Ten Signs and Symptoms of Lyme Disease

If you think that you have been bitten by a tick, it’s important to schedule an appointment with Dr. Kotsanis in Grapevine, TX. When left untreated, Lyme disease can cause inflammation around the heart, memory loss, nerve damage, the development of autoimmune diseases, and other serious and permanent health issues. The good news is that Lyme disease is very treatable, especially when symptoms are caught early. Board-certified otolaryngologist and medical director of the Kotsanis Institute for Functional Medicine, Constantine Kotsanis MD, uses many modalities that have been proven to control or eliminate the body of the infection successfully.

What is Lyme disease?

So, what is Lyme disease caused by? Traditional literature reports That Lyme disease is caused by four different bacteria. In the United States, borrelia burgdorferi and borrelia mayonii cause Lyme disease, while borrelia afzelii and borrelia garinii are the leading causes in both Europe and Asia. Lyme disease is transmitted by the bite of an infected black-legged tick, known as a deer tick. However, “Lyme-like disease” has the exact same symptoms as Lyme and usually transmitted by several different vectors. You’re more likely to get Lyme disease if you spend time in grassy or wooded areas where these ticks live.

How do I know if I have Lyme disease?

Most patients experience flu-like symptoms and generalized weakness. Some of the other symptoms that may indicate Lyme disease include:

Rash: Patients may experience a bullseye pattern rash 3 – 30 days after a tick bite. This rash will slowly expand and can spread up to 12 inches across. It isn’t usually painful or itchy, but it will feel warm.
Fever or chills
Chronic fatigue
Body aches
Stiff neck
Headache
Swollen lymph nodes
Memory issues
Disturbed sleeping patterns
Non-responsive to multiple antibiotics

At Kotsanis Institute, we use the western blot test as well as many specialty tests to detect the presence of Lyme disease, However, this can take several weeks to detect after an initial bite.

Lyme disease treatments

When you’re diagnosed with Lyme disease early, Dr. Kotsanis will start treatment with antibiotics that will clear the infection and help you feel better faster. This can usually clear most infections with no lasting effects. When Lyme disease isn’t diagnosed early, it can require a month of oral antibiotics and, in more severe cases, IV antibiotics. When one detects or suspects a tick bite, it’s best to start antibiotic treatment immediately. However, “Lyme-like or chronic-Lyme disease” usually requires, in addition to antibiotics, oxidative therapies such as UVB, IPT, ozone, etc.; all these treatments are available at the Kotsanis Institute.

Some Lyme disease treatments by Dr. Kotsanis include:

Insulin potentiation therapy: This is a special form of antibiotics administered in the office to more at-risk patients.
IV therapy: A glutathione or Meyer’s Cocktail helps patients with more severe cases of Lyme disease.
Pulsed electromagnetic field therapy: This therapy is used for pain management and can recharge your cells to restore optimal health.
Ultraviolet blood irradiation therapy: This oxidative therapy is given intravenously and can eliminate viruses and bacteria in the blood.

Does Lyme disease ever go away on its own?

Some people can clear the infection without treatment, but Dr. Kotsanis doesn’t recommend it. This is because of the severe complications that can occur when the disease is left untreated. It can hide in the body for a while and then cause serious health problems later on. This makes it important to schedule an appointment at Kotsanis Institute in Grapevine, TX when you suspect you have been bitten by a tick.

How long do Lyme disease symptoms last?

Your Lyme disease symptoms can last from 3-30 days after being infected. However, when you’re treated early on with antibiotics, you usually will feel better within a few weeks. Lingering symptoms, including joint or muscle pain and fatigue, can be experienced for months after treatment and up to several years after finishing antibiotics. This is known as chronic Lyme disease.

Learn about Lyme disease treatment options

When you suspect you’ve experienced a tick bite, it’s important to seek medical attention from Constantine Kotsanis MD at the Kotsanis Institute for Functional Medicine. We understand the seriousness of Lyme disease treatment and are committed to ensuring our patients stay as healthy as possible. Learning how to protect yourself from ticks is important as you can get Lyme disease more than once in your life. This means that even if you clear an infection, you aren’t immune to getting it again. While Lyme disease is curable in most cases, getting professional Lyme disease treatment will help resolve your symptoms best.