Lyme Disease Treatments Billings MT

Find top doctors who perform Lyme Disease Treatments in Billings, MT. Whether you’re seeking treatment or looking to schedule a preventative screening, we can connect you with the best dermatologists near you in Billings, MT.

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Lyme Disease Treatments FAQ in Billings, MT

What happens if Lyme disease is not treated?

Lyme disease that goes untreated for many months or years may be harder to treat with antibiotics. Untreated cases can progress to serious, even fatal health conditions, from arthritis and nerve pain to cardiac arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat) or Lyme neuroborreliosis (inflammation of the brain and spine).

Can you test for chronic Lyme disease?

Antibody-based tests (ELISA, IFA, Western blot, Immunoblot): These tests detect antibodies against Borrelia burgdorferi in the blood or spinal fluid. This is the most commonly ordered set of tests for Lyme disease.

Does Lyme disease destroy your immune system?

Lyme disease weakens the immune system, making it unable to produce antibodies. There isn’t a way to make your body produce more or better antibodies. However, you can get healthy antibodies from donors.

What diseases mimic Lyme disease?

Called the “great imitator,” Lyme disease can present a variety of symptoms that mimic a wide range of illnesses, including chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, ALS, Alzheimer’s disease, depression, insomnia, and autoimmune disorders such as RA and Multiple Sclerosis (MS).

How long does it take to recover from Lyme disease?

Lyme disease treatment with antibiotics is successful most of the time, but the disease lingers sometimes. People with early stage Lyme disease may recover in a few weeks with treatment, but recovery time may be as long as six months for late stage Lyme disease.

What does long term Lyme disease look like?

Chronic Lyme disease is an ongoing Borrelia burgdorferi infection that can involve any body system or tissue. The infection produces a wide range of symptoms and signs, which can be debilitating for some patients. Common symptoms include severe fatigue, migratory musculoskeletal pain, headaches, and impaired memory.

Can Lyme disease be completely cured?

Although most cases of Lyme disease can be cured with a 2- to 4-week course of oral antibiotics, patients can sometimes have symptoms of pain, fatigue, or difficulty thinking that last for more than 6 months after they finish treatment. This condition is called ”Post-Treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome” (PTLDS).

How do you test for Lyme disease years later?

The diagnosis of late-stage Lyme disease can be very difficult, and is usually made by a specialist in infectious diseases. The diagnosis can be confirmed if the affected person has had the characteristic ‘bull’s eye’ rash and has lived or worked in areas where ticks are present, or with a blood test.

Where does Lyme disease come from?

Lyme disease is an illness caused by borrelia bacteria. Humans usually get Lyme disease from the bite of a tick carrying the bacteria. Ticks that can carry borrelia bacteria live throughout most of the United States. But Lyme disease is most common in the upper Midwest and the northeastern and mid-Atlantic states.

What are at least 5 early signs of Lyme disease?

Fever, chills, headache, fatigue, muscle and joint aches, and swollen lymph nodes may occur in the absence of rash. Erythema migrans (EM) rash (see photos): Occurs in approximately 70 to 80 percent of infected persons.