n
of other reasons for the symptoms, and does not have a reliable diagnostic
testing. For those who are trying to determine which is which Lyme Disease
Guide has a well written and documented website.
Lyme Disease Diagnosis
Lyme disease is a difficult disease to accurately diagnose and for many
patients this, unfortunately, means months, if not years, of frustration. =
Lyme
disease diagnosis is rarely made through a blood test alone as these are
often imprecise and inaccurate and may simply demonstrate previous infectio=
n
with Borrelia bacteria which was successfully fought off by the patient,
rather than a current symptomatic infection.
Diagnosis of Lyme disease usually occurs after assessing a patient=92s medi=
cal
history, including exposure to high-risk tick areas and any recollection of
tick bites, the characteristic bull=92s eye Lyme disease rash, and other
symptoms indicating the condition. The erythema migrans rash is often
considered sufficient for a diagnosis of Lyme disease even in the absence o=
f
positive blood tests as it is so specific to infection with Borrelia
bacteria.
Lyme Disease Mimics other Diseases
Lyme disease has been called the =91great mimic=92 as it can cause symptoms
suggestive of a number of other conditions with the potential to lead to a
misdiagnosis.
Conditions that Lyme disease may be mistaken for include rheumatoid
arthritis, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, mononucleosis, fibromyalgia,
chronic fatigue syndrome, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson=92s Disease, lupus,
Crohn=92s disease, and even mental health issues such as schizophrenia,
psychosis, and bipolar disorder.
Delaying appropriate treatment for any of these conditions, and for Lyme
disease itself can have significant long-term consequences making early
diagnosis essential for a positive outcome....
...Bacterial invaders of the body usually trigger an immunoglobulin M (IgM)
response which builds over two to four weeks and then often dissipates afte=
r
six months unless infection persists. Patients with chronic Lyme disease
usually has detectable IgM levels, but an absence of this antibody, or low
levels may not indicate that the patient is cured as other ill-effects may
be occurring due to autoimmune reactions, permanent damage from a, now
cleared, infection, or an entirely different condition initially
misdiagnosed as Lyme disease...
...Diagnosing physicians are also recommended to assess the likelihood of
certain clinical manifestations of Lyme disease in particular patient
populations. Lyme disease is most prevalent in the US in children between
the ages of two and fifteen, and in adults between 30-59yrs old. However,
the development of multiple sclerosis, for example, is much more common in
those between 20-30yrs old.
Understanding the epidemiology of the disease is vital for reducing the ris=
k
of misdiagnosis.
Full information may be found here:
http://lymediseaseguide.org/lyme-disease-diagnosis
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