Disease-carrying ticks are endemic to the world, yet many people are unaware of the serious dangers of Lyme disease. Unfortunately, vague symptoms such as severe fatigue, brain fog, memory loss, joint pain, and muscle weakness make diagnosis difficult. However, if left untreated, it can lead to health problems that last for years.
“Untreated Lyme disease or cases that don’t respond to treatment can cause long-term problems, including Lyme arthritis, when the bacteria invade joint tissue and cause inflammation, and post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome, which causes fatigue can lead. Pain and cognitive impairment long after treatment,” said Dr. Brian Fallon, director of the Lyme and Tick-Borne Diseases Research Center at Columbia University, told fafaq last year.
About 476,000 people are diagnosed with Lyme disease in the United States each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Knowing how to prevent exposure (e.g. by covering your skin outdoors) is an important step in fighting the disease.
And since delaying diagnosis increases the risk of long-term effects, educating others about the risks could save them years of painful symptoms. It also helps when celebrities like Shania Twain, Bella Hadid and many others who have been treated for Lyme disease use their platforms to raise awareness of the disease. Here’s what celebs have said about their experiences with Lyme disease.
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