Lyme Disease: Infected Body Areas and Symptoms

Lyme disease bacteria can infected almost every body area cause a very wide variety of symptoms. This page lists some that you or someone you care about might have experienced. It’s quite a list, and growing.

1. Lyme disease has been referred to as the “Great Imitator” because its symptoms can mimic other conditions like fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis, and chronic fatigue syndrome.
2. The bacteria that causes Lyme disease can invade and replicate within various cell types, contributing to the persistence of infection and chronic symptoms.
3. The symptoms of Lyme disease can vary greatly and mimic many other conditions, making it difficult to diagnose.
4. If left untreated, Lyme disease can spread to joints, the heart, and the nervous system.
5. Lyme disease can affect any organ system in the body, including the liver, spleen, and pancreas.

Rashes

1. Early signs of Lyme disease may include a bullseye-shaped rash called erythema migrans.
2. The distinctive bullseye rash (erythema migrans) does not occur in all cases of Lyme disease cases.

Micro-circulation and Perfusion

1. Lyme disease can cause vasculitis, leading to inflammation of blood vessels and potentially causing problems in various organs.
2. Lyme bacteria may cause micro blood vessel blocks very close to normal micro blood vessels.
3. Creating impaired perfusion is one way Lyme may damage any and all organs.
4. As Lyme bacteria move through tissue causing damage, impaired perfusion results, restricting life sustaining blood flow to feed cells and remove waste in body tissues.

Autoimmune Reactions

1. Lyme disease can trigger autoimmune reactions, leading to the development of conditions like rheumatoid arthritis and lupus.

Flu-Like Symptoms

1. Fatigue, fever, headache, muscle and joint aches, swollen lymph nodes, and flu-like symptoms are common early symptoms.
2. Chronic fatigue, muscle and joint pain, and cognitive difficulties are among the common persistent symptoms.

Allergies

1. Lyme disease can cause allergic reactions, including hives, itching, or swelling.
2. Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacterium that causes Lyme disease, is known to activate mast cells and contribute to allergic reactions.
3. Borrelia has several components, such as lipoproteins, peptidoglycans, and flagellin, that can interact with TLRs on mast cells, triggering a signaling cascade that leads to the release of various substances from mast cells, including histamine, cytokines, and chemokines.
4. Individuals exposed to Borrelia may develop specific IgE antibodies against the bacterium. When these IgE antibodies encounter Borrelia antigens, they can bind to mast cells and trigger the release of allergic mediators.
5. Borrelia infection can stimulate the production of certain cytokines and chemokines, such as interleukin-4 (IL-4) and interleukin-13 (IL-13), which are known to promote allergic responses.

Arthritis

1. Lyme arthritis is a common late-stage symptom characterized by painful and swollen joints.
2. In early-stage Lyme disease, joint pain and swelling may come and go in different joints.
3. In some cases, joint pain associated with Lyme disease may mimic symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis.

Balance

1. Lyme disease can affect the inner ear, leading to dizziness, vertigo, or tinnitus.
2. Lyme disease can affect the sense of balance, leading to difficulties with coordination and an increased risk of falls.

Body Hairs

1. Lyme bacteria impairing micro circulation leads to selective and spotty cell death, which can result in unusual effects such as single body hairs breaking.

Blood

1. Lyme bacteria after initial infection are rarely found in the blood, traveling through tissues instead, which makes false negative PCR blood tests more likely.

Brain and Neurological

1. The bacteria that causes Lyme disease can invade the central nervous system and cross the blood-brain barrier.
2. Neurological symptoms of Lyme disease can include cognitive impairments such as memory problems and difficulty concentrating, and sometimes muscle weakness.
3. Lyme disease can affect the peripheral nervous system, leading to peripheral neuropathy and sensory disturbances.
4. Short-term memory loss and difficulty finding words are common cognitive symptoms associated with chronic Lyme disease.
5. Lyme disease experience a phenomenon known as “brain fog,” characterized by difficulties with concentration, memory, and mental clarity.
6. Lyme disease can cause mental health symptoms, including anxiety and depression.
7. Lyme disease can cause psychiatric symptoms and mood swings.
8. In rare cases, Lyme encephalopathy, involving brain inflammation, can occur and lead to neurological complications.

Disautonomia

1. Lyme disease can cause autonomic dysfunction, leading to symptoms such as feeling lightheaded, having a rapid heartbeat, or low blood pressure.

Eye

1. The bacteria can also cause eye inflammation and problems with the nervous system.
2. Lyme disease can affect the eyes, causing symptoms such as conjunctivitis or uveitis.
3. The bacteria targeting eye tissue can lead to symptoms like blurred vision and eye pain.

