What diseases does Lyme mimic?

Called the “great imitator,” Lyme disease can present a variety of symptoms that mimic a wide range of illnesses, including chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, ALS, Alzheimer's disease, depression, insomnia, and autoimmune disorders such as RA and Multiple Sclerosis (MS).

Is Lyme disease often misdiagnosed?

Misdiagnosis is More Common—and Costly—Than Most People Realize. A recent nationwide survey conducted by LymeDisease.org revealed that less than a quarter of participating patients reported being correctly diagnosed within six months of the onset of their Lyme disease symptoms.

Can Lyme disease mimic autoimmune?

Studies have documented several cases of Lyme disease that appeared to trigger or mimic autoimmune diseases, including Sjogren's syndrome, dermatomyocitis (DM), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriatic arthritis (PsA), and spondyloarthritis (SpA).

Can Lyme turn into lupus?

Moreover, long-term exposure of the host's immune system to spirochetes can contribute to the development of chronic autoimmune disease de novo. We report a 35-year-old woman with a combination of LD and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and in this case, LD was the most likely trigger for SLE.

Can ANA be positive with Lyme disease?

A high ANA count can also be an indicator of Lyme disease; however, no health professional during this period suggested the possibility of a tick-borne disease (please note no health professional questioned if I had travelled out of Australia and could have contracted Lyme overseas).

Understanding the Persistent Symptoms in Lyme Disease | Johns Hopkins Medicine

Can Lyme mimic leukemia?

There is some evidence that inflammation due to Lyme disease can sometimes cause certain forms of blood cancer, such as lymphoma. But most people with Lyme disease do not develop leukemia. Some people with leukemia develop a rash due to burst blood vessels.

Can Lyme disease be mistaken for rheumatoid arthritis?

Overview. Lyme disease can sometimes be confused with other conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Both Lyme disease and RA can become debilitating if not treated. When treated, Lyme arthritis symptoms usually go away.

Can Lyme disease be missed in a blood test?

A tricky diagnosis

But while this approach is good at diagnosing the disease at later stages, it can miss the disease early on when antibody levels are low. In the first three weeks after infection, the test only detects Lyme 29 to 40 percent of the time.

How do you rule out Lyme disease?

A doctor will test your blood for antibodies that are trying to fight the bacteria in your blood. One of these tests is called the ELISA test, and you'll often have a second test called the Western blot test to confirm you have Lyme disease. To treat Lyme disease, you may need to take antibiotics for up to a month.

What are the neurological symptoms of Lyme disease?

What are the symptoms? Neurological complications most often occur in early disseminated Lyme disease, with numbness, pain, weakness, facial palsy/droop (paralysis of the facial muscles), visual disturbances, and meningitis symptoms such as fever, stiff neck, and severe headache.

What is the most accurate Lyme disease test?

A blood test does not only detect Lyme disease; it is the most accurate and preferred test for diagnosing the disease. If a patient with Lyme disease shows signs that the central nervous system has been affected by the disease, western blot testing on the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) can be performed.

Is Lyme disease like fibromyalgia?

If the diagnosis is delayed or if Lyme disease returns, it may share some symptoms with fibromyalgia. How it is similar to fibromyalgia: Fatigue, stiffness, arthritis pain, extreme headaches, sleep problems, and difficulty concentrating can develop late in Lyme disease.

Does Lyme arthritis show up on xray?

There are no X-ray findings associated with Lyme disease. However, an X-ray may be helpful in the diagnosis of complications of chronic Lyme arthritis.

Does Lyme disease show on MRI?

Lyme disease symptoms may also have a relapsing-remitting course. In addition, Lyme disease occasionally produces other abnormalities that are similar to those seen in MS, including positive findings on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of the brain and analysis of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).

Can Lyme cause lymphoma?

First things first: Lyme disease doesn't cause cancer, and it is not contagious. There are some bacterial and viral infections, similar to Lyme disease, that may increase your risk for lymphoma, though there's no evidence to suggest that Lyme disease can give you lymphoma.

What were your first signs of leukemia?

Can Lyme disease cause blood disorders?

The disease can cause a specific type of anemia, called hemolytic anemia, since the parasites infect and destroy red blood cells. The organism can be transmitted by tick bites or through contaminated blood transfusions.

Can Lyme disease be mistaken for osteoarthritis?

It is not uncommon for patients presenting with arthritic pain in the knee to be misdiagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis. However, one major difference between Lyme disease and arthritis is that Lyme arthritis often manifests in larger joints, and often only on one side of the body – in one knee, for example.

What does Lyme arthritis feel like?

What are the symptoms? The main feature of Lyme arthritis is obvious swelling of one or a few joints. While the knees are affected most often, other large joints such as the shoulder, ankle, elbow, jaw, wrist, and hip can also be involved. The joint may feel warm to the touch or cause pain during movement.

Can Lyme disease cause PMR?

Lyme disease

It causes joint pain and stiffness, fever, and fatigue, much like PMR.

Can Lyme trigger fibromyalgia?

Conclusions: Lyme disease may trigger fibromyalgia, but antibiotics do not seem to be effective in the treatment of the fibromyalgia.

Can you have Lyme disease flare ups?

A flare-up may occur following a trigger or as part of the illness. When a Lyme disease flare occurs, patients will notice a return of the symptoms they have experienced before or a worsening of existing symptoms. Some patients may also develop new symptoms. A flare-up can come and go and vary in intensity.

Is Lyme disease psychosomatic?

This is a mischaracterization of psychosomatic disorders. Lyme pain is real, not imagined. Often, patients lose their health, livelihoods, relationship, home, and dignity in the process of getting diagnosed. This is not due to an improper coping mechanism or a cognitive manifestation of emotional stress.

What are symptoms of late stage Lyme disease?

What Happens If Lyme disease goes untreated for years?

Untreated, Lyme disease can spread to other parts of your body for several months to years after infection, causing arthritis and nervous system problems. Ticks can also transmit other illnesses, such as babesiosis and Colorado tick fever.