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Lyme Treatment Protocol

Lyme disease is carried primarily by the deer tick. To obtain the best possible outcome, a treatment protocol should begin immediately upon discovery of a tick bite or experiencing associated symptoms.

  1. Time Frame

    • The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports that the National Institutes of Health have conducted studies showing that antibiotics taken for a few weeks can cure most patients of Lyme disease. Oral antibiotics include amoxicillin and doxycycline. To prevent long-term effects of Lyme, the treatment protocol should be initiated as soon as the bite is discovered.

    Symptoms

    • The deer tick is so tiny that many do not realize they have been bitten until symptoms of infection occur. According to the CDC, the first sign may be a circular rash around the area of the tick bite.

    Treatment

    • The Mayo Clinic recommends a treatment protocol involving oral antibiotics for 14 to 21 days for early-stage Lyme disease. Intravenous antibiotics may be required for more advanced stages of disease.

    Stages of Lyme Disease

    • According to the Merck Online Medical Library, the three stages of Lyme disease each have specific treatment protocols. The three stages are: early localized (involving a rash); early disseminated (with symptoms of fatigue, headache, myalgias and stiff neck); and late onset (arthritis symptoms, fatigue and fever). Late-onset Lyme disease can occur years after the initial bite.

    Warning

    • See your doctor at the first sign of a tick bite or if symptoms such as fatigue, fever, joint pain or any musculoskeletal abnormalities occur with no other medical association.

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