Gastrointestinal

1. Lyme disease can cause gastrointestinal symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain.
2. Lyme disease can cause gastrointestinal motility disorders, leading to symptoms such as bloating, constipation, or diarrhea.
3. Some individuals experience unusual symptoms like heartburn, excessive thirst, or fluctuating body temperature due to Lyme disease.

Healing Slowly

1. Tick saliva contains compounds that can suppress the host immune response, enabling the bacteria to establish an infection and this slows healing of injuries.

Heart

1. Lyme disease can affect the heart, leading to heart palpitations and chest pain.
2. Lyme carditis, inflammation of the heart, can interfere with the normal electrical signals of the heart, leading to heart block.
3. Lyme disease can cause cardiac arrhythmias, such as atrial fibrillation.
4. Lyme carditis can potentially cause fatal heart attacks.

Inflammation

1. Lyme disease can lead to chronic inflammation, which has been linked to various chronic diseases, such as arthritis, heart disease, and certain cancers.

Kidneys

1. Lyme nephritis, an inflammation of the kidneys, is a rare but potential complication of Lyme disease.

Liver

1. Lyme disease can affect the liver, leading to elevated liver enzymes and hepatitis.

Lungs

1. Lyme disease can cause respiratory problems, such as shortness of breath or chronic cough.

Lymphatic System

1. Lyme disease can affect the lymphatic system, leading to lymphadenopathy or lymphatic congestion.

Mouth and Throat

1. Lyme disease can affect the oral cavity, leading to dental problems or oral ulcers.
2. Lyme disease can lead to difficulty swallowing or a feeling of a lump in the throat.

Musculoskeletal

1. Lyme disease can affect the musculoskeletal system, leading to muscle weakness, joint instability, and difficulty with coordination.

Pain

1. Lyme disease can lead to chronic pain, including widespread musculoskeletal pain and neuropathic pain.
2. Borrelia, the bacteria responsible for Lyme disease, can cause intermittent stabbing pains or allodynia (increased sensitivity to touch) on the skin through several mechanisms.
3. Borrelia infection triggers an immune response, leading to the release of various inflammatory molecules such as cytokines and chemokines and these molecules can sensitize nerve endings in the skin, making them more responsive to stimuli and causing pain or allodynia.
4. Borrelia can invade nerve tissue, causing direct damage or irritation to sensory nerve fibers, which can result in abnormal nerve firing and the perception of stabbing pains or abnormal sensations in the skin.
5. In some cases, after the initial infection is cleared, the immune system may continue to produce antibodies against Borrelia, which can “mistakenly” attack healthy tissues, including nerve cells, leading
   to persistent pain or allodynia.

Reproductive System

1. Lyme disease can affect the reproductive system, leading to infertility or menstrual irregularities in some cases.

Sensory Overload

1. Patients with Lyme disease may experience sensitivity to light and sound.

Skin

1. Lyme disease can cause skin problems, such as rashes, hives, or increased sensitivity to sunlight.
2. Some individuals may develop secondary skin conditions like erythema multiforme or acrodermatitis chronica atrophicans as a result of chronic Lyme disease.

Sleep Disturbance

1. Lyme disease can cause sleep disturbances, including insomnia or disturbed sleep patterns.
2. Lyme disease triggers a systemic inflammatory response in the body, which can affect various physiological processes, including sleep regulation. Inflammation can disrupt the normal sleep-wake cycle and lead to difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep.
3. Lyme disease can disrupt normal functioning of the endocrine system, leading to hormonal imbalances, and since hormones play a crucial role in regulating sleep, any dysregulation can contribute to sleep disturbances.

Tastes and Smell

1. Lyme disease can affect the sense of smell and taste, leading to anosmia or dysgeusia.

Twitches

1. Lyme disease can cause muscle weakness or muscle twitches, known as fasciculations.
2. Involuntary muscle twitching or contractions that can occur in various parts of the body may be caused when cytokines and chemokines are released due to Borrelia invasion into nervous tissues which can contribute to nerve irritation and dysfunction.
3. Borrelia burgdorferi can invade nerve or muscle tissues, and it is possible that the bacteria directly affect the excitable cells in the muscles, leading to twitching or fasciculations.

Urinary System

1. Lyme disease can affect the urinary system, leading to symptoms such as frequent urination or urinary incontinence.

Voice

1. Lyme disease can affect the voice, leading to hoarseness or vocal cord dysfunction.

Other Causes Reminder

Lyme is notoriously difficult to diagnose. Other than the bullseye-shaped rash called erythema migrans, which does not always appear on people who are infected, these symptoms can have other causes. Some causes which might cause all of the same symptoms include vitamin imbalances, exposure to toxins, and electromagnetic sensitivities.