Lyme Disease - Is it Contagious

1. Lyme Disease - Is it Contagious Dr. Peter Dobie

2. People often ask that if "Lyme disease is contagious?” this happens mostly because symptoms are similar to the flu which is contagious in nature. Taking effective preventing measures is the best way to deal with Lyme disease. You can search online if looking for an expert Lyme disease doctor in your area. Lyme disease is an infection caused by bacteria which is transferred into a human body by a deer tick bite. The bacterium Borrelia is developed by deer ticks from mammals that carry the disease. It is then transmitted by the ticks in humans and other animals, with its bite. A deer is quite small in size and almost equal to a sesame seed, the females are larger in size than the males which are completely black in colour.

3. The moment you detect a deer tick on your body, remove it immediately. This way Lyme disease might be avoided as it takes almost twenty four hours for the Borrelia bacteria to transmit in the human body. Always use a tweezers or a similar tool to remove the tick and try to grab its head because in some case the body may be detached but the head of the tick might give you the Lyme disease by sucking the blood. You should be careful while removing the tick and try not to twist or crush it. Your aim should be to remove it in a single piece. Seal the tick in a plastic bag and visit a doctor for testing right away. Many people are confused and often ask if “Lyme disease is contagious?” the answer is No because the disease can only be spread by tick bite. A number of people wrongly assume that it is a contagious disease as the symptoms is somewhat similar to another contagious condition, influenza.

4. The first few symptoms of the disease are flu, muscle pain, joint pain, headaches, fever and chills. These symptoms are the reason that people frequently ask the same question that if the Lyme disease contagious or not? A rash that develops in the early stage is one of the major symptoms that differentiate the flu from this disease. More than 80% patients with Lyme disease develop a small red spot with a clear centre in the body part where the tick has bitten. The rash is a clear indicator of this disease as it develops in a form of a unique bull's eye shape. Lyme disease, if not detected in time can cause more dangerous conditions such as severe joint pain, numbness and paralysis of the face muscles. Some other symptoms of later stages are difficulty in concentration, memory loss, severe headaches and sleep disorders. Neck pain and inflammation in the body are also prevalent. These symptoms usually appear months after the tick bites.

5. Prevention is the best way in combating Lyme disease, therefore take necessary precautions before leaving home and properly examine your body once you are back at your home. Wear long sleeve shirts, hats and tuck in your pants into the socks while you are heading towards a forest or similar environment where ticks are generally found. Ticks can be easily killed by the hot temperatures, so wash your clothes with hot water and take a proper bath after returning from hiking or parks. Lyme disease is quite prevalent in Australia (http://drpeterdobie.com/lyme-disease/), so you can search online to find an expert Lyme disease doctorin your city.

6. Address: SUITE 3A, EDGECLIFF COURT, 2 NEW McLean ST, EDGECLIFF, NSW 2027 Email: info@drpeterdobie.com Telephone: 02 9362 0493 Fax: 02 9363 0767 Dr. Peter Dobie Thank You