Symptoms of Lyme Disease: Months Later
After several months, approximately 60 percent of patients with an untreated
Lyme disease infection will begin to have intermittent bouts of
arthritis, with severe joint pain and swelling. Large joints are most often affected, particularly the knees. In addition, up to 5 percent of untreated patients may develop chronic neurological (nervous system) problems within months to years after infection. These include shooting pains, numbness or tingling in the hands or feet, and problems with concentration and short-term memory.
Symptoms of Lyme Disease: Years Later
Most cases of Lyme disease can be cured with antibiotics, especially if treatment is begun early in the course of the illness. However, a small percentage of patients with Lyme disease have symptoms that still continue months to years after treatment with antibiotics. These symptoms of Lyme disease can include:
- Muscle and joint pains
- Arthritis (see Infectious Arthritis)
- Cognitive defects (problems with the ability to think)
- Sleep disturbance
- Fatigue.
The cause of these symptoms is not known. There is some evidence that they result from an autoimmune response, in which a person's immune system continues to respond even after the infection has been cleared from the body.
Previous
Add this article to your Favorites
Email this article
Print