Late Lyme Disease Symptoms
Some of the symptoms and signs of Lyme disease do not appear some time after the initial bite from a Lyme disease infected tick.
It could be weeks, months and even years before these symptoms develop. People infected with Lyme disease may also have different symptoms from one another.
The late symptoms of Lyme disease can also mimic the symptoms of other diseases and conditions. Thorough tests must be made for correct diagnosis of Lyme disease.
Late Lyme disease symptoms include:
Chronic encephalomyeltits
This may be a progressive condition and may include
- back pain
- facial palsy - also known as Bell's syndrome
- bladder problems
- vertigo
- cognitive dysfunction including concentration and memory problems
- weakness in the legs
Mental Health Issues
Anxiety and panic attacks can also be a late Lyme disease symptom as can delusional behaviour in some cases. However there is no evidence to suggest depression is more common in those infected with Lyme disease.
Fatigue
Fatigue is a common late symptom and can be mistaken for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS)in some cases
Arthritis
Often in the knees, Lyme arthritis is a common late symptom of Lyme disease. In fewer cases, other joints may be affected including the shoulders, wrists, hips, elbows and ankles. Lyme arthritis usually causes mild to moderate pain and swelling around these joints. Neck stiffness is also commom
Other late symptoms include:
- sleep disturbance
- Irregularities of heart rhythm (in rare cases)
- fever
- sweats
- problems with vision - often blurriness
- tinnitus
- increased sensitivity to sound
- shortness of breath
- diarrhea
- irritable bowel
- urinary frequency
- temors
Due to the large array of symptoms and the potential for a misdiagnosis, a range of techniques should be used when detecting and diagnosing a person infected with Lyme disease.
