Symptoms of lyme disease

Symptoms of Lyme disease 

Chronic Lyme disease

Chronic Lyme disease is a syndrome (a collection of symptoms) that is experienced by some people who have had Lyme disease.
The symptoms of chronic Lyme disease are similar to those of fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue syndrome, and it is thought that it might be triggered by late-stage Lyme disease. More research into this form of Lyme disease is needed.

The symptoms of Lyme disease usually fall into three distinct stages - early, mid and late. You should only experience symptoms of mid and late stage Lyme disease if you are not treated with antibiotics during the initial stage of the condition.

Early stage Lyme disease

The symptoms of early stage Lyme disease develop three to 30 days after someone is bitten by an infected tick. The most common symptom of early stage Lyme disease is a distinctive circular skin rash, known as erythema migrans.
The rash develops at the site of the tick bite and is often described as looking like a bull’s-eye on a dart board. The affected area of skin will be red and feel slightly raised to the touch.
The size of the rash can range from between 2-30cm (0.7-12 inches) and in most people it expands over a period of several days or weeks. In up to a third of people with Lyme disease, the rash may be the only symptom experienced.
Other symptoms of early stage Lyme disease are flu-like and can include:

• tiredness (fatigue)
• muscle pain
• joint pain 
• headache 
• fever or chills
• neck stiffness 

Mid stage Lyme disease

The symptoms of mid stage Lyme disease usually develop many weeks, or sometimes several months, after being bitten by an infected tick. However, they usually only affect people who were not treated with antibiotics at an early stage.
In untreated cases of Lyme disease, people will develop flu-like symptoms, such as aching muscles and tiredness. Some people may also experience two or three episodes of inflammatory arthritis (swelling and pain in the joints) which lasts for about a week. However, symptoms such as joint pain should eventually resolve even if they are left untreated.
In around 15% of untreated cases of Lyme disease, people will get neurological symptoms (those that affect the nervous system). These symptoms include:

• numbness and pain in your limbs
• temporary paralysis of your facial muscles - usually only one half of the face is affected; this symptom is sometimes known as Bell’s palsy)
• impaired memory
• difficulty concentrating
• changes in personality

Some people may also develop meningitis, which is a serious condition where the meninges (the protective membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord) become inflamed. The symptoms of meningitis include:

• severe headache
• stiff neck
• increased sensitivity to light (photophobia)

Seek immediate medical advice if you experience any of these symptoms.

Late stage Lyme disease

In a minority of untreated cases, the symptoms of late stage Lyme disease can develop after many months, or even years. As with mid stage Lyme disease, the symptoms can affect both the joints and the nervous system. The symptoms can include:

• long-lasting (chronic) joint pain and swelling
• pins and needles 
• tiredness
• impaired memory
• difficulty concentrating
• depression 
• blue or red rash, leading to thinning of the skin (atrophy) which is more common in older women