By Daphne Bowen


Also known as Lyme borreliosis, Lyme disease is a minor infection caused by bacterial attack. Ticks, especially those of borrelia species, spread the bacteria. The bacteria then pass on from the tick to humans through a tick bite. The original source of the disease before getting to ticks is deer or mice. These animals pass the infection to ticks, but not all ticks will carry the infection. With extensive research and development of cures of most diseases, there are also major developments in the cure of Lyme disease. This article addresses the question of; is there a cure for lyme disease?

After the tick gets attached to you, it takes around 36 to 48 hour to pass the infection to your body. Removal of these ticks is not possible due to their small size making them difficult to recognize. In addition to that, the ticks hide in difficult-to see areas such as the armpits, groin and the scalp regions. Erythema migrans, a reddish area that starts as a rash and expands is the first signal of infection. It usually occurs one week after being bitten. The area won't be painful or itchy.

High temperatures, frequent headaches and fatigue are the other signs that follow. With continued infection, joints, the face, neck, heart and muscles are also affected. The resulting signs and symptoms are because of these systemic infections. Neck rigidity and muscle cramps are other signs and symptoms resulting from the infection. Inflammation of the meninges may occur if the infection spreads to the brain. Basing on these symptoms a diagnosis is possibly made. However, true diagnosis is made though blood tests.

There is a possibility to recover from this disease. Chances however, are increased with early detection of this disorder. Late diagnosis may lead to other complications that may not be fully resolved. Seeking early treatment is therefore vital to avoid all these.

Antibiotic medications have been proved to be effective in treatment of Lyme disorder. Such antibiotics include Doxycycline which is widely recommended as first line medication. This is because it has double advantage in that apart from curing Lyme infection, it also cures other infections caused by ticks. However, the drug is not advisable for use in children less than eight years or pregnant women. This is due to the fatal side effects.

In addition to Doxycycline, amoxicillin and azithromycin are the other antibiotic medications used as second line for treatment of Lyme disorder. Oral and intravenous routes of administration can be used to administer them. Treatment regimen usually varies and range from one to four weeks of therapy. This regimen depends on the severity of the disease. Initiating treatment within two weeks of infection increases its effectiveness. This however, is not possible as it takes five weeks for the bacteria to appear in blood used for confirmatory diagnosis.

Preventing any disorder is more economical than curing it. Preventing Lyme disorder would be wise therefore than treating it. Several means to prevent the disease have been put up. Vaccination proved more effective than the other protective means. The production of particular vaccines stopped because of limited market available.

Others include putting on protective clothes and light colored clothes. Such ensures protection from being bitten and ensures easy visibility of the tick respectively. Keeping off long grass, use of repellents and avoiding deer and mice contacts are the other protective ways.




About the Author:



0 comments:

Post a Comment

top