Lyme disease and Symptoms

Lyme disease is an infection caused by the bacteria called “Borrelia burgdorferi” which spreads to humans from the bite of the deer tick. Ordinary "wood ticks" and "dog ticks" don’t carry the infection. Most Lyme disease in the northeastern United States occurs during summer or fall, when the small nymphal ticks are most prevalent. It's also common in Europe and in south central and southeastern Canada. 

In the United States, about 30,000 cases of Lyme disease are reported to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) each year. But there are other, diagnosed cases that aren't reported. (https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/11586-lyme-disease) 

What are the symptoms of lyme disease at each stage?

Stage 1: Early symptoms of Lyme disease are usually localized and appear within 3 to 30 days after a tick bite. A rash, also known as erythema migrans is the most common sign of Lyme disease. It appears like a “bull`s eye” target with a flat or slightly raised red spot at the site of the tick bite with a circle that slowly enlarges. Other symptoms of stage 1 include:

• Fever
• Headache
• Extreme tiredness
• Muscle aches and pains
• Swollen lymph nodes

Joint stiffness

Stage 2: Without treatment, Lyme disease can get worse.  The symptoms often show up within 3 to 10 weeks after a tick bite. Stage 2 is often more serious and widespread. It is called early disseminated disease. Alongwith symptoms of stage 1, there may be following additional symptoms of stage 2:

• Many rashes on other parts of the body
• Neck pain or stiffness
• Muscle weakness on one or both sides of the face
• Pain that starts from the back and hips and spreads to the legs
• Immune-system activity in heart tissue that causes irregular heartbeats
• Pain, numbness or weakness in the hands or feet
• Painful swelling in tissues of the eye or eyelid
• Immune-system activity in eye nerves that causes pain or vision loss

Stage 3: This stage is called late disseminated disease. In the United States, the most common condition of this stage is arthritis in large joints, particularly the knees. Pain, swelling or stiffness may last for a long time. Or the symptoms may come and go. Stage 3 symptoms usually begin 2 to 12 months after a tick bite. 

In Europe, a skin condition called acrodermatitis chronic atrophicans is commonly associated with stage 3. The skin on the backs of the hands and tops of the feet get discolored and swell up. It also may show up over the elbows and knees. More-serious cases may cause damage to tissues or joints. This skin condition may show up many months to many years after a tick bite. (https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/lyme-disease/symptoms-causes/syc-20374651)