Lyme Disease Symptoms

Lyme Disease: Symptoms & Side Effects

Lyme disease is a tick-born illness with over 150 symptoms.  Lyme disease symptoms usually involve multiple systems. There are three stages of Lyme disease: early localized, early disseminated, and late persistent. If left untreated, it may progress into long-term disabilities. However, it is important to note that Lyme disease can lie dormant in your body for a prolonged period of time, and will invade when your immune system is compromised.

• Digestive and Excretory Systems
• Eyes/Vision
• Female Specific
• General Well Being
• Head, Face, Neck
• Mental Capacity
• Musculoskeletal System
• Neurological System
• Psychological Well-being
• Reproduction and Sexuality
• Respiratory and Circulatory Systems
• The Tick Bite

Digestive and Excretory Systems

• Diarrhea
• Constipation
• Irritable bladder (trouble starting, stopping)
• Upset stomach (nausea or pain)

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Eyes/Vision

• Double or blurry vision
• Increased floating spots
• Pain in eyes, or swelling around eyes
• Oversensitivity to light
• Flashing lights
• Ears/Hearing
• Decreased hearing in one or both ears
• Buzzing in ears
• Pain in ears, oversensitivity to sound
• Ringing in one or both ears

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Female Specific

• Unexplained menstrual pain, irregularity
• Unexplained breast pain, discharge
• Pelvic pain

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General Well Being

• Unexplained weight gain or loss
• Extreme fatigue
• Swollen glands
• Unexplained fevers (high- or low-grade)
• Continual infections (sinus, kidney, eye, etc.)
• Symptoms seem to change, come and go
• Pain migrates (moves) to different body parts
• Early on, experienced a flu-like illness, after which you have not since felt well

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Head, Face, Neck

• Unexplained hair loss
• Headache, mild or severe
• Twitching of facial or other muscles
• Facial paralysis (Bell’s palsy)
• Tingling of nose, cheek, or face
• Stiff or painful neck, creaks and cracks
• Jaw pain or stiffness
• Sore throat

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Mental Capacity

• Memory loss (short or long term)
• Confusion, difficulty in thinking
• Difficulty with concentration or reading
• Going to the wrong place
• Speech difficulty (slurred or slow)
• Stammering speech
• Forgetting how to perform simple tasks

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Musculoskeletal System

• Any joint pain or swelling
• Stiffness of joints, back, neck
• Muscle pain or cramps

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Neurological System

• Tremors or unexplained shaking
• Burning or stabbing sensations in the body
• Weakness or partial paralysis
• Pressure in the head
• Numbness in body, tingling, pinpricks
• Poor balance, dizziness, difficulty walking
• Increased motion sickness
• Lightheadedness, wooziness

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Psychological Well-being

• Mood swings, irritability
• Unusual depression
• Disorientation (getting or feeling lost)
• Feeling as if you are losing your mind
• Overemotional reactions, crying easily
• Too much sleep or insomnia
• Difficulty falling or staying asleep

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Reproduction and Sexuality

• Loss of sex drive
• Sexual dysfunction

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Respiratory and Circulatory Systems

• Shortness of breath, cough
• Chest pain or rib soreness
• Night sweats or unexplained chills
• Heart palpitations or extra beats
• Heart blockage

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The Tick Bite

• Tick bite (deer, dog, or other)
• Rash at site of tick bite
• Rashes on other parts of your body
• Rash (basically circular – called “bulls-eye” rash) and spreading out
• Raised rash, disappearing and returning

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**This list was compiled by Denise Lang, author of “Coping with Lyme Disease” but is by no means conclusive. If you suspect you have Lyme disease, visit www.lymediseaseassociation.org to find a Lyme-literate doctor in your area.