Some of the world’s favorite famous people such as Avril Lavigne and others have been diagnosed with Lyme disease. A German physician named Alfred Buchwald wrote about a skin disorder called “acrodermatitis chronica atrophicans,” which is similar to Lyme disease. The original story of determining Lyme disease started with Judith Mench's daughter in Old Lyme, Connecticut. Her daughter, Amy, went out for Halloween, and the disease first appeared when Amy returned with a swollen knee. The doctors diagnosed her with Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis; however, she knew arthritis was not contagious, so they came to the conclusion it was Lyme disease. It was important for the family to learn about the disease because they did not know how extreme Lyme disease is. In order to fully understand Lyme disease, one must look at the causes, symptoms, and treatment of the disease.

Understanding the causes of Lyme disease is important when learning about this disease. The main reason for Lyme disease is through a bacteria called Borrelia burgdorferi. This bacteria infects small bugs called blacklegged ticks, also known as deer ticks. These ticks are normally infected with Borrelia burgdorferi when they are young. Once a tick is infected, it is dangerous for any person that gets bitten. The tick has to be stuck to the person for at least twenty-four to thirty-six hours in order for the bacteria to spread to one’s bloodstream (Vyas). The process of getting Lyme disease is an intricate process that starts when “B. burgdorferi enters the skin from the tick salivary glands. Once in the skin, the bacteria may be eliminated by the immune system, invade localized surrounding tissue, or enter the blood and lymphatic system within days or weeks” (Frey). There are three stages that a person goes through once the person is infected. The first stage is known as early localized, which is the stage when a person is just starting to get the symptoms of Lyme disease. The next stage is known as early disseminated, which is when the bacteria starts to move to the bloodstream and organs. The last stage is known as late disseminated, which is when the bacteria has spread throughout the body, and the disease slowly worsens. Some ways people most likely get Lyme are from owning pets with ticks, walking through high grasses, and participating in numerous outdoor activities (Vyas). Lyme disease is caused by a bacteria that infects a tick, and the tick bites the person, giving the person the bacteria. There are many ways to get Lyme disease, so it is important to know all of them.

Furthermore, it is just as important to understand the symptoms of Lyme disease. When first getting Lyme disease, a person will have flu-like symptoms. These symptoms include chills, fever, fatigue, and muscle and joint pains. These symptoms occur between three to thirty days after being bitten by the tick. A small, red rash in the shape of a bull’s eye will appear almost immediately; however, the longer it sits untreated, the worse the symptoms get. The rash that appears when bitten can gradually spread up to twelve inches across the entire body. These symptoms usually happen to approximately seventy to eighty percent of infected people (“Signs and Symptoms”). In stage two of Lyme disease, the symptoms worsen to numbness and pain in the nerve area, paralysis in muscles in the face, and heart problems. In stage three, the symptoms are even more intense than stage two: abnormal muscle movement, muscle weakness, joint swelling, numbness and tingling, speech problems, and thinking problems (Vyas). Unfortunately, these symptoms can last for weeks, months, and even years. Symptoms can last for a long time because “Bb can hide for long periods within the body in a clinically latent (resting) state. That ability explains why symptoms can recur in cycles and can flare up after months or years, even over decades” (Lasker). The symptoms of Lyme disease start small, but the symptoms gradually get worse over time. There are many symptoms of Lyme disease that can be harmful and uncomfortable, so it is important to know them.

Finally, it is extremely important to understand the treatments for Lyme disease. In order to get rid of Lyme disease and reduce the symptoms, multiple treatments of antibiotics are normally used. Many different treatments are used on different patients due to how intense the disease is and how early it is treated. If the disease is treated too soon, then the patient can easily be over treated, but if the wait is too long, then the treatment is more aggressive. Prescribed oral medicine- like doxycycline, amoxicillin, and cefuroxime axetil-  is usually given to the patient for fourteen to twenty-one days (Lasker). Doxycycline is a type of medicine that is used to prevent infections. Amoxicillin is another type of medicine used to treat infections and stomach ulcers. Lastly, cefuroxime axetil is a type of medicine to help treat skin infections. Sometimes, symptoms of Lyme disease can affect the eye, so oral corticosteroids may be prescribed. Struggles with treatment can easily occur: “Furthermore, B. burgdorferi can hide in places in the body that antibiotics may not reach, and antibiotics are not effective against the dormant bacteria” (Lasker). Treatments for Lyme disease are usually antibiotics; however, there are still several struggles when treating a person with Lyme disease. There are many treatments for Lyme disease, but it is important to know exactly when to treat the disease.

Lyme disease is a very severe disease, so it is important for one to fully understand the causes, symptoms, and treatments for Lyme disease. Lyme disease is caused by bacteria that infects a tick; furthermore, a tick bites a person, infecting the person as well. There are three stages the occur when one gets Lyme disease: early localized, early disseminated, and late disseminated. Throughout these stages, the symptoms of Lyme disease worsen. The symptoms usually start from being a small bull’s eye shaped rash to losing one’s mental stability. Treatments are usually antibiotics such as doxycycline, amoxicillin, and cefuroxime axetil, which are used between fourteen to twenty-one days. Sometimes there are complications with the treatment, and there could be more aggressive treatment and therapy regarding when the disease is first treated. Lyme disease is a common disease that many people get around the world, so it is important to know the causes, symptoms, and treatments, so the chances of getting it are lowered.