Because the symptoms of Lyme disease are similar to the symptoms of other conditions it is often misdiagnosed. The disease is spread mostly by ticks that attach to a person when they are walking outside. Testing can however be problematic and a person may be given a positive result when in fact they do not have Lyme disease.
Lyne disease is an infection caused by bacteria that spreads into the blood stream of humans after a bite from a black legged tick or deer tick. A tick has eight legs and is about the size over poppy seed. They usually found attached to ferns or long grass that deer frequent. Often, because a tick is very small and the bite is usually not felt, people may not immediately spot the parasite on their skin. However, unfortunately, the likelihood of developing Lyme disease increases with the length of time that the tick stays attached. The worst effects of Lyme disease can be ongoing problems with your heart your joints or your nervous system and even memory can be affected.
If you know that you’ve been in an area where deer are active then you should mention this to your doctor at the same time as you tell him or her your symptoms. This type of detail will be very helpful to a doctor trying to make a diagnosis of Lyme disease. The earliest symptoms, present within the first month of having been bitten will be:
If your doctor does think that you have Lyme disease there are two blood tests that they may order that will look for signs that your body is putting up a fight. These will be most accurate at a few weeks interval after you have been initially infected.
The test for Lyme disease will show up antibodies to the Lyme disease bacteria. If these are found in your blood test it means that you have been infected. if someone is bitten by a tick infected with Lyme disease and that tick is not removed they will most likely go on to develop the disease. They might also find that they have an expanding rash which is called an erythema migrans that develops at the site where they were bitten, between three and thirty days after the initial bite
A Lyme disease test will cost in the region of £84 and that is in addition to the appointment cost for you to see the doctor.
Select the test that you would like to undergo
Go to the Harley Street clinic for your blood draw and pay for your test in person
As soon as the results are ready, the will be sent to you by your chosen method