By Barbara Krooss –
Ticks are fearful little creatures, especially if they are carrying the bacteria borrelia, which has the potential to lead to the dreaded Lyme Disease. In fact, about half a million Americans who are diagnosed and treated for Lyme Disease every year are all too painfully aware of the consequences.
For those looking for details, borrelia is a spirochete. Many of its effects resemble those of syphilis, as it has the potential to spread to vital organs like the brain, heart, eyes and nervous system after a dormant stage. Untreated, it can cause permanent arthritic, cardiac and neurological damage.
The good news is that there is a growing awareness of the dangers that ticks and Lyme Disease can present. The bad news is that too many people assume that the end of summer spells the end of tick season. Wrong. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns that ticks are active well into October and even into November if there is an unseasonably wet and warm fall.
Unfortunately, too many outdoor enthusiasts let down their guard come Labor Day, opening themselves up to possible infections. There are a variety of precautions individuals can take to help ward off tick bites. WellWell outlined many just recently.
However, even the most vigilant can fall prey to a tick. So, if a tick’s found, remove it using tweezers immediately. Thankfully, ticks don’t attach immediately so there is often an opportunity to remove the bugger before it bites into the skin. But when a bite does occur, they are tiny, itchy bumps resembling mosquito bites.
Any removed ticks should be saved in alcohol or held in sealed bags for a doctor to examine. Ultimately, the risk of infection is relatively low. Beyond this, Lyme Disease transmission requires a tick to feed for 36 to 48 hours, which is why fast action is required. In most cases, one doxycycline injection avoids a longer course of antibiotics later.
The problems and dangers increase dramatically if infections go untreated, according to the Mayo Clinic, which cites three stages of infection.
Stage one occurs in three to 30 days post-bite. A bull’s-eye rash spreads around the bite, which will be warm and possibly itchy but not painful. Fever, headache, extreme fatigue, joint stiffness, muscular aches and swollen lymph nodes may occur. If caught early, 10 to 14 days of antibiotic drugs can produce rapid and complete recovery, avoiding further complications.
The second stage starts three to 10 weeks post-bite. Issues with immune systems can kick in at this point. Rashes, neck pain or stiffness, unilateral or bilateral facial muscle weakness, pain in the back, hips and legs, pain, numbness or weakness in hands or feet, irregular heartbeats, and eye involvement may all occur.
The final stage takes hold two to 12 months post-bite, as the “late disseminated disease” phase begins. Arthritis in large joints, especially the knees, may be added to the earlier stage symptoms, which may be chronic or transient. Intravenous antibiotics like ceftriaxone or penicillin and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen or naproxen can relieve pain and inflammation in later-stage cases. These antibiotic treatments are reported effective for more than 90 percent of later-stage patients.
Some, unfortunately, don’t fully recover, leading to symptoms akin to long Covid. Post-treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome (PTLDS) involves long-term symptoms that include fatigue, brain fog and dizziness. Neuromodulator drugs like nortriptyline are often used in treatments.
These long-term effects can be exhausting but Mount Sinai Hospital cautions that frustrated PTLS patients should not forsake standard treatment protocols for what it describes as “dangerous and ineffective” internet-advertised cures. The facility notes that there is no scientific support for these herbal or homeopathic treatments and that injections of the bismuth-containing compounds can lead to heart and kidney failure.
The best recipe therefore for warding off a fall tick bite is vigilance and quick action.
