Lyme disease -the bug in the Hadids’ house
I recently stumbled upon this disease on social media. The celebrity tea about 3 members of the Hadid family contracting this disease, caught my attention.
What! Is it inherited? No, It is caused by just a tick bite. I wonder how did they all get the disease. Oh wow, even Justin Bieber has Lyme. Is this a celebrity disease?
This was my internal dialogue that prompted me to read about this mysterious ailment. Let me tell you what I have learned…
Lyme disease, often painted in dark hues, emerges from the minuscule bite of a tick. The cause lies with the bacterium ‘Borrelia burgdorferi’, a cunning intruder that thrives within ticks, ready to pounce on unsuspecting hosts. Though common in some parts of the world, it’s important to note that only 2% of tick bites result in this sinister ailment.
Prevalence
One in seven individuals is found to have had this disease once in their lifetime.
Symptoms
Symptoms for this disease are all over the place, contributing to the increased chances of being misdiagnosed.
An initial stage, like a fleeting shadow, might bring forth flu-like discomfort: fever, chills, fatigue, headache, muscle and joint aches. Also, a red rash, which might look like a ‘bulls-eye’, at the site of the bite is a characteristic tell-tale sign and is seen in 80% of the cases. It may take 3–30 days for the rash to appear. If it expands over the weeks to almost 5cm, then most likely you are injected with this venom. But it’s the later phases where the bite transforms into something more sinister. Months or years later, the past may come back to haunt you, but this time even worse. The encounter may bring about-
- More rashes decorated across your body
- Intermittent and migratory pain in joints or muscles or bones, ie..today your left knee hurts but tomorrow your right thumb is swollen.
- Numbness, tingling, pain in hands or feet
- Bell’s palsy- paralysis of one half of the face
- Neck stiffness and severe headaches leading to brain fog
- Heart palpitations and chest pain
Time is both an ally and adversary; the duration of symptoms ebbs and flows. The acute phase, like a tempest, can last weeks if left unchecked. However, for some, the battle continues for months, even years.
Diagnosis
Cracking the case of Lyme is much like deciphering a cryptic code. The complex interplay of symptoms, history, and lab tests slowly unravels the mystery. But it’s a tale that often requires scrutiny, lest misdiagnosis cast a shadow over the afflicted.
Treatment
Healing, like taming a tempest, involves an orchestrated multi-specialty approach. Antibiotics are administered to rally against the bacterial onslaught. Yet, even as they drive the enemy back, remnants may remain, leading to chronic echoes of the ailment. Management is a blend of medications, therapies, and unwavering resolve over the years.
If you find yourself bitten by a tick, use sharp tweezers to gently pull away the tick in one piece. Wash the area with soap and water and look for an expanding rash or flu-like symptoms in the coming days. An oral antibiotic regime lasting 10–14 days will cure the majority of the cases, though some seem to stick around for a bit longer.
Prevention
Like soldiers, protective clothing and tick repellents can stand guard when you are exploring the woodlands and grassy patches of the world. Swift removal of ticks, within 24–36 hours is vital to thwart transmission. Inspect the less visible parts of the body like creases on the neck, scalp and inner thighs.
Hence, my inner voices subsided. I know all about this disease now.
Many celebrities have taken this particular disease to the limelight not because it is popular among celebrities. It is quite common among the commons and can be very easily underdiagnosed. They merely took the stage they already have, to share their personal experience, thereby, spreading awareness of this menace to the public.
HI! I am Hanan Noushad, a word-savvy medical writer. E-mail me for medical writing services:hanannoushad95@gmail.com
