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5 Tips To Manage Lyme Arthritis This Winter

Lyme disease is a complicated bacterial infection. Lyme patients may experience a plethora of different symptoms such as flu-like symptoms, fatigue, numbness in the arms and legs, dizziness, and joint pain and swelling. In some cases, taking antibiotics can rid the bacteria from the body and return it to its formal health. In others, the symptoms that develop from the infection persist long after treatment.

When the joints are affected by Lyme disease, it is referred to as Lyme arthritis. Lyme arthritis can develop as early as one to a few months after contracting the bacteria from an infected tick. There is no way to definitively tell whether a person will recover after treatment or if the symptoms will stick around. For those unlucky enough to develop persistent Lyme arthritis, coping with the symptoms is the only way to deal with them.

Let’s learn some more about this condition, and investigate some top tips to manage Lyme arthritis in winter and beyond.

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4 Daily Gentle Stretches To Keep You Moving And Your Joints Mobilized In Winter

Dealing with joint pain and stiffness is difficult at any point in the year, but research has shown that the winter months are usually even more so because cold weather affects arthritic conditions. While cold weather doesn’t cause arthritis in and of itself, it can be an exacerbating factor for many people with joint pain and stiffness driven by arthritic conditions.

There are several reason why cold weather affects joint pain. One is barometric pressure; when pressure is low, joint tissues expand and nerves become irritated. This leads to an increase in pain. While there isn’t much you can do to escape cold weather, adding some gentle stretches to your daily routine in the colder months can lessen the effects of cold weather on the joints. Read on to learn about some daily gentle stretches to keep you and your joints moving in winter.

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The Role of NapA Protein On Inflammation In Lyme Patients

Lyme disease occurs when the borrelia bacteria is transmitted from an infected tick. The first signs of infection are similar to that of a flu, and people are often unaware that they have Lyme disease at all. When they do get treated with antibiotics, it has long been thought that the Lyme-causing bacteria could evade detection and continue to cause health problems because of its ability to hide out in tissues. Researchers believe that when this happens, it leads to the host of symptoms and a condition known as post-Lyme disease syndrome.

Post-Lyme disease syndrome can lead to various health effects such as fatigue, restless sleep, aching joints or muscles, cognitive issues (such as speech problems or decreased short-term memory), and swelling in the knees, shoulders, and other large joints. When the borrelia bacteria stays in the body long enough to cause post-Lyme disease syndrome, it can also lead to inflammation that can cause permanent damage if it is left untreated.

Lyme disease has puzzled researchers for years, but new findings may have uncovered a link between a specific protein known as the NapA protein and its role in Lyme-induced inflammation and arthritis. Read on to learn all you need to know about this connection.

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3 Treatment Options For Lyme Arthritis

Lyme disease is transmitted by infected ticks. It is caused by the borrelia bacteria and can lead to initial health issues such as flu-like symptoms, muscle aches and pains, and a bulls-eye rash around the area of the bite. If Lyme disease is caught early and doesn’t have the chance to spread too far throughout the body, it can be easily treated with antibiotics. In some cases, though, antibiotics may miss some of the bacteria, and this can lead to significantly more serious health conditions such as Lyme arthritis.

Lyme arthritis is a condition that occurs when bacteria invade the tissue in the joints and cause inflammation. When this is left untreated, that inflammation worsens and can eventually lead to permanent damage in the affected joints. Roughly one in four people who get Lyme disease will develop Lyme arthritis. So what are the treatment options for Lyme arthritis? Read on to find out.

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What’s The Difference Between Lyme Arthritis and Osteoarthritis?

Lyme disease can affect the body in many ways. The initial infection typically involves symptoms such as a bulls-eye rash at the bite site, fatigue, muscle aches, and fever. Other symptoms that may also occur include headaches, swollen lymph nodes, and joint pain and swelling. These can appear at any time following the transmission of the bacterial infection; however, the typical onset is between one and two weeks after the initial bite.

Some people with Lyme disease may not experience the symptoms early on, or may mistake them for other ailments such as a cold or flu. When this happens, the Lyme disease goes untreated, which can lead to more serious health complications. One such complication is Lyme arthritis. But what is Lyme arthritis, exactly? And what’s the difference between Lyme arthritis and osteoarthritis?

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