How is Lyme Disease Diagnosed?
Lyme Disease is diagnosed by looking at the overall picture. The Dr. will use the patient's symptoms, history and description of the wound as well as visual analyzing. He will also use blood and other tests to see if certain antigens are present.
You can find more information here: lyme.org/otherdis/ld_diagnosis.html.
Because of the uncertainty involved in the standard Lyme disease tests, positive results must be followed up with another blood test called the Western blot. The Western blot creates a graph figure that shows bands of different colors or shading that doctors use to interpret a person's immune response. The ability of the Western blot to detect Lyme disease antibodies reduces the number of false positives obtained with the ELISA test.
Researchers are working on new tests to detect Lyme disease that promise to be more reliable than the procedures that are currently available. A spinal tap (lumbar puncture), in which a needle is gently placed into the spine through the back and a small amount of fluid is withdrawn, may be useful for an early diagnosis of Lyme disease in people who are experiencing symptoms involving their nervous system. Single photo emission computed tomography (SPECT) is an advanced imaging procedure that can reveal patterns in the brain that could indicate whether Lyme disease is affecting the central nervous system.
Lyme Disease or Ringworm? Because of the "bull's-eye" description to describe the Lyme disease rash, the condition commonly called ringworm is sometimes confused with Lyme disease, especially by parents worried about children who play in the grass. Ringworm is a skin infection caused by the same fungus that causes athlete's foot and jock itch.
It usually leaves a ring-shaped mark that is clearly defined and much smaller than the Lyme disease rash. It is easily treated by regular application of an anti-fungal ointment for a few weeks. Unlike Lyme disease, ringworm is spread among people.
What Other Conditions Resemble Lyme Disease? Many other conditions cause a rash or other symptoms similar to those of Lyme disease. The bites of many insects and spiders can cause a skin reaction.
Scleroderma is a progressive illness that causes arthritis-like symptoms. Pain, swelling, or stiffness of the joints may be a sign of arthritis that is unrelated to Lyme disease. In children, rheumatic fever, which can follow strep throat, can cause symptoms similar to Lyme disease.
Other infections can produce a fever, headache, and muscle aches. Mononucleosis (which often affects teenagers) and viral meningitis (which often affects children) can cause severe fatigue and other Lyme-like symptoms. Other tick-borne illnesses that can be mistaken for Lyme disease include Rocky Mountain spotted fever (most prevalent in the Mid-Atlantic States) and a new infection transmitted by the Lone Star tick (most prevalent in the southern United States).
Edited by Guy Slowik MD FRCS. What Is Lyme Disease? What Causes Lyme Disease?
What Are The Symptoms Of Lyme Disease? How Is Lyme Disease Diagnosed? What Is The Treatment For Lyme Disease?
What Happens If A Pregnant Woman Gets Lyme Disease? How Can Lyme Disease Be Prevented? What Is The Outlook?
What Is Lyme Disease? What Causes Lyme Disease? What Are The Symptoms Of Lyme Disease?
How Is Lyme Disease Diagnosed? What Is The Treatment For Lyme Disease? What Happens If A Pregnant Woman Gets Lyme Disease?
How Can Lyme Disease Be Prevented? What Is The Outlook? What Is AIDS?
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