Lyme disease can develop if a tick transmits the borrelia burdogferi bacteria. Although it is a very serious disease, it can be prevented or at least slowed down.

The Lyme disease is becoming increasingly prevalent in our country. This increase in the number of detected cases is beginning to become a reality. particularly worrying in the spring season.This is the season when ticks are in full reproductive phase. For this reason, the reference organisation for the prevention and treatment of Lyme disease, the ILADS (International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society), to which Biosalud Day Hospital belongs, offers recommendations for the prevention, early detection and treatment of this disease.

1. Be aware that the Lyme disease is a problem that crosses borders

Contrary to popular belief, the Lyme disease is not only a problem in the United States, in the last 10 years, a number of countries have identified Lyme-carrying ticks worldwide. In addition, it has been discovered that not only the blacklegged tick, considered the "source of Lyme", is a carrier of Lyme disease. borreliaThe disease is not only caused by the bacterium that causes the disease, but also by other species that can transmit it.

The first step in preventing Lyme disease is to avoid the bite.. You don't have to go into the forest to be bitten by a tick - they can be found in meadows or in vegetation at any time of the year, especially in spring. If you spray your clothes with insect repellent and check the skin all over your body when you return from a walk, you can control the bites.

2. Learn to identify ticks and infectious agents.

The size of ticks can vary: the smallest ticks can be the size of a pinhead, and adult ticks can be the size of a kernel of corn, so ticks can be as large as a grain of corn. it is important to check the skin thoroughly. On the other hand, ticks can carry other infectious agents besides the spirochete that causes lyme disease. These include: ahrlichia, anaplasmosis, babesia y bartonella. Lyme disease can be difficult to cure if these other infections are not treated at the same time.

3. Don't wait to see what happens

If you have seen or suspect a tick bite, don't take the risk of waiting to see what happens before seeing a specialist in the diagnosis and treatment of Lyme disease. The symptoms of Lyme disease can be confused with those of other diseases and are not covered by conventional diagnostic protocols. A Once the symptoms become more evident, the disease may have affected your central nervous system. and will be more difficult to cure.

4. Show the doctor any rashes or marks on your skin.

The bull's-eye rash is the best known, but there are others associated with Lyme disease. In fact, Lyme disease rashes can be mistaken for spider bites or skin infections. Take pictures and make sure you have a specialist look at these marks before they disappear..

5. Don't think you can't get Lyme disease if you don't have a rash.

Lyme disease is difficult to diagnose without a rash, or if no rash is present. arthritis or meningitis, but you can have Lyme without having any of these symptoms. Many people react differently to the infection and experience fatigue, headaches, irritability, anxietysleep disturbances, lack of memory and concentration, back pain, palpitations and joint pain, among others.

6. If you are looking for a diagnosis, trust a highly specialised centre.

False positives or false negatives occur very frequently, although false negatives are most common. In fact, some studies indicate that more than 50 percent of patients tested for Lyme are false negative. Clinical diagnosis can be made on the basis of symptoms, medical history and risk factors and specialists can apply treatment, even in the absence of a positive diagnosis, in an effort to prevent the disease from developing.

At Biosalud Day Hospital we also have the test of most advanced and reliable Lyme diagnostics in Spain, the Lymechecka test that determines with high accuracy the presence, or not, of the disease.

7. Find out about treatment options.

Symptoms may persist despite treatment. This can happen for various reasons: because the disease has progressed too far, because the most appropriate treatment is not being applied or because there are other diseases associated with Lyme. At Biosalud Day Hospital, we develop personalised treatment protocols based on the repair of the organism and the application of vaccines designed for each patient. In addition, we apply Biological Medicine therapies that can restore the immune system's functionality.

8. Be aware that there are other diseases with similar symptoms.

Chronic Lyme is called "the great imitator" because it is sometimes a disease whose diagnosis is confused with that of other diseases such as multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue or anxiety. This is very common and treatments for these other illnesses do not cure Lyme disease.

9. If you are not convinced by the diagnosis, seek a second opinion.

In addition to the difficulty of diagnosis, there are not many occasions in which this disease is taken into account as probable when seeking a diagnosis behind the symptoms of some of the diseases mentioned in the previous point. If you are suspicious, looks for specialised professionals such as those at Biosalud Day Hospital.

10. Trust in the success of the treatment and follow it through to the end.

Lyme disease is very aggressive, but even in cases of severe deterioration of the body, the health of a patient can improve. Trust in your recovery and see the treatment through to the end. The process of this disease is long and patients often go from specialist to specialist without a solution. For this reason, it is common that, if the symptoms remit, treatment is abandoned in the hope that things will improve, putting at risk its efficacy and the cure of the disease.