Lyme or Borreliosis is more than a bacterial infection, it is a multi-systemic disease. Lyme disease can not be easily diagnosed using conventional tests. Actually, there is no conclusive Lyme disease test that can be 100% accurate in diagnosing this illness.
Blood tests are not always right. We all heard stories of false negative test results that lead patients on the wrong track for decades.
The below symptoms can be attributed to Lyme Disease, once it has reached the chronic stage. The following list is not all-inclusive for Lyme disease. In case you experience a combination or more of these symptoms, it may be an indication that you should talk to your physician about being screened for Lyme disease or/ and co-infections.
LYME DISEASE SYMPTOMS CHECKLIST
CURRENT SYMPTOMS OR SIGNS Scale 1-10 ( 0= no symptoms, 10 = most severe) |
YES | NO |
Fevers |
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Chills /Flushing |
||
Sweats | ||
Persistent swollen glands | ||
Sore throat | ||
Fatigue / Tiredness/ Poor stamina | ||
Nausea | ||
Constipation | ||
Diarrhea | ||
Chest wall pain | ||
Rib soreness | ||
Shortness of breath | ||
Inexplicable cough | ||
Heart palpitations / skip beats | ||
Neck / Back stiffness | ||
Neck cracks | ||
Unexplained neck/ Back pains | ||
Joint stiffness | ||
Joint swelling/ pain | ||
Muscle pain or cramps | ||
Muscle twitching | ||
Muscle weakness | ||
Headache | ||
Numbness / Tingling | ||
Burning/ Stabbing sensation | ||
Shooting pain | ||
Facial paralysis – Bell’s Palsy | ||
Blurry vision | ||
Floaters | ||
Light sensitivity | ||
Ear buzzing /ringing/ | ||
Ear pain / decreased hearing/ sound sensitivity | ||
Poor balance | ||
Vertigo / spinning | ||
Lightheadedness / Dizziness | ||
Tremor | ||
Anxiety or Panic attacks | ||
Confusion | ||
Difficulty in thinking | ||
Forgetfulness | ||
Brain fog (Poor short term memory) | ||
Disorientation problems | ||
Difficulty with speech | ||
Word finding problems | ||
Reversing numbers /letters | ||
Difficulty with reading / writing | ||
Depression | ||
Sexual dysfunction / loss of libido | ||
Unexplained menstrual irregularity | ||
Breast pain | ||
Testicular pain / Pelvic pain | ||
Unexplained weight gain /loss | ||
Bladder irritability /dysfunction | ||
Low abdominal pain | ||
Disturbed sleep | ||
Intolerance to alcohol |
These symptoms are excerpted from Diagnostic Hints and Treatment Guidelines for Lyme Disease and Other Tick Borne Illnesses, by Dr. Joseph J. Burrascano Jr., M.D. (Sixteenth Edition, 2008)