Stages of Lyme Disease

Learn the Stages of Lyme Disease

Lyme disease occurs in three stages: early localized, early disseminated and late disseminated. However the stages can overlap and not all patients go through all three. A bulls-eye rash is usually considered one of the first signs of infection, but many people develop a different kind of rash or none at all. In most cases, Lyme symptoms can start with a flu-like illness. If untreated, Lyme disease symptoms can continue to worsen and turn into a long-lived debilitating illness.

When Do Symptoms of Lyme Disease Appear?

Stage 1: Early Localized Disease

Symptoms with early localized (or acute) Lyme disease may begin hours, a few days or even weeks after a tick bite. At this point, the

infection has not yet spread throughout the body. Lyme is the easiest to cure at this stage.

Symptoms may include:

skin rash, which may or may not look like a bull’s eye
flu-like illness, including chills and fever
fatigue
headache and stiff neck
muscle soreness and joint pain
swollen lymph nodes
sore throat

Stage 2: Early Disseminated Lyme

Early disseminated Lyme may occur several weeks or months after the tick bite. Bacteria are beginning to spread throughout the body. In addition to flu-like symptoms, this stage is often characterized by increase in symptoms such as:

chills
fever
headaches
fatigue
pain, weakness or numbness in the arms, legs
vision changes
heart problems, such as palpitations, chest pain
rash may appear on body
facial paralysis (Bell’s palsy)

Stage 3: Late Disseminated Lyme Disease

Many have asked, do you ever get rid of Lyme disease? Can Lyme disease return? If Lyme disease isn’t promptly or effectively treated in the first two stages, late disseminated (post-treatment, chronic, or neurological) Lyme occurs weeks, months or even years after the tick bite. The Lyme bacteria have spread throughout the body and many patients develop chronic arthritis as well as an increase in neurological and cardiac symptoms. Symptoms may include: