Six years ago, I began experiencing severe headaches and visual disturbances. Whenever I stood up my vision would either go black or I would see swirling colors. My doctor said it was migraines and left it at that. Upon visiting my eye doctor for a routine check-up, he saw that my optic nerve was swollen and raised and that I had hemorrhaging in my brain. I was told to get to the neurology center of a very good hospital right away. It was there that I found out I had viral meningitis and received a spinal tap that lasted 45 minutes. My spinal pressure was 400 (normal is 100) and they drained 30 CCs of fluid. A few days later, I got a call saying they tested my spinal fluid for Lyme disease and it turned out positive. I was then started on IV antibiotics for 28 days.
Comment from: Christine, 35-44 Female (Patient)Published: August 21
I noticed what I thought was a spider bite in July of 2007 on my lower abdomen. A couple of days later, I noticed a small, red rash (in the vicinity of the bite but not around it) that was hot to the touch and itchy. I spent a lot of time on the Internet looking for information on spider bites because I never saw a tick. However, over the next week, it progressively grew larger and developed a bull's eye-look. I had also been suffering from very painful joints since the rash appeared. Finally alarmed, I went to the doctor and was immediately diagnosed with Lyme disease. Since that time, I have gone through two treatments of antibiotics. The second was prescribed months later because I still suffered from joint pain. To this day, I still suffer joint pain in my hips, and the pain is worse some months than others. However, I think I am luckier than about half of those afflicted. If you are reading this (I really worried at all the horror stories when I was diagnosed), don't expect to be healed totally, just be thankful that it isn't worse.
Comment from: 35-44 Male (Patient)Published: August 14
About three years ago, I began do experience dizziness and severe fatigue, along with many other symptoms including chills, chest pain and low blood pressure. The doctors were almost certain that the problem was with my heart, but after many tests, no heart problems were found. A cardiologist recommended that a Lyme test be performed. The results showed one band as positive, but since this didn't meet the CDC's criteria, I was told that I didn't have Lyme, so no antibiotics were given. After several more doctors and diagnosis, a diagnosis of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome was determined. As my symptoms continued to get worse, including severe brain fog, I began to experience pain in my joints. I requested another Lyme test, which also came back negative. After much research on my own, I found a doctor who looked at more than just the standard Lyme test. Tests performed on urine, stools, and blood revealed that I not only had the primary bacteria for Lyme, but also a co-infection bacteria. As I finally started the antibiotics three years late, I am hopeful that I will regain the ability for some normal activities.
I lived in NYC and I used to visit some friends in Northern NJ. Evidently I was bitten by a tick. My symptoms mimic a lot of different diseases, from ear and throat infections to literally explosive diarrhea. It went undiagnosed for months and I became very weak and very sick. I used to hear a buzzard like sound in my brain etc. Many times I was given antibiotics for an ear infection and the symptoms will be less for two weeks. Finally, a Lyme test was done, but it came back negative. Still I was getting progressively sicker! I had acute pain on my lower back and around my liver and stomach area. My gall bladder was taken out and there was nothing wrong with it. Finally a second Lyme test was done again and it came back 9 out of 10. I was placed on high dosages of Penicillin. Nonetheless, I suffered a facial paralysis and a brain bleed. Fortunately my "stroke" didn't cause any permanent damage. Somehow when I have a cold or a stomach virus, similar Lyme symptoms reappeared. I have also become sensitive to daylight.
It started with flu-like symptoms, fever and chills, which I found strange since it was summer time--not your typical flu season. I had a small, red bump on my leg, which 10 days later started to spread into the characteristic bull's-eye rash. I was not familiar with the rash caused by Lyme Disease, so I thought it was a spider bite or some other bug bite. After my dad mentioned that maybe it was a tick bite, I did some research online. I looked up pictures of tick bites/Lyme Disease and immediately knew that this is what I had. It was late evening, so I immediately went to the nearby Acute Care Center. The doctor took one look and had no doubt that it was Lyme Disease. I was put on a long course of antibiotics, which cleared the rash and thankfully, I have not had any residual symptoms thus far. I am so grateful that I was quickly and accurately diagnosed.
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The word "rash" means an outbreak of red bumps on the body. The way people use this term, "a rash" can refer to many different skin conditions. The most common of these are scaly patches of skin and red, itchy bumps or patches all over the place.
Anxiety is a feeling of apprehension and fear characterized by physical symptoms. Anxiety disorders are serious medical illnesses that affect approximately 19 million American adults.
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that causes chronic inflammation of the joints, the tissue around the joints, as well as other organs in the body. Because it can affect multiple other organs of the body, rheumatoid arthritis is referred to as a systemic illness and is sometimes called rheumatoid disease.
Headaches can be divided into two categories: primary headaches and secondary headaches. Migraine headaches, tension headaches, and cluster headaches are considered primary headaches. Secondary headaches are caused by disease. Headache symptoms vary with the headache type. Over-the-counter pain relievers provide short-term relief for most headaches.
Dementia is a significant loss of intellectual abilities such as memory capacity, severe enough to interfere with social or occupational functioning. There are different criteria classification schemes for dementias such as cortical, subcortical, progressive, primary, and secondary dementias. Other conditions and medication reactions can also cause dementia. Dementia is diagnosed based on a certain set of criteria. Treatment for dementia is generally focused on the symptoms of the disease.
Depression is an illness that involves the body, mood, and thoughts and affects the way a person eats and sleeps, the way one feels about oneself, and the way one thinks about things. The principal types of depression are major depression, dysthymia, and bipolar disease (also called manic-depressive disease).
Arthritis is inflammation of one or more joints. When joints are inflamed they can develop stiffness, warmth, swelling, redness and pain. There are over 100 types of
arthritis including osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis, lupus, gout,
and pseudogout.
Although a fever technically is any body temperature above the normal of 98.6 degrees F. (37 degrees C.), in practice a person is usually not considered to have a significant fever until the temperature is above 100.4 degrees F (38 degrees C.). Fever is part of the body's own disease-fighting arsenal: rising body temperatures apparently are capable of killing off many disease- producing organisms.
Optic neuritis is inflammation of the optic nerve, the structure that connects the eye to the brain. The precise cause of optic neuritis is unknown, but it is thought to be a type of autoimmune disorder. Optic neuritis most commonly develops due to an autoimmune disorder that may be triggered by a viral infection.
Encephalitis is a brain inflammation that causes sudden fever, vomiting, headache, light sensitivity, stiff neck and back, drowsiness, and irritability. Meningitis is an infection that causes inflammation of the meninges that surround the brain and spinal cord. Symptoms of meningitis include high fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, and stiff neck.
The majority of spiders in the United States are harmless. Two exceptions include the black widow spider and the brown recluse spider. Symptoms of a harmless spider bite generally involve redness, irritation, and pain. alized symptoms of bites from black widow and brown recluse spiders may include: nausea and vomiting, fever, headache, abdominal pain, joint pain, and more. In general, a brown recluse spider bite or black widow spider bite may require medical attention. The information includes pictures of the brown recluse and black widow spiders for identification.
Ticks are known transmitters of disease to humans and animals. Tick-borne diseases include Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Q fever, tularemia, babesiosis, and Southern tick-associated rash illness. Infected ticks spread disease once they've bitten a host, allowing the pathogens in their saliva and mouth get into the host's skin and blood. Tick bites are typically painless, but the site of the bite may later itch, burn, turn red, and feel painful. Individuals allergic to tick bites may develop a rash, swelling, shortness of breath, numbness, or paralysis. Tick bite treatment involves cleaning and applying antibiotic cream.
Facial nerve disorders affect the muscles of the face. There are many causes of facial nerve disorders including: trauma, nervous system disease, infection, metabolic disorders, tumors, toxins, or Bell's palsy. Symptoms of facial nerve problems include: facial muscle paralysis, weakness, or twitching of the face; dryness of the eye or mouth, or taste alteration.
Septic arthritis, or infectious arthritis, is infection of one or more joints by bacteria, viruses, or fungi. Symptoms and signs of septic arthritis include fever, joint pain, chills, swelling, redness, warmth, and stiffness. Treatment involves antibiotics and the drainage of the infected joint.
Heart failure is caused by many conditions including coronary artery disease, heart attack, cardiomyopathy, and conditions that overwork the heart. Symptoms of heart failure include congested lungs, fluid and water retention, dizziness, fatigue and weakness, and rapid or irregular heartbeats.
Bug bites and stings have been known to transmit insect-borne illnesses such as West Nile virus, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and Lyme disease. Though most reactions to insect bites and stings are mild, some reactions may be life-threatening. Preventing bug bites and stings with insect repellant, wearing the proper protective attire, and not wearing heavily scented perfumes when in grassy, wooded, and brushy areas is key.
The facial nerve is a nerve which controls the muscles
on the side of the face. It allows us to show expression, smile, cry, and wink.
Injury to the facial nerve causes a socially and psychologically devastating
physical defect; treatment may require extensive rehabilitation or multiple procedures.
The facial nerve is the seventh of the twelve cranial nerves. Everyone has
two facial nerves, one for each side of the face. The facial nerve travels with
the hearing nerve (the eighth cranial nerve) as it travels in and around the
structures of the middle ear. It exits
the front of the ear at the stylomastoid foramen (a hole in the skull base),
where it then travels through the parotid gland. In the parotid gland it divides into many branches which provide motor function for the
various muscles and glands of the head and neck.
If you think you have a medical emergency, call your doctor or 911 immediately.
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Six years ago, I began experiencing severe headaches and visual disturbances. Whenever I stood up my vision would either go black or I would see swirling colors. My doctor said it was migraines and left it at that. Upon visiting my eye doctor for a routine check-up, he saw that my optic nerve was swollen and raised and that I had hemorrhaging in my brain. I was told to get to the neurology center of a very good hospital right away. It was there that I found out I had viral meningitis and received a spinal tap that lasted 45 minutes. My spinal pressure was 400 (normal is 100) and they drained 30 CCs of fluid. A few days later, I got a call saying they tested my spinal fluid for Lyme disease and it turned out positive. I was then started on IV antibiotics for 28 days.
Related Reading: meningitis | Lyme disease