Lyme Disease

Named after the town in Connecticut where it was first recognized, Lyme disease is an infection you get from the bite of a deer tick (also called a blacklegged tick), if the tick carries the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi. Lyme disease is the most common tickborne infectious disease in the United States, but 95 percent of all cases have occurred in only nine states, mostly in the Northeast and upper Midwest.
To infect you, the tick must be attached to you for 36 to 48 hours or more. So if you remove the tick before then, in most cases, you won’t get Lyme disease. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that if you develop a rash or fever within several weeks after removing a tick, you should see your health care provider and tell the provider about the tick bite.
Symptoms of Lyme disease may include fever, headache, fatigue, and a rash that sometimes looks like a bull’s eye.
Generally, a short course of antibiotics cures Lyme disease, although people with complicated cases need antibiotics for 3 to 4 weeks. If not properly treated with antibiotics, Lyme can cause a wide range of potentially serious symptoms.
Beware of products offering “natural” or other alternative “cures” for Lyme disease, such as oxygen, energy, nutritional, or herbal therapy. They haven’t been shown to be effective, and they may be dangerous. Antibiotics are the only known effective treatment for Lyme disease.
Patients treated with antibiotics in the early stages of Lyme disease usually recover quickly and completely. However, some people have lingering symptoms of fatigue, pain, or joint and muscle aches. These symptoms cannot be cured by additional antibiotic treatment, but they generally improve on their own over time. If you have been treated for Lyme disease but you still don’t feel well, consult your health care provider.
Learn more about Lyme disease on the CDC website.
For More Information
NCCIH Clearinghouse
The NCCIH Clearinghouse provides information on NCCIH and complementary and integrative health approaches, including publications and searches of Federal databases of scientific and medical literature. The Clearinghouse does not provide medical advice, treatment recommendations, or referrals to practitioners.
Toll-free in the U.S.: 1-888-644-6226
Telecommunications relay service (TRS): 7-1-1
Website: https://www.nccih.nih.gov
Email: info@nccih.nih.gov (link sends email)
Know the Science
NCCIH and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) provide tools to help you understand the basics and terminology of scientific research so you can make well-informed decisions about your health. Know the Science features a variety of materials, including interactive modules, quizzes, and videos, as well as links to informative content from Federal resources designed to help consumers make sense of health information.
Explaining How Research Works (NIH)
Know the Science: 9 Questions To Help You Make Sense of Health Research
PubMed®
A service of the National Library of Medicine, PubMed® contains publication information and (in most cases) brief summaries of articles from scientific and medical journals. For guidance from NCCIH on using PubMed, see How To Find Information About Complementary Health Approaches on PubMed.
Website: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/
This publication is not copyrighted and is in the public domain. Duplication is encouraged.
NCCIH has provided this material for your information. It is not intended to substitute for the medical expertise and advice of your health care provider(s). We encourage you to discuss any decisions about treatment or care with your health care provider. The mention of any product, service, or therapy is not an endorsement by NCCIH.