What Are the Treatments for Lyme's Disease?

Lyme disease is a condition that is contracted through a bite from an infected tick with the bacterium Borrelia. Lyme disease can cause rashes, body aches, fever, chills, weakness, swollen joints and sometimes paralysis temporarily. Early treatment usually results in a full recovery. In some cases, symptoms may linger for a long while or reoccur sporadically.

Oral Antibiotics

• If Lyme disease is caught in the early stages, it will be treated with oral antibiotics. Children are typically prescribed cefuroxine or amoxicillin. Adults are typically prescribed doxycycline. The prescription antibiotics are usually taken for at least 10 days, but may be taken up to 21 days to get rid of the infection. Early treatment with antibiotics usually prevents future complications.

IV Antibiotics

• If the person has been infected with Lyme disease for a long period of time, IV antibiotics may be necessary. IV antibiotics will be given for a period of 14 to 28 days. IV antibiotics will get rid of the infection, but symptoms may still occur for a while. IV antibiotics may result in side effects such as gallstones, low white blood cell count and diarrhea.

Treatments to Avoid

• The Food and Drug Administration asserts that the use of bismacine or chromoacine injections is not a safe treatment for Lyme disease. These medications can result in poisoning. Poisonings with these medications may lead to kidney failure or heart failure.

NSAIDS

• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) may be used to treat lingering symptoms of Lyme disease such as swelling, pain and limited range of motion. If discomfort does not respond to over-the-counter NSAIDS, a doctor may be consulted about the need for prescription strength anti-inflammatory or pain medications.

Synovectomy

• When Lyme disease progresses without antibiotic treatment, it may cause severely achy joints. This condition is called chronic Lyme arthritis. This condition is treated with antibiotics initially. However, if the condition does not improve, a synovectomy may be performed. A synovectomy is a surgical procedure than involves removing the joints' lining.