How to Find a Lyme Physician

Lyme disease (Borreliosis), which is caused by Borrelia bacteria, is spread to humans by ticks that have been infected with the disease. Symptoms of Lyme disease include headache, nausea, skin rash (resembling the pattern of a bull's eye), and depression. Early treatment with antibiotics can cure 95% of cases. If left untreated, Lyme disease can result in death. Most cases can be diagnosed and treated by your own physician, although rare or prolonged cases (known as chronic Lyme disease) may be referred to internists (or a specialist in internal medicine).

Instructions

• 1

  Make an appointment with your family doctor. Explain to the receptionist that you suspect you have been infected with Lyme disease and that it is important that you see your doctor as soon as possible.

• 2

  Mention to your doctor the circumstances regarding the infection, and the duration and symptoms you have been experiencing. Based on a basic examination, he may prescribe antibiotics that can effectively kill the Borrelia bacteria.

• 3

  Take the treatment as your physician has directed and make observations regarding improvements in your health to ensure that symptoms are disappearing. Once you have been treated by a physician, symptoms of Lyme disease should disappear within 2 weeks.

• 4

  Call your physician within 2 weeks if you do not seem to be getting better, or if your symptoms are getting worse. Ask your physician if he is capable of providing an ELISA (Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay) or IFA (Indirect Fluorescent Antibody) test in his office. If your doctor is unable to provide further testing for Lyme disease, ask him to provide the name of a specialist in internal medicine who is capable of providing further testing and treatment of Lyme disease.

• 5

  Follow up with the specialist your doctor recommended. Call the specialist's office to make an appointment, and be sure to mention that your doctor has referred you.

• 6

  Bring all relevant information regarding your condition with you to your appointment. Ensure that you have recorded the name of the medication your physician first used to treat the disease, as well as the date(s) treatment was administered. Include a list of all symptoms and corresponding times when you first began noticing symptoms. The more information you are able to provide to the specialist, the better equipped he will be to provide proper treatment for your condition.