Can Lyme Disease Be Cured?

People living in northeast and upper mid-west America always have a fear about Lyme disease at the back of their minds. This is because Lyme disease is transmitted to humans by tick bites. These ticks are found living on their natural hosts: the deer and white footed mice. The deer tick bites pass on the bacteria called the Borrelia burgdorferi into the blood of the host, like humans. The bacteria then establishes itself into the various body tissues leading to a number of unpleasant symptoms. It leads to a multisystem inflammatory disease. This is the reason many people ask, "Can Lyme disease be cured?". Yes, it is! This condition is curable, only if it is treated as early as possible. We shall see more information related to this question in the following paragraphs and understand more about Lyme disease treatment.

Can Lyme Disease be Cured with Antibiotics

Lyme disease can be cured only if you take appropriate antibiotics during the early stages. Many patients are given oral antibiotics as a standard early-stage Lyme disease treatment. In case of children over 8 years of age and adults, doxycycline is the choice of antibiotic. Younger children, pregnant women and breast-feeding women are advised amoxicillin or cefuroxime. These antibiotics are helpful in preventing infections as well as spread of the infection. The course of the antibiotics is about 14 to 21 days long. You can read some information on early symptoms of Lyme disease.

Can Chronic Lyme Disease be Cured

There are a few patients who tend to suffer from symptoms of Lyme disease even after receiving antibiotic treatment. These patients are said to be suffering from chronic Lyme disease. They suffer from symptoms such as fatigue, sleep disturbance, cognitive difficulty, etc. So, can chronic Lyme disease be cured? Yes, it can be treated to some extent. Chronic Lyme disease is treated with the help of intravenous antibiotics for up to 28 days. If the symptoms like arthritis persist, then the antibiotic course is extended for about 2 to 4 weeks. Although long-term antibiotic treatment is not recommended, but in some cases it is carried out to improve the symptoms.

Can Late Stage Lyme Disease be Cured

Late stage Lyme disease occurs after about 3 months to one year of the initial infection. These patients suffer from initial stage symptoms like Lyme arthritis, fluid filled joints, headaches, fatigue, muscle pain, mood swings, memory problems, etc. Late stage Lyme disease too, can be cured to some extent. The treatment involves 2 weeks intravenous antibiotic therapy and in some cases, the therapy goes on for more than a year.

From the above explanation, you can see that Lyme disease is curable if treated early. Late diagnosis can complicate things and lead to failure of antibiotic treatment. The earlier you seek treatment the better. In many cases, patients with short-term antibiotic treatment are cured of the disease. In some cases, patients continue to have problems for life. If you live in tick prone areas, make sure you follow some precautions. Always wear enclosed shoes and light-colored clothes at it will help spot a tick easily. When you are outdoors, make sure you scan your body and clothes for any sign of tick. As long as possible always walk on cleared trails. Do not sit on the ground, grass or stone wall directly as it will bring you close to ticks which can jump on to your body. If you have long hair, keep them tied back, especially when traveling in a wooded area or while gardening. Use effective insect repellant on your body and clothes to keep ticks away when moving outdoors.

Each individual is different and each case of Lyme disease is different. This is the reason the treatment for Lyme disease differs in each case differs. Although, Lyme disease rarely causes life-threatening symptoms, remember early detection and prompt treatment will prevent the disease from turning into a chronic condition. Hope the above information has answered your question, "Can Lyme disease be cured?" The disease can be cured, but one may have to suffer from some of its effects for a long time. Speak to your doctor about Lyme disease treatment and its duration for more details.