What To Know About Lyme Disease

Whether you’re hiking a wooded trail or just walking the dog near tall grass, tick bites can happen without you even noticing. And while most ticks are harmless, some carry bacteria that can cause Lyme disease, a serious illness that can stick around if it’s not treated quickly. The good news is that it’s treatable and often preventable if you know what to look for.

Spotting the Early Signs

Lyme disease starts with a bite from an infected blacklegged tick, also called a deer tick. These ticks are especially common in the Northeast, Upper Midwest, and some coastal regions, but they’ve been reported in plenty of other places, too.¹

The early symptoms don’t always scream “Lyme disease,” which is why it sometimes flies under the radar. Here’s what you might notice:

• A red rash that slowly grows, sometimes in a bull’s-eye shape

• Feeling really tired for no clear reason

• Fever, chills, or body aches

• Headache or stiff neck

• Swollen lymph nodes

Some people get all of these symptoms, others might only get one or two, and not everyone will get the bullseye rash. If something feels off and you’ve recently been in an area with ticks, it’s worth checking in with your doctor.

Why It Shows Up Differently for Different People

Lyme doesn’t always follow a predictable path. Kids often get a rash or flu-like symptoms early on.³ Adults might notice joint aches or fatigue that just won’t quit. Older adults or people with other health conditions might take longer to bounce back or may not realize they’ve even been bitten.⁴ On top of that, ticks can carry more than one infection at a time, so it’s not always just Lyme you’re dealing with. That’s why early attention and support are so important.

What to Do If You Think You’ve Been Bitten

If you find a tick on you, don’t panic. Just grab some fine tweezers and gently pull it out from as close to the skin as you can. Clean the spot with soap and water or rubbing alcohol.⁵

From there, keep an eye on how you’re feeling. If anything seems unusual—like a rash, fever, or flu symptoms—call your doctor. If Lyme is caught early, a few weeks of antibiotics, like doxycycline or amoxicillin, will do the trick most of the time.⁵ Lyme is easier to treat the sooner you catch it, so don’t wait too long.

How Lyme Disease Is Diagnosed

The thing about getting tested for Lyme Disease is that the tests aren’t perfect.  If you have the telltale rash and symptoms, your provider may start treatment without even running a test. But if things aren’t as clear, there’s a two-step blood test most doctors use.⁷

First, they’ll look for antibodies with a screening test called an ELISA. If that test is positive or unclear, they’ll follow it with a second test, called a western blot, to confirm. If you test too early, it might not pick up the infection yet. Antibodies take time to show up; that’s why your doctor will look at the full picture and not just the lab results.

Managing Lingering Symptoms After Treatment

Most people start feeling better a few weeks after finishing their antibiotics. But for some people, that’s not the case. You might notice that you're still tired, brain foggy, or your joints don’t feel right.⁶ This can be frustrating, especially when you’ve already gone through treatment. These lingering symptoms are known as Post-Treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome.

No one has all the answers about why this happens, but the current thinking is that your body is still dealing with the aftereffects of the infection and not the infection itself. It’s more about your immune system taking longer to calm down and your body needing some more time to recover.

The good news is that most people improve slowly over time. Supportive care can make a big difference. Depending on what you’re dealing with, your doctor might suggest:

• Low-impact exercise or stretching to help your joints

• Over-the-counter pain relievers for soreness

• Sleep tips or mild sleep aids if you’re having trouble resting

• Eating well and staying hydrated to support healing

  
  

If you're not sure what to try next, your pharmacist can be a great resource. They can walk you through safe options for managing symptoms, review your current meds, and help you avoid anything that might make things worse. A little bit of extra support, whether it’s from your doctor or pharmacist, can go a long way in getting back to feeling normal.

How Your Pharmacist Can Help

You probably think of your pharmacist when picking up prescriptions, but they can do a lot more, especially with something like Lyme disease. Here’s how they can help:

• Show you how to take your antibiotics the right way

• Recommend relief options for joint pain, swelling, or fatigue

• Help you save money with generic meds or coupons

• Suggest tick repellent sprays or travel items if you’re in a high-risk area

Many pharmacies also offer medication reviews, where they sit down with you and go over everything you’re taking. That’s especially useful if you’ve got more than one condition or want to make sure everything you’re using is working together safely.⁸

Simple Ways to Stay Safe Outdoors

The tick bites can be sneaky, but a few small preventative actions can go a long way:

• Wear long sleeves and pants if you're hiking or in tall grass

• Use a bug spray that contains DEET or picaridin

• Do a tick check on yourself (and pets) after being outside

• Shower within two hours of coming indoors

• Keep your lawn tidy and avoid dense brush

Your pharmacist can advise what repellent to use if you are not sure. Some pharmacies even carry tick-removal kits or immune-boosting supplements that can help you stay prepared during tick season.

Sources:

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2024). About Lyme Disease. https://www.cdc.gov/lyme/about/index.html

2. Johns Hopkins Medicine. (2023). Lyme Disease and Long-Term Complications. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/lyme-disease

3. Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). (2023). Lyme Disease in Children. https://www.chop.edu/conditions-diseases/lyme-disease-children

4. Mayo Clinic. (2023). Lyme Disease Complications. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/lyme-disease/symptoms-causes/syc-20374651

5. Cleveland Clinic. (2023). Treatment for Lyme Disease. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/11586-lyme-disease

6. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIH). (2024). Chronic Lyme Disease. https://www.niaid.nih.gov/diseases-conditions/chronic-lyme-disease

7. CDC. (2024). Testing and Diagnosis for Lyme Disease. https://www.cdc.gov/lyme/diagnosis-testing/index.html