Could Long-Term Use Of Antibiotic For Lyme disease Be Harmful?

Lyme disease is a bacterial infection which is caused by the bite of an infected tick. The symptoms of this diseases are quite vague which is the reason why it is quite hard to identify the diseases. Mostly the disease mimics the symptoms of various other diseases. Usually, the first symptom of this disease is a red rash that looks like a bull’s eye. Other symptoms of this disease include fever, headaches, body aches, stiffness in