3Overview of Early Disseminated Lyme Disease
Early disseminated Lyme disease is the second stage of the infection. It occurs when you do not notice the presence of the condition or do not get proper treatment options. This progression may take a couple of weeks or months after the initial tick bite. This stage of Lyme disease is mainly featured by signs of systemic infection. It means that the bacteria would have spread from the bitten areas to other parts of the body, such as the heart, nervous system, joints, and the skin. [3]
Signs and Symptoms of Early Disseminated Lyme Disease
Symptoms of early disseminated Lyme disease usually start a few weeks or months after a tick bite. These might include:
– Conjunctivitis or eye redness
– Heart complications, such as dizziness or palpitations
– Swelling or pain in the elbows, shoulders, knees, and other joints
– Serious numbness or muscle pain in the extremities
– Meningitis, which causes inflammation of the protective membranes in the spinal cord and brain
– Fever, serious headaches, or neck stiffness caused by meningitis
– Bell’s palsy, which causes muscle weakness or paralysis on one or both parts of the face
These problems may indicate that the infection would have started to spread from the original area to other body parts. In some cases, the symptoms of stages 1 and 2 may overlap. [4]
