Personal stories from real people who survived their disease … And how they did it!

personal stories from people who successfully battled their disease and how they did it

More about Lyme Disease

Lyme disease is an infectious disease caused by the bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi. B. burgdorferi is transmitted to humans by a bite from an infected black-legged or deer tick. The tick becomes infected after feeding on infected deer, birds, or mice. A tick has to be present on the skin for at least 36 hours to transmit the infection. Many people with Lyme disease have no memory of a tick bite. Lyme disease was first recognized in the town of Old Lyme, Connecticut, in 1975. It’s the most common tickborne illness in Europe and the United States. People who live or spend time in wooded areas known for transmission of the disease are more likely to get this illness. People with domesticated animals that visit wooded areas also have a higher risk of getting Lyme disease.

Types

One type.

Symptoms

People with Lyme disease may react to it differently, and the symptoms can vary in severity. Although Lyme disease is commonly divided into three stages — early localized, early disseminated, and late disseminated — symptoms can overlap. Some people will also present in a later stage of disease without having symptoms of earlier disease. These are some of the more common symptoms of Lyme disease: A flat, circular rash that looks like a red oval or bull’s-eye anywhere on your body; Fatigue; Joint pain and swelling; Muscle aches; Headache; Fever; Swollen lymph nodes; Sleep disturbances; Difficulty concentrating