Index
- What treatment for each phase of Lyme disease?
- Lyme disease, what to remember
- Definition
- Causes and risk factors
- Symptoms
- Treatments for each phase of Lyme disease
- The different stages of pathology
- The primary phase
- The secondary phase
- The late phase
- The treatments that exist
- In the primary phase
- In the secondary phase
- Late phase
- The different stages of pathology
- Lyme disease, what to remember
What treatment for each phase of Lyme disease?
In recent years, Lyme disease has been the subject of much discussion. Due to a bacterial infection transmitted by a tick bite, this disease has the particularity of taking several months or even years to develop. It can affect anyone, but people who live in wooded areas and forests are most affected. During its evolution, this disease goes through different phases. And the treatments for each phase of Lyme disease are different. In the following paragraphs, we will take a closer look at the management of this disease.
Lyme disease, what to remember
Before getting to the heart of the matter, a little reminder of the essential information to remember about this disease is in order. Many people still know nothing about Lyme disease.
Definition
Lyme disease is also known as "Lyme disease". It is a bacterial infection that can affect anyone. This disease is transmitted to humans through the bite of ticks infected with the bacteria.
Causes and risk factors
At present, the true origin of Lyme disease is still the subject of some debate. Indeed, it has long been attributed to Borrelia burgdorferi. However, new studies conducted in 2018 have highlighted the multi-microbial nature of this infection.
In terms of risk factors for Lyme disease, people who engage in activities that lead to contact with ticks are most at risk for Lyme disease. This is the case for forest rangers, hikers, stockbreeders and farmers. In addition, you should also be aware that the germ reservoir for Lyme borreliosis is rather large. In fact, both domestic and wild mammals can carry infected ticks. You should therefore be careful if you live near a wooded area and your pets often wander around. In addition to this, you should also be aware that the majority of contaminations on French territory occur between March and September.
Symptoms
A person bitten by an infected tick may notice the first symptom of Lyme disease after the bite. This is called erythema migrans. It is a redness, a skin lesion that forms around the bite. However, sometimes the erythema may not persist and the patient may not notice it.
After this skin lesion, other signs may appear:
- Joint symptoms. They are manifested by stiffness and intense pain in the joints
- Aches and pains
- headaches
- other skin rashes
- Heart rhythm irregularities
Over time, Lyme disease can cause paralysis. What is quite unique about this condition is that its symptoms are suggestive of a variety of other illnesses. Moreover, it is always confused with syphilis, fibromyalgia or venous insufficiency. For years, patients fall into what is called therapeutic wandering.
In any case, this disease can be diagnosed through various tests and through serology.
Treatments for each phase of Lyme disease
Once the diagnosis is made, treatment of Lyme disease can begin. However, there is no standard treatment for this disease, as it is progressive. Therefore, management must be tailored to the progression and each phase of Lyme disease.
The different stages of pathology
The primary phase
This phase corresponds to the first month after the tick bite. It is characterized by chronic migrant erythema. The skin lesion is oval and is centered by the bite site. Headaches, joint pain and swollen lymph nodes also occur.
The secondary phase
A few weeks or months after the erythema disappears, other skin lesions and joint pain occur. The patient has arthritis and is prone to heart problems (palpitation, syncopations,...). Neurological symptoms also appear during this phase.
The late phase
The various symptoms of the other two phases (skin damage, joint damage and neurological damage) become more pronounced during this last phase of the disease.
The treatments that exist
In the primary phase
At this stage, the treatment of Lyme disease is based on antibiotic therapy. It consists of an oral intake of cyclines and amoxicillin for two to three weeks. If symptoms persist, intravenous antibiotics may be prescribed.
In the secondary phase
At this stage of the disease, a serological analysis is carried out for antibodies against Borrelia Burgdorferi. If the test is positive, high-dose antibiotics are prescribed for one or more months. If the serology is negative, the doctor may refer to another diagnosis, or the test may be considered unsuccessful and the patient may have Lyme disease. He or she then prescribes the previous treatment.
Late phase
During this phase, the disease is critical. An etiological assessment is carried out and the proposed treatment is designed to alleviate the symptoms. Also, a 28-day trial antibiotic treatment is prescribed if the assessment is unsuccessful.
