Signs & Symptoms

Lyme disease can affect both humans and animals, and its symptoms can range from mild to severe. Common signs and symptoms include:

• fever,
• headache,
• fatigue,
• muscle and joint pain, and
• skin rash known as erythema migraines.

The most important symptom is often missed as it only lasts a few weeks and is known as a bull’s eye rash. It is a reddened area with concentric circles in the tick bite area. Other less common symptoms include swollen lymph nodes, pain in the tendons, and neurological symptoms such as confusion and memory loss.

In more serious cases, Lyme disease can cause severe joint pain and swelling, facial paralysis, heart palpitations, and even meningitis. It can also cause long-term complications such as chronic fatigue, cognitive impairment, and motor and sensory disturbances. It is also known to cause chronic arthritis in some cases and can even cause death in rare cases.