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Symptoms Of Tick-Borne Diseases

Lyme and other tick-borne illnesses are very complex diseases that impact people in different ways.  Many people infected with a tick-borne disease are often initially misdiagnosed for other conditions including depression, chronic fatigue, psychiatric disorders, anxiety, fibromyalgia, Multiple Sclerosis, and the list goes on. Some infected with a tick-borne disease may develop symptoms quickly while others may not develop symptoms for years later as the spirochetes (spiral-shaped bacteria) passed from a tick can remain dormant for years in humans while digging themselves deeper and deeper into areas of hiding and making it nearly impossible for the antibiotics to reach when taken orally or even through IV, if not taken immediately.  The underlining bacterial infection can manifest into symptoms years later through physical, emotional, and environmental changes that people experience in life.  Once this happens, the body loses its ability to manage the overgrowth of Borrelia and other co-infections associated with tick-borne diseases.  Tick-borne diseases can have similar signs and symptoms or very different signs and symptoms depending on the individual.  Lyme disease testing accuracy depends on the kind of test and the length of time from infection date. Testing for Lyme disease 4 to 6 weeks after infection can result in inaccurate results due to your body not having enough time to build up antibodies in the bloodstream, which is what the test are trying to detect.  If you have been bitten by a tick and suspect Lyme disease based on symptoms, you should see a doctor even if the test is negative and not wait to get started on treatment.

Early-stage symptoms of tick-borne diseases can develop within 3 to 30 days after being infected with a tick bite.

Early-stage symptoms may include a rash solid pink to red or bull’s-eye around the tick bite/any odd shaped rash should be checked. Other symptoms may include:

  •         Fever/Chills
  •         Headache
  •         Extreme fatigue
  •         Join pain and stiffness
  •         Muscle pain
  •         Swollen lymph nodes

 

Later stage Chronic disease symptoms of tick-borne diseases can develop 3 weeks after infection or years later. These are just some of the symptoms that can be present.

  •         Many rashes spread away from the tick bite
  •         Neck pain or stiffness
  •         Muscle weakness throughout the body
  •         Facial paralysis(Bell’s Palsy)
  •         Irregular heartbeats
  •         Arthritis that does not improve
  •         Extreme Fatigue
  •         Swollen lymph nodes
  •         Fever/Chills
  •         Muscle pain
  •         Headaches
  •         Sleeping issues insomnia
  •         Cognitive impairment also known as brain fog
  •         Sensory sensitivity (light, sound, etc.)
  •         Psychiatric (depression, anxiety, mood changes and OCD, etc.)
  •         Speech or writing difficulties
  •         Shortness of breath
  •         Restless leg syndrome
  •         HSV
  •         Blurry vision
  •         Urination issues
  •         Weight gain/loss issues
  •         Hair loss
  •         Menstrual irregularity
  •         Abdominal pain
  •         Nausea
  •         Seizure symptoms

 

These co-infections can sometimes cause symptoms that are similar to those of Lyme disease, making it difficult to diagnose. In some cases, a person can be infected with more than one of these pathogens at the same time, which can lead to more serious illness.

Multi-Systemic Infectious Disease Syndrome (MSIDS)

It’s critical to consider Lyme disease and its co-infections as a multi-system condition. The infection is only one factor. Cells are directly affected by infection, but there is also the associated immunological dysfunction. With immune dysregulation, there is the potential for toxicity to come from parasitic or fungal infections, mycotoxins, and environmental exposures (mold, heavy metals etc.), as well as from the disease itself. Allergies, dietary inadequacies, mitochondrial dysfunction, and endocrine and metabolic issues are all potential side effects. Naturally, the gut plays a role in everything.

With multiple symptom variability often unique to each patient, having an experienced practitioner is key to connecting the dots to confirm diagnosis and treatment.

Elevated Virus Titers

Many Lyme patients also demonstrate elevated titers for viruses including Epstein Barr (EBV), Herpes Simplex (HSV 1,2&6), Varicella Zoster (VZV) etc.

Viruses can stay in a dormant state in our bodies until reactivated; reactivation can be triggered by both external and internal factors such as severe stress or illness which result in the immune system coming under further pressure.