Lyme disease is known as the great imitator. It’s not always easy to recognize the early symptoms of Lyme disease. While there are some specific symptoms that can present, they aren’t always obvious.

For instance, less than 50% of Lyme patients report the unique bulls-eye rash that can appear on the site of the bite. Tick bites are usually painless, and because other insect bites are generally overlooked, people are often not aware they’ve been exposed to Lyme.

Being aware of the early signs can increase the chances of proper diagnosis. There are 3 stages of Lyme Disease, however, the symptoms can overlap.

Stage 1: Early Localized

These are the symptoms that present themselves within hours or weeks of the tick bite. The most tell-tale sign is the common bulls-eye rash that may appear at the site of the tick bite. While that is an almost sure symptom of having contracted Lyme, the bulls-eye rash doesn’t always appear. In some cases, no rash will occur, or the rash may appear in a different form.

There are other symptoms that can also appear in this stage, however many of them are mistaken for the flu, cold, or bad hangover. This is why the window for early Lyme diagnosis is often missed.

Other symptoms:

· Fever

· chills

· fatigue

· body aches

· headache

· neck stiffness

· swollen lymph nodes

Lyme patients also report general pain or discomfort sensation throughout the body. While these early symptoms are often dismissed as a common cold or flu, Lyme disease should be suspected if any, or all, of these symptoms, occur after a bug bite.

The benefit of catching it early is that the bacteria that cause Lyme (B. burgdorferi ) has not yet spread to other areas of the body and are more easily treated through antibiotics.

Stage 2: Early Disseminated

In this stage, the bacteria that cause Lyme have spread throughout your body. Typically, this stage occurs within weeks of the initial bite, when the bacteria have spread from the site of the bite to other areas of the body. Experts at Healthline describe symptoms in this stage increasing in number and may include:

· Erythema Migrans, the bull’s eye rash that occurs in areas other than the bite site

· Bell’s palsy, which is paralysis or weakness of muscles on one or both sides of the face

· meningitis, which is inflammation of the spinal cord

· neck stiffness, severe headaches, or fever from meningitis

· severe muscle pain or numbness in the arms or legs

· pain or swelling in the knees, shoulders, elbows, and other large joints

· heart complications, including palpitations and dizziness

Stage 3: Late Disseminated

This stage may occur weeks, months, or even years after a tick bite if there has been no treatment for stages 1 or 2.

Be on the lookout for symptoms including

· arthritis and migrating pains of one or more large joints

· brain disorders, such as encephalopathy, which can cause short-term memory loss, difficulty concentrating, mental fogginess, problems with following conversations and sleep disturbance

· numbness in the arms, legs, hands, or feet

· Facial nerve dysfunction - often mislabeled as Bell’s palsy.

· Any or all of the symptoms from stages 1 & 2

There is no doubt, that getting to this stage without treatment is scary. As a late-stage Lyme patient myself, I always want people in this stage to know that there is hope to relieve the pain of Lyme and begin getting your life back. Check out my resources page for more information on where to get started on healing yourself from Lyme disease at any stage.

Why is Lyme disease treatment controversial?

When caught early, before the bacteria spread throughout the body, a short course of antibiotics may be all that’s needed to wipe out the bacteria which causes Lyme disease, B. burgdorferi.

However, due to the bacteria’s stealthy nature and defensive mechanisms, once the bacteria have disseminated throughout the body, the standard treatment for Lyme disease fails for many patients.

Despite thousands of peer-reviewed studies, and the medical community reporting high treatment and testing failures, the CDC has maintained its stance that Lyme disease is both easy to diagnose and easy to treat. The CDC sanctioned Lyme treatment protocols do not consider the length of infection, symptoms, co-infections, or complications.

What you can do to protect yourself from Lyme

As the fastest growing vector-borne disease on the planet, it’s important to be aware of how to protect yourself from being bitten by a tick. If you do get bitten and start showing early signs of Lyme, it’s imperative to seek treatment right away to avoid the bacteria from spreading. Here are a few simple steps are taken from my upcoming book The Lyme Ease Survival Guidebook

Wear Repellent

Treating clothing and shoes with permethrin repels and kills ticks, mosquitos, and other pathogen spreading insects on contact. Permethrin is the synthetic version of pyrethrum, a natural insecticide derived from the chrysanthemum flower. It is considered non-toxic and authorized for use on clothing, outdoor gear, and dogs with the U.S. EPA. Keep in mind that it is highly toxic to bees and other beneficial insects, fish, tadpoles, and cats. It is designed to last up to 6 weeks or 6 washes.

Tick check

Keep a lint roller in your car, and by the front door. Use the roller along with your outer clothing before entering your home or car to remove any ticks. Put exposed clothing in the dryer on high for 7 minutes before washing, as ticks have been shown to survive within the threads of clothing through the washer and dryer up to 70 minutes.

If you do find a tick, make sure to remove it properly. To do so, start by pulling it directly out by the mouth parts with a tick key or sharp tweezers. Never twist or put anything on a feeding tick. Never handle a tick with bare hands, as they are covered in pathogens. Always bag and save any ticks you find for testing and report it to tickencounter.org.

Treat your yard

Over the last few years, the world has seen a massive rise in tick populations. Treating your yard can keep your home protected in high-risk areas. There are many ways to do this, but however you choose to do it, you’ll want to treat your yard every few weeks during active insect seasons.

Making tick-tubes, using cedarwood around the border of your yard or spraying with cedarwood essential oil and using Diatomaceous earth around your home and garden all work to protect your home. More information on prevention can be found in my upcoming book The Lyme Ease Survival Guidebook.

Listen to Your Body

There is no better gatekeeper for our health than our own instincts. If you are unsure, download a copy of Dr. Richard Horowitz’s symptom questionnaire and check-in with yourself often. Seek medical care as soon as possible if you believe you’ve been exposed to Lyme disease.

I hope you found this information helpful! For more information on Lyme disease, prevention, and holistic treatment options check out my new book, The Lyme Ease Survival Guidebook designed to separate the facts from fiction to educate and empower Lyme patients.