Lyme Disease awareness became all the rage when stars like Justin Timberlake and Bella Hadid opened up about it.
When the supermodel spoke to Glamour back in August 2016, she explained the suffering the comes with the disease.
"It starts with brain fog; for a while I couldn’t put sentences together," Bella informed.
"I’m really tired a lot. A few weeks ago I had a big campaign shoot that I had to reschedule. It's hard, but I push through, because at the end of the day, if you're not working, somebody else is,” she added.
However, there is hope, as treatment options as well as prevention techniques against Lyme Disease are available since it is an infection caused by ticks.
Particularly a bacterial infection caused by Borrelia burgdorferi, it is transmitted to humans through the bite of infected black-legged ticks, commonly known as deer ticks.
They are most prevalent in wooded and grassy areas where ticks thrive and its early detection is crucial, as untreated Lyme disease can progress and affect multiple organ systems, including the joints, heart, and nervous system.
Symptoms of Lyme Disease:
The earliest and most recognizable symptom is a circular red rash called erythema migrans, which may resemble a bull’s-eye pattern.
Other early symptoms include fever, fatigue, headache, muscle aches, and swollen lymph nodes. If not treated promptly, the infection can spread, leading to joint pain and swelling (particularly in the knees), facial paralysis, irregular heartbeat, dizziness, and cognitive difficulties such as memory problems.
Treatment and Prevention from Lyme Disease:
Lyme disease is typically treated with oral antibiotics, such as doxycycline or amoxicillin, especially in its early stages.
Most individuals recover fully with timely treatment. In more advanced cases, longer courses of antibiotics may be required.
While prevention involves avoiding tick-infested areas possible, wearing protective clothing, using insect repellent, and performing thorough tick checks after outdoor activities.