Lyme Disease
When To Call a Doctor
Call your health professional if:
- A tick is attached to your body and you are unable to remove the entire tick.
- You have a circular red rash that expands over the course of several days, especially if you know you were recently exposed to ticks. The rash may be accompanied by flu-like symptoms, such as fatigue, headache, stiff neck, fever, chills, or body aches.
- You feel very tired or have joint pain (especially with redness and swelling), irregular heartbeats, severe headache, or neck pain.
- You are pregnant or nursing and you think you may have been exposed to ticks.
Watchful Waiting
If you have been in an area where ticks that carry Lyme disease are present, watch for signs of infection such as flu-like symptoms or an expanding red rash.
Who To See
The following health professionals can diagnose and prescribe treatment for Lyme disease or complications of Lyme disease:
- General practitioner
- Internist
- Pediatrician
- Nurse practitioner
- Physician assistant
- Infectious disease specialist
- Rheumatologist
- Dermatologist
- Neurologist
- Cardiologist
To prepare for your appointment, see the topic Making the Most of Your Appointment
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| Author: | Amy Fackler, MA Debby Golonka, MPH Sydney Youngerman-Cole, RN, BSN, RNC | Last Updated: September 21, 2006 |
| Medical Review: | Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine Christine Hahn, MD - Epidemiology | |
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