Five Warning Signs to Catch Lyme Disease Early

St. Louis, MO, July 24, 2015 --(PR.com)-- In the U.S, an estimated 300,000 people are infected annually with Lyme disease, commonly through tick bites. Because it can be difficult to know whether or not you have Lyme disease, the experts at NurseWise, a national multilingual nurse triage and health education provider, have put together five warning signs to help you recognize possible indications before you begin suffering from more advanced symptoms.

The majority of tick bites do not result in Lyme disease, but it is important to be aware of the symptoms. Signs can often begin within days of initial infection. If you experience any of the following after a tick bite, contact a medical professional immediately.

1. Flu-like symptoms: Pains that you may normally associate with the flu can also be signs of Lyme disease. These symptoms can include headaches, stiff neck, joint pain, muscle aches, chills, fever, swollen lymph nodes and fatigue.

2. Skin rash: Seventy to eighty percent of people who contract Lyme disease display a red rash called “erythema migrans,” which looks like a bull’s eye and is often warm to the touch without itching or pain. It typically starts at the site of the infection, but can expand in size. The rash appears three days to a few weeks after a tick bite, with seven days being the average.

3. Joint stiffness: Several weeks to months after being infected, you may experience attacks of severe pain or swelling of the joints, especially in your knees.

4. Neurological issues: Nervous system symptoms can develop weeks or even years after infection. Possible issues include swelling of tissue around the brain, headaches, stiff neck, temporary paralysis of facial muscles, memory loss, trouble concentrating or mood changes. You may also experience numbness, weakness or shooting pain.

5. Less common symptoms: These signs usually appear weeks after infection and include irregular heartbeat or palpitations, inflammation of the eyes or liver and extreme fatigue.

Knowing the signs of Lyme disease can help you to get treatment in a timely manner. Most cases are treated with antibiotics, and like many health issues, the sooner you receive treatment, the better your chances are for a positive outcome.

For more information about Lyme disease and how to prevent it, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

About NurseWise
NurseWise is a wholly owned subsidiary of Centene Corporation in the business of providing multilingual telehealth (nurse triage and health education) services. We partner with health plans, hospitals, providers, colleges and universities, and other specialty organizations to ensure all callers have access to high quality, appropriate care. NurseWise holds full Health Call Center Accreditation from URAC, an accrediting organization that establishes quality standards for the health care industry, and Health Information Product (HIP) 2 certification from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA), which both demonstrate our emphasis on continuous improvement and commitment to quality at all levels of the organization. Our services are designed to encourage individuals to become active participants in their health care, engaging in activities that promote appropriate utilization of care resources as well as better health outcomes for individuals and their families. We have provided uninterrupted service every day since 1995. NurseWise experienced Customer Care Professionals and Registered Nurses at our Clinical Care CentersTM across the country provide Care.Right.Now. through delivery of health information, education, and advice in a culturally and linguistically sensitive manner. NurseWise has locations in Tempe, Ariz.; El Paso, Texas; Tyler, Texas; Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; Atlanta, Ga.; and St. Louis, Mo. For more information, please visit our website at www.nursewise.com or contact us at info@nursewise.com.