Can Lyme disease cause neurological problems?
Neurological complications most often occur in early disseminated Lyme disease, with numbness, pain, weakness, facial palsy/droop (paralysis of the facial muscles), visual disturbances, and meningitis symptoms such as fever, stiff neck, and severe headache.
Does neurological Lyme show up on MRI?
Results. Of the 66 patients with neuro-Lyme disease, 11 showed findings on MR imaging. Sixty-three of the 66 patients were examined before and after the administration of intravenous contrast material.
What is chronic neurological Lyme disease?
Neurological Lyme disease, also known as Lyme neuroborreliosis, occurs when the Lyme- or TBRF-causing bacteria invade the central nervous system. Some describe neurological Lyme disease as a Lyme infection of the brain. Research has found that up to 15-40% of late-stage Lyme patients develop neurological disorders.
Can Lyme disease mimic schizophrenia?
Case studies suggest that Lyme Disease can be associated with symptoms common to schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, including paranoia, delusions, olfactory, auditory and visual hallucinations, catatonia, and mania.
Can Lyme disease lead to MS?
Lyme disease is unlikely to be a significant factor in the differential diagnosis of MS.” Furthermore, the presence or antibodies to Borrelia does not prove that Borrelia is causing the neurological symptoms, only that there has been previous infection with the organism.
How long does it take to recover from neurological Lyme disease?
They may last up to six months or longer. These symptoms can interfere with a person’s normal activities and may cause emotional distress as a result. However, most people’s symptoms improve after six months to a year. It’s not known why some people develop post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome and others don’t.
Can a neurologist diagnose Lyme disease?
However, it’s important to remember that seeing a specialist for symptoms related to Lyme disease without treating Lyme disease is costly and dangerous. In other words, a rheumatologist or neurologist will not be able to treat your Lyme if no diagnosis has been made.
Can Lyme cause permanent brain damage?
However it is extraordinarily rare for there to be any permanent damage to the brain itself. More importantly, there are many symptoms that occur in patients with Lyme disease and most other infections that may make one think there is a problem with the brain; however, that is not the case.
What does Lyme do to your brain?
In some cases, Lyme disease can cause encephalopathy. Its effects include memory loss, confusion, difficulty forming words and thoughts, difficulty focusing, and personality changes. These symptoms can be very subtle when they develop late in the disease.
What are the neurologic symptoms of Lyme disease?
Neurologic symptoms of Lyme disease occur when the Lyme disease bacteria affect the peripheral or central nervous systems. Cranial nerve involvement: When the cranial nerves are affected, facial palsy (droop) can occur on one or both sides of the face.
Is there a two step serologic test for Lyme disease?
Neurologic symptoms do not necessarily indicate central nervous system infection in a patient with Lyme disease. Two-step serologic testing for Lyme disease is the recommended diagnostic test for neurologic Lyme disease.
Is there an antibiotic for neurological Lyme disease?
Understanding Symptoms of Neurological Lyme. The CDC recommends antibiotic therapy using doxycycline, cefuroxime, or amoxicillin, limited to 10-21 days for formally diagnosed Lyme disease only. Remember, they don’t define LNB as separate from Lyme disease, and so specific treatment recommendations are not provided.
What kind of research is done on Lyme disease?
The NINDS supports research on Lyme disease. Current areas of interest include improving diagnostic tests and developing more effective treatments.