Ticks Suck

Lyme disease symptoms can vary depending on the stage of the infection, and coinfections can have their own unique symptoms. 

Early Lyme (days to weeks after infection): 

• Skin rash: Classically a bulls eye rash with central clearing, but can take many forms. Importantly, a rash appears less than half the time and is less common on the West coast
• Muscle and joint pain 
• Headache 
• Stiff neck 
• Flu-like symptoms (including fever or chills) 
• Fatigue or lack of energy 
• Swollen lymph nodes

Disseminated Lyme (weeks to months after infection):  

• Skin rashes 
• Heart palpitations
• Dizziness and fainting 
• Pain in arms and legs 
• Numbness and tingling in arms and legs (this can come and go) 
• Extreme joint pain (frequently with Lyme, the joint pain can migrate from joint to joint) 
• Severe fatigue and lack of energy  
• Difficulty with memory 
• Unable to concentrate  
• Headaches 
• Facial nerve paralysis causing facial droop

Late stage Lyme (months to years after infection: 

• Arthritis (can migrate from joint to joint or be in multiple joints) 
• Nervous system problems such as numbness and tingling in hands, legs, feet, or back (can also come and go and move around the body) 
• Stiff neck
• Severe headaches, or migraines 
• Problems with memory 
• Changes in hearing and vision 
• Chronic severe fatigue 
• Mood or sleep disorders
• Inflammation of heart or brain

Unfortunately, many tick bites go unnoticed. Ticks can be tiny, as small as a poppyseed or the period at the end of this sentence.  Ticks also frequently bite us in places we cannot see such as behind (or in) our ears, in our hair, or in our belly button. In addition, ticks anesthetize us when they bite so we frequently do not feel the bite.

Lyme has been diagnosed in all 50 states in the USA, and the ticks that carry the Lyme bacteria have been found in 43/50 of US States. New studies funded by the Bay Area Lyme Foundation also show that ticks capable of carrying Lyme and other tickborne diseases were found in 83 counties (in 24 states) where these ticks had not been previously recorded. 

Lyme disease is the fastest growing infectious bacterial disease in the USA, and the most common vector borne disease in the USA.

Lyme and tickborne diseases are also common in many places in the world, especially North America, Europe, and Asia.

Many sources say that a tick has to be attached for 24-48 hours in order to transmit Lyme. While there certainly is increased risk of getting an infection with longer duration attachment, in some cases transmission can occur much more quickly. In addition, other bacteria and parasites that the tick may be carrying can be passed with a much shorter duration tick bite. Any high risk tick bite needs to be treated seriously, regardless of how long the tick was attached.

This is not true. Lyme disease and other tickborne pathogens are absolutely present in California.

According to the California Department of Public Health, Western black-legged ticks (Ixodes pacificus) that carry Lyme and other pathogens have been found in 56/58 of counties in California.

The Borrelia burgdorferi (Lyme) bacteria has been found in these ticks in 42/58 of these counties.

Rates of tick infection with Lyme vary geographically, and by the life stage of tick. Nymphs (poppy seed sized) are the highest risk. In hotspot areas like Mendocino county, studies have documented that up to 41% of the nymph ticks tested were positive for Lyme.

Unfortunately, the tests for Lyme disease and other tickborne infections are not very accurate. Particularly early in the illness, the tests can miss more than half of cases. Later in the illness, your immune system can struggle to make antibodies to the infections, and tests can also be falsely negative. Furthermore, there are many strains of the Lyme bacteria, and other newly identified pathogens like Borrelia miyamotoi, that the traditional tests do not test for. There are many different testing methods and companies that can be used, and it is necessary to carefully consider any test data in combination with your symptoms and unique case.

If you are struggling with a complex, multisystem illness, and doctors are not finding answers or treatments to get you better, it is important that you work with a team that understands tickborne diseases. Not every tick bite causes infection, but if you have ever been in a Lyme endemic area of the world, and you have ongoing health issues, it is possible that an underlying infection is contributing. A deep investigation for Lyme, coinfections, and other pathogens may provide new information and direction for your recovery.

Lyme disease is caused by the spirochete bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi, which is related to Syphilis. Similar to its cousin Syphilis, Lyme is known as “The Great Masquerader” and can cause health issues across many different body systems. Lyme and tickborne coinfections can mimic, contribute to, trigger, or be misdiagnosed for conditions such as: 

• Chronic Fatigue Syndrome 
• Fibromyalgia 
• MS 
• Parkinson’s
• ALS
• Alzheimer’s 
• Rheumatoid Arthritis
• Lupus 
• Atypical anxiety 
• Depression, and many more.

Ticks are known as “nature’s dirty needle.” In addition to Borrelia burgdorferi (Lyme), ticks can pass a number of different pathogens such as:

• Babesia
• Bartonella
• Anaplasmosis
• Ehrlichiosis
• Borrelia Miyamotoi
• Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever
• Borrelia Mayonii
• Colorado Tick Fever
• Heartland Virus
• Powassan Virus
• Q Fever
• Relapsing Fever
• Southern Tick-Associated Rash Illness
• Tickborne Encephalitis
• Tularemia

In addition, ticks can cause non infectious issues such as:

• Tick paralysis
• Alpha-Gal meat allergy