Lyme Disease Treatment Questions and Answers

Depending on the stage of Lyme disease you have progressed to, the symptoms of this condition are different. There are three different stages of Lyme disease, which are categorized as the early localized stage, the early disseminated stage, and the late disseminated stage. The symptoms that characterize each of these stages are as follows:

• Early localized stage (one to four weeks)
• Bullseye-shaped rash that is red and itchy
• Fatigue
• Fever and chills
• Headache
• Joint pain
• Muscle cramps and tightness
• Sensitivity to light
• Stiff neck
• Swollen lymph nodes
• Early disseminated stage (one to four months)
• Conjunctivitis (pink eye)
• Expanded rash, with others appearing on your body
• Fainting
• Headaches
• Inability to control facial muscles
• Joint pain
• Numbness, pain, or weakness
• Occasional heart palpitations
• Problems with memory and concentration
• Late disseminated stage
• Arthritis and chronic joint inflammation
• Depression
• Extreme fatigue
• Inability to control facial muscles
• Neuralgia
• Numbness or tingling in your hands or back
• Problems with memory, mood, and speech
• Heart problems (concerning but rare)

If Lyme disease is caught in the early localized stage, it is highly treatable and should be cured within two to four weeks of oral antibiotic treatment. That said, even with successful treatment, some patients continue to experience the symptoms of Lyme disease for six months or longer after treatment has been completed. This response is an autoimmune condition known as post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome (PTLDS), for which there is no proven treatment besides non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) that can be purchased over the counter. When Lyme disease goes untreated, it can have far-reaching effects that last for months or years.

Unfortunately, Lyme disease can lay dormant for a significant amount of time, from weeks to months or even years. When and if the symptoms of Lyme disease finally show up in such a situation, aggressive treatment is usually required, which would likely consist of either intravenous or intramuscular antibiotic treatment. If you are beginning to show symptoms of Lyme disease, the best thing you can do is to see a doctor as urgently as possible to get a firm handle on the illness before it spreads or progresses. As such, an urgent care clinic like Reddy Urgent Care is uniquely able to handle Lyme disease treatment since they allow for same-day appointments and operate on a first-come, first-served basis, significantly reducing the amount of time patients spend in the waiting room.

If you are looking for Lyme disease treatment or evaluation near downtown Long Beach, our board-certified physicians at Reddy Urgent Care would be happy to help! For a walk-in appointment, we welcome you to come to 123 Atlantic Ave in Long Beach, California. Our doors are open seven days a week, from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM on weekdays and 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM on weekends.