Lymes Disease
- Richard Moore
- May 23, 2016
- 3 min read

Lymes Disease is an infectious disease caused by the Borrelia type bacteria. The bacteria is carried by a tick and it is transmitted to humans by a bite. According to the American Center for Disease Control and Prevention an estimated 300,000 people are infected with the disease every year. Lymes Disease affects both men and women of all ages especially people who spend most of their time outdoors.
Where can someone contract Lymes Disease?

Lyme disease can be contracted in every continent in the world except Antarctica. It can be found in all regions of America and Canada. In America it is prevalent in the West Coast, Mid West and East Coast. Lymes Disease are prevalent in bushy and grassy areas, especially areas with dense forests.
Symptoms of Lymes Disease

There are several symptoms that would manifest when one is bitten by an infected tick. The earliest symptom is that the spot of the bite and the skin around it becomes red about a week after the bite. Secondary symptoms of Lymes Disease includes fatigue, nausea, joint pain, cold sweats and muscle pain.
Treatment of Lymes Disease

Lymes Disease is completely curable. Patients treated with the appropriate dosage of antibiotics in the early stages of the disease would recover immediately and completely. There are various types of antibiotics that can be used to treat Lymes Disease.
Oral Antibiotics

Oral Antibiotics are the standard treatment for the disease at an early stage.Children aged eight or below would usually be treated with antibiotics like amoxicillin whereas children above eight years and adults would be treated with antibiotics like doxycycline. Antibiotics should usually be administered to the patient for a period of 11-14 days for effective treatment.
Intravenous Antibiotics

Lymes Disease that are diagnosed early enough would usually not require intravenous antibiotics. However once the disease is not discovered early enough, it progresses into the chronic stage. At this level, it may affect the central nervous system whereby a doctor may recommend intravenous antibiotics in order to totally get rid of the disease.Intravenous antibiotics is usually administered on a patient for a period of 14-28 days depending on the severity of the infection.
How to prevent Lymes Disease

It is better to prevent Lymes Disease than to cure it. The best way to prevent an infection is to avoid contact wih ticks. The most successful approach that has been used to prevent an infection of Lymes Disease in times past are as follows:
Avoid Tick Habitats

Ticks tend to reside in fallen logs in the bush and leaf litter. They can also be found on grasses. Playing with leaves, leaning against tree trunks and gathering damp wood in the bush are activities that substantially increases the risk of an infection. When hiking, keep to paved roads and avoid grassy routes.
Dress Defensively

Defensive dressing is another way to avoid exposure to tick bites. When passing through the woods or a bush, put on long pants and sleeves and wear long socks. Put on light colored clothing. Light colored clothing increases your chances of spotting ticks before they can bite you.
Spray tick repellent on your body

Spraying insect repellent chemicals like DEET on your body and clothes is a good way to protect yourself from infection.
Run your clothes through hot dryer

If you have just taken a bushy route, when you get home ensure you run your clothes through a hot dryer. This will kill all attached ticks.
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