme disease?
It takes about 36 to 48 hours for an infected tick to transmit the disease into you once it attaches itself. Such ticks are small and difficult to notice. They also hide in areas that are difficult to see such as the armpits, groin or scalp. Once the disorder gets into you, erythema migran, which is an expanding area of redness is the common indicator. This occurs around a week after the bite. This rash is neither itchy nor painful.
Fevers, migran headaches and getting easily fatigued are the other accompanying signs. As the infection progresses, the joints, face and neck area, heart and muscles also get infected. Stiffness of the neck and easy cramping of muscles are other developing signs. In addition, the meninges get inflamed as the disorder spread and reach the brain. To diagnose the disease, signs and symptoms are assessed. Confirmatory diagnosis is done through blood testing.
Treatment of Lyme disorder is possible. This is however effective if detected early. If diagnosis or treatment is delayed, there are risks of developing long lasting complications. It is therefore important to seek treatment once you start developing such signs and symptoms.
Antibiotic medications have been proved to be effective in treatment of Lyme disorder. Such antibiotics include Doxycycline which is widely recommended as first line medication. This is because it has double advantage in that apart from curing Lyme infection, it also cures other infections caused by ticks. However, the drug is not advisable for use in children less than eight years or pregnant women. This is due to the fatal side effects.
In addition to Doxycycline, amoxicillin and azithromycin are the other antibiotic medications used as second line for treatment of Lyme disorder. Oral and intravenous routes of administration can be used to administer them. Treatment regimen usually varies and range from one to four weeks of therapy. This regimen depends on the severity of the disease. Initiating treatment within two weeks of infection increases its effectiveness. This however, is not possible as it takes five weeks for the bacteria to appear in blood used for confirmatory diagnosis.
As we all know, prevention is better than cure. It is therefore more prudent to prevent this disease than cure it. There are many ways that have been suggested to prevent the disease. Vaccines were initially the most effective way of preventing the disease. However, production of the vaccines was stopped due to the small market that was available.
Others include putting on protective clothes and light colored clothes. Such ensures protection from being bitten and ensures easy visibility of the tick respectively. Keeping off long grass, use of repellents and avoiding deer and mice contacts are the other protective ways.
It takes about 36 to 48 hours for an infected tick to transmit the disease into you once it attaches itself. Such ticks are small and difficult to notice. They also hide in areas that are difficult to see such as the armpits, groin or scalp. Once the disorder gets into you, erythema migran, which is an expanding area of redness is the common indicator. This occurs around a week after the bite. This rash is neither itchy nor painful.
Fevers, migran headaches and getting easily fatigued are the other accompanying signs. As the infection progresses, the joints, face and neck area, heart and muscles also get infected. Stiffness of the neck and easy cramping of muscles are other developing signs. In addition, the meninges get inflamed as the disorder spread and reach the brain. To diagnose the disease, signs and symptoms are assessed. Confirmatory diagnosis is done through blood testing.
Treatment of Lyme disorder is possible. This is however effective if detected early. If diagnosis or treatment is delayed, there are risks of developing long lasting complications. It is therefore important to seek treatment once you start developing such signs and symptoms.
Antibiotic medications have been proved to be effective in treatment of Lyme disorder. Such antibiotics include Doxycycline which is widely recommended as first line medication. This is because it has double advantage in that apart from curing Lyme infection, it also cures other infections caused by ticks. However, the drug is not advisable for use in children less than eight years or pregnant women. This is due to the fatal side effects.
In addition to Doxycycline, amoxicillin and azithromycin are the other antibiotic medications used as second line for treatment of Lyme disorder. Oral and intravenous routes of administration can be used to administer them. Treatment regimen usually varies and range from one to four weeks of therapy. This regimen depends on the severity of the disease. Initiating treatment within two weeks of infection increases its effectiveness. This however, is not possible as it takes five weeks for the bacteria to appear in blood used for confirmatory diagnosis.
As we all know, prevention is better than cure. It is therefore more prudent to prevent this disease than cure it. There are many ways that have been suggested to prevent the disease. Vaccines were initially the most effective way of preventing the disease. However, production of the vaccines was stopped due to the small market that was available.
Others include putting on protective clothes and light colored clothes. Such ensures protection from being bitten and ensures easy visibility of the tick respectively. Keeping off long grass, use of repellents and avoiding deer and mice contacts are the other protective ways.
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