Lyme disease, otherwise known as tick bite fever, is an inflammatory disease caused by a tick piercing human skin and releasing Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria into the bloodstream. According to CDC, it is the most common vector-borne (humans get infected through a bite of an infected black-legged Ixodes tick. ) disease in America.
Usually, tick fever can be successfully treated with a course of antibiotics, but if medical help is delayed, Lyme disease can spread to your joints, heart, or nervous system. Suppose a tick bites you, and you live in the Mentor, Ashtabula, and Geneva, OH area. In that case, you can seek expert help from Dr. Olusegun Ogunlesi at the Axelix Health Consulting clinic.
Signs and Symptoms of the infection
- Fever — Fever is the main symptom of Lyme disease
- Headache — Your head will be painful
- Fatigue — You will feel exhausted throughout the day like you do when you have flu
- Body aches — Your muscles will feel stiff and sore
- A skin rash called erythema migrans — a red area that surrounds a whitish spot
Ways to Protect Yourself from contracting Lyme Disease
To protect yourself from contracting Lyme disease in Mentor, Ashtabula, and Geneva, OH, you can do the following:
- Stay away from grassy and wooded areas — Easier said than done, especially in summer when getting away into nature is something you look forward to. However, summer is the time that ticks are most active
- Wear long pants and long sleeves — Covering your bare skin with clothing can prevent ticks from reaching your skin
- Apply insect repellent on any exposed skin — Insect repellent will provide some protection against ticks
Treatment
When you see a tick on your body, you need to remove it immediately by gently holding onto the tick's body and pulling upwards with steady, firm pressure. Once the tick is dislodged, you may want to keep it to show it to the doctor. Use gloves when dislodging a tick to prevent the toxic substances from infecting other parts of your body.
Go to see Dr. Ogunlesi at Axelix Health Consulting clinic to prescribe the necessary antibiotic treatment. The first-line treatment is a 14-day course of oral Doxycycline, or Amoxicillin, or Cefuroxime antibiotic. Most people treated with antibiotics early (within 72 hours of the bite) recover fully without other complications.
Even though not all ticks spread Lyme disease, it is better to err on the side of caution. That is why you should not delay seeking treatment after a tick bites you. If you live in Mentor, Ashtabula, and Geneva, OH area, come and see Dr. Ogunlesi at Axelix Health Consulting Clinic by calling (440) 867-4800 for specialized care.