Should You Be Watching for Lyme Symptoms?

You may notice that you are hearing more and more about Lyme disease lately. That’s not just because it is summer (although people do become more conscious of it during the warmer months) but rather because cases of Lyme disease are becoming more common. I’m thrilled to be sharing this sponsored post to help raise awareness of Lyme Disease and its spread.

Stop and think for a minute. How many people do you know personally who have been affected by Lyme disease? I can count at least three family members and two friends who have been diagnosed. One friend had such a severe case that she required year-long treatment and there were serious concerns about whether she would make a full recovery. (She did, thank goodness.)

As more people are being diagnosed with Lyme, it is also spreading to new areas of the country. Lyme has typically been associated with the Northeast (Lyme, CT is actually how it got its name). But according to Quest Diagnostics, there are more cases originating from other areas of the country.

But let’s back up – you are probably wondering who Quest Diagnostics is and why I am referencing them, right? Well, Quest Diagnostics is the world’s leading provider of diagnostic testing, information and services that patients and doctors need to make better healthcare decisions. So when a patient is tested for Lyme disease, their samples are very likely sent to Quest Diagnostics for analysis. With the world’s largest database of de-identified clinical lab results, Quest Diagnostics’ Health Trends
Lyme Disease report provides the most current insights into Lyme disease in the United States. And folks, the news is not good. From 2014 to 2017, the number of positive Lyme tests rose from 6.7% to 11.2%

In addition to states that have been battling this disease for a while – mostly the New England states and Pennsylvania – those of us in Wisconsin, Florida, and California are being hit especially hard with new cases of Lyme Disease.

But I don’t want to be all doom and gloom. There are some things that you can do to help cut down your risk of contracting Lyme Disease. And I’m not going to tell you to give up your outside activities, just to make a few adjustments such as:
o Don’t pitch a tent or set up camp in a location with leaf litter
o Stay away from high grass
o Wear long-sleeved, light-colored shirts and pants
o Wear a hat and secure long hair by tying it back
o Tuck pants inside socks or boots
o Wear gardening gloves

If you are looking to learn more about Lyme Disease, be sure to check out Quest Diagnostic’s annual Health Trends Report.