Symptoms of Lyme Disease, “The Great Imitator” / Lyme , la grande imitatrice

http://www.envita.com/lyme-disease/symptoms-of-lyme-disease/symptoms-of-lyme-disease-great-imitator

Symptoms of Lyme Disease, “The Great Imitator”

Written on February 10, 2012 by admin in Symptoms of Lyme Disease

Symptoms of Lyme Disease, “The Great Imitator”

The symptomology of Lyme disease is varied and diverse, resulting in significant difficulty in diagnosis. Known as “the great imitator,” Lyme disease can mimic the symptoms of Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, MS, ALS, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s, as well as more than some 350 other diseases. When patients do present with a number of infections and co-infections, including other tick-Born infections, it is this complicated presentation that we call Lyme Disease Complex.

What Happened to Lyme’s Classic “Bull’s Eye” Rash?

An initial bite from a tick can cause a rash that will appear in three months to a year. While the characteristic “bull’s eye” rash (erythema migrans) is associated with Lyme disease, the rash only appears in an estimated 50% of infected individuals, or it may appear in a different form. If this rash does appear, it will generally wane over a two to a four-week period. 70 percent of all patients who do present with Lyme disease complex never recall such a rash.

A Review of Lyme Disease Complex Symptoms

In the first month to six weeks following a bite from an infected tick, the initial symptoms that appear may include flu-like symptoms such as malaise, chills, fever, sore throat, achiness, and swollen lymph nodes. After these symptoms pass, infected persons will generally develop muscle and joint pain, which can be severe, temporary, and manifest in different areas. Shooting, burning, and prickling sensations, as well as numbness, may also be experienced. Neurological problems, such as facial paralysis may also occur, in addition to encephalitis and cognitive dysfunction, such as short-term memory loss. Panic, anxiety, or depression can also be caused by the infection.

Important to Remember

Importantly, Lyme disease does not follow the same course in all individuals. It is also worthy to note from our experienced LLMD (Lyme Literate Doctors) that clinically the patient may have multi- autoimmune disease diagnosis in addition to memory problems, word, name and other memory recall issues along with neurological and digestive symptoms as well. Other symptoms indicative of Lyme can include:

• Cough, shortness of breath
• Unexplained fevers, chills, sweats
• Cystitis
• Fatigue
• Chest plain/heart palpitations
• Cardiac irregularity
• Double/blurry vision, pain or floaters
• Photophobia
• Hair loss
• Fever
• Tick bite(s)
• Rash at bite site or other areas
• Difficulty swallowing
• Swollen glands
• Sore throat
• Swelling around the eyes
• Unexplained weight loss/gain
• Buzzing, ringing or ear pain
• Difficulty eating
• Nausea or vomiting
• Diarrhea or constipation
• Tremors
• Eyelid/facial twitching or Bells Palsy
• Joint pain and swelling
• Abdominal cramping/pain
• Irritable bladder or bladder dysfunction
• Testicular/pelvis pain
• Neck creaks, cracks or stiffness
• Joint or back stiffness
• Muscle pain or cramps
• Insomnia
• TMJ (jaw pain)
• Headaches
• Tingling or numbness
• Poor balance
• Difficulty walking
• Seizure activity
• Stabbing sensations
• Dizziness
• Personality changes
• Mood swings
• Irritability
• Depression
• Confusion
• Anxiety
• Difficulty concentrating or reading
• Gastritis
• Menstrual irregularity
• Loss of libido
• Trouble speaking
• Disorientation

At Envita, we examine and address all factors of Lyme disease to achieve accurate diagnosis and effective treatment. Addressing the varied symptomology of the disease is vital to improving patients’ quality of life as well as boosting the body’s ability to successfully rid itself of the disease-causing bacteria.