Lyme disease ranks as the leading tick-borne illness in the U.S., affecting around 500,000 people each year. Over the past 40 years, it’s become more widespread, especially in the Northeast and Midwest regions. Many people don’t realize they have Lyme disease because the early stages can feel just like the flu or other infectious diseases.
If you spend time outdoors or find a tick bite, it’s important to know how to test for Lyme disease. The right testing helps you catch problems early and take the right steps to protect your health before issues get worse.
What Is Lyme Disease?
You can get Lyme disease when an infected deer tick or black-legged tick bites you. These types of ticks carry a bacterium called Borrelia burgdorferi. When a tick attaches to your skin and feeds, it can pass the bacteria into your body. After a tick bite, the Lyme disease bacteria can start to spread, and your immune system reacts, which can lead to early Lyme disease.
The CDC and the American Lyme Disease Foundation track cases of Lyme and other infectious diseases throughout the year.
Common Symptoms of Lyme Disease
Lyme disease doesn’t always show up the same way in everyone. Some people notice signs just days after a tick bite, while others don’t feel sick until weeks or months later.
Early Symptoms
In the early stages, you might spot a bull’s-eye rash (also called an erythema migrans rash) around where the tick’s body was attached. Not everyone gets this rash, but it’s a key sign of early Lyme disease.
Other common early symptoms include:
- Fever and chills, just like you’d get with the flu
- Feeling tired and worn out (fatigue)
- Swollen glands
- Headaches or neck pain
- Achy joints or muscle pain
These symptoms often appear in the first few weeks after a tick bite and might disappear even if the disease is still in your body.
Later Stages
If Lyme disease is not addressed, it can progress to later stages and turn into chronic Lyme disease. At this point, the problems can become more serious and long-lasting.
You might develop:
- Lyme arthritis, which causes painful, swollen joints, often in the knees or other big joints
- Nerve disorders, such as sudden weakness or drooping of one side of the face (body facial palsy)
- Shooting pains, numbness, or tingling in your arms or legs
- Joint pain that feels similar to rheumatoid arthritis
- Difficulty with memory, mood changes, or symptoms affecting your nervous system
These clinical manifestations may be mistaken for other diseases, so it’s important to talk to your doctor and ask about Lyme disease tests if you have unexplained symptoms after a tick bite or spend time in areas where ticks carry the disease.
How to Test for Lyme Disease
If you or your doctor think you might have Lyme disease, maybe due to a tick bite, early symptoms, or unexplained joint pain, several Lyme disease tests can help with diagnosis.
The CDC recommends a two-step testing process:
Step 1: ELISA Test
The first test is called the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, or ELISA test. It uses a blood sample to search for Lyme disease antibodies—these are proteins your body’s immune system makes after it meets the Lyme disease bacteria (Borrelia burgdorferi). A positive ELISA test suggests your immune system has tried to fight off Lyme disease infection.
Step 2: Western Blot Test
If the ELISA test is positive or unclear, a second test is done using the same blood sample. This is called the Western blot test, which looks for more specific Lyme disease antibodies to confirm a diagnosis of Lyme disease. This two-step testing process helps reduce the risk of false-positive results.
Other Diagnostic Tests for Lyme Disease
In some cases, especially where there are nerve disorders or unusual symptoms, doctors may use other tests to help diagnose Lyme disease or rule out other infectious diseases. These may include:
- PCR Testing: Looks for pieces of DNA from Lyme disease bacteria in your blood or joint fluid. PCR is sometimes used if you have Lyme arthritis or chronic Lyme disease symptoms.
- Lumbar Puncture: If you’re having nervous system symptoms, your doctor might do a lumbar puncture (also called a spinal tap) to check your cerebrospinal fluid for signs of Lyme disease infection.
- Additional Blood Tests: May be used to rule out relapsing fever or other diseases spread by infected ticks.
- New Tests and Panels: Medical labs sometimes offer panels for other tick-borne and infectious diseases using blood tests from the same blood sample.
Note: It’s important to remember that antibody tests like the ELISA and Western blot work best a few weeks after a tick bite after your body has had enough time to make antibodies. If you’re tested too soon after a tick bite, there may not be enough antibodies yet, and you could test negative even if you have Lyme disease. Your healthcare provider may suggest further testing if symptoms continue or change over time.
Understanding Test Results
When you get tested for Lyme disease, your healthcare provider will look at both your blood test results and your full medical history, including symptoms and any tick bite you remember. Here’s how your results are viewed and what you should know:
Limitations and Accuracy of Current Tests
It’s helpful to know that Lyme disease tests have some limits, especially when it comes to timing and accuracy. Here’s what you should keep in mind:
- Timing Matters: Blood tests work best after your immune system has had time to react, usually a few weeks after the infected tick bite. Testing too soon can give a false sense of security.
- No Test Is Perfect: Lyme disease blood tests are not 100% accurate. Healthcare providers combine your clinical manifestations, lab results, and exposure to ticks to create a complete picture.
- Chronic Lyme Disease and Other Conditions: Late or untreated Lyme disease can look like other health problems, such as Lyme arthritis or nervous system issues. That’s why diagnosis sometimes needs more than one test, plus close attention to your symptoms.
The Importance of Early Detection
Spotting Lyme disease as soon as possible makes a real difference in how well you recover. Here’s why early detection matters so much:
Better Overall Outcomes
Catching early Lyme disease soon after infection means that treatment is more likely to work, and you have a better chance of feeling normal again faster.
Stops Chronic Lyme Disease
Untreated Lyme disease can turn into chronic Lyme disease. This can bring lasting joint pain, Lyme arthritis, nerve disorders, or issues with your nervous system, all much harder to treat than early Lyme disease.
Avoids Complications
When Lyme disease is missed or ignored, it can cause long-term health problems, such as trouble with memory, problems with your immune system, or ongoing fatigue and pain.
Helps Start Treatment at the Right Time
Early symptoms like a bull’s-eye rash, fever, or joint pain are your body’s way of sounding the alarm. Starting antibiotic treatment soon after these signs appear can help stop Lyme disease bacteria before they cause more damage.
What to Do If You Test Positive
If you find out you have Lyme disease after a blood test and diagnosis, don’t panic. Here’s what usually comes next:
Start Antibiotic Treatment
Your doctor will likely prescribe antibiotic treatment, which is the standard treatment for Lyme disease. Antibiotics are most effective when started in the early stages of infection.
Follow Your Treatment Plan
Take all your medicine exactly as prescribed—don’t stop early, even if you start feeling better. This helps fully clear the Lyme disease bacteria from your body.
Talk About Supportive Care
If you have active symptoms like joint pain, fatigue, or nerve problems, ask your healthcare provider about supportive care or therapies that may help you recover.
Consider Further Testing
In some cases, especially if your symptoms are severe or affect your nervous system (such as nerve disorders or memory problems), your doctor might suggest more tests. This can help rule out other infectious diseases or see if Lyme disease has caused complications like chronic Lyme disease.
Stay in Touch With Your Healthcare Provider
Keep your doctor updated on any new or ongoing symptoms. Sometimes, joint pain or other issues can stick around even after treatment, and you may need extra care.
Watch for Chronic Symptoms
If symptoms last long after treatment, let your doctor know. Chronic Lyme disease or a lingering immune response might need special attention or a different approach to care.
Preventive Measures and Lifestyle Adjustments
By taking certain precautions, you can help keep yourself safe from Lyme disease and other infectious diseases carried by ticks. Here’s how you can help protect yourself and your family:
- Wear Protective Clothing: Dress in long sleeves, long pants, and closed shoes when walking in woods, tall grass, or areas known for black-legged ticks and deer ticks. Ticks are easier to spot when you wear light-colored clothing.
- Use Insect Repellents: Apply insect repellents to your skin and clothing—look for products that are proven to keep ticks away. This helps prevent tick bites and Lyme disease infection.
- Do Tick Checks: After being outside, check your skin, scalp, and clothing for attached ticks. Ticks like to hide behind the knees, around the waist, under the arms, and near the scalp.
- Remove Ticks Safely and Quickly: Use fine-tipped tweezers to hold the tick near its body if you find one attached to your skin. Gently pull it out straight without twisting. The faster you get the tick off, the less likely you are to catch Lyme disease or another illness.
- Shower After Outdoor Activities: Showering within two hours of coming indoors can help wash off ticks before they attach and may reduce your risk of Lyme disease.
- Keep Your Immune System Strong: Eating healthy food, staying active, and getting good sleep support your immune system, making it easier for your body to fight off illnesses.
- Be Aware During Tick Season: Healthcare providers recommend these steps during the most active times of the year when ticks carrying Lyme disease are present.
Take Action Against Lyme: Schedule Your Professional Consultation Today
If you think you’ve had a tick bite or notice any early signs of Lyme disease, we want to help. At BioMed Health Center in San Diego, CA, we offer Lyme disease blood tests, full check-ups, and treatment plans that fit your needs. Whether you have a new rash, joint pain, or questions about Lyme disease, our team is here for you.
Book your appointment with BioMed Health Center today. We’ll work with you to find answers and support your health.