How is Lyme Disease Diagnosed?

Lyme disease can be very tricky to diagnose. People can suffer for years without truly knowing what is wrong. It’s a complex infection that can affect various systems of your body. The most common symptom is a ring-like rash around the bite, but other than that, Lyme can go undiagnosed and untreated for years. 

This can not only have serious physical effects on the body, but psychological ones as well. That’s why it is important to seek out a Lyme-literate doctor who specializes in the disease. Since symptoms of Lyme are similar to other diseases, the CDC recommends a two-step process when testing blood for evidence of antibodies against Lyme.

However, there are many issues with Lyme disease blood testing, with people receiving both false negatives and positives. Therefore, it is important to base the diagnosis on a variety of symptoms, tick exposure, medical history, and endemic locations (where you are located). Blood tests should only be used as supporting evidence to a diagnosis.

There is promise. New reports acknowledge the need for better testing. Newer methods in direct detection and natural remedies can help thousands of people with Lyme get the recognition and treatment they need.

If You are Bitten

If you suspect you have bitten, wash the infected area immediately. Watch it closely and if you see any rashes, consult your physician. Even if it is not located at the site of the bite, a rash can be an early indication of Lyme. 

Take a picture of the area, date it, and keep it in your medical record. Keep a log of your symptoms, including those that come and go over time. Fluctuating symptoms are actually an early sign of Lyme. You should also keep a record of any medications you take and the frequency. This includes non-prescription drugs.

Diagnosing Children

Children are sometimes the most difficult to diagnose because they have trouble expressing what is truly wrong. Irritability, joint aches, and difficulty concentrating can be signs of Lyme that mask themselves behind growing pains. 

This is why some legitimately sick children are made to feel like all of the problems are simply in their head. This can have after-effects like anxiety, insomnia, and depression. It may seem like a child is misbehaving when, in fact, a tick-borne illness is the problem.

Lyme disease can have more than 100 symptoms. This is why it is so important to pay attention to your body and seek a variety of opinions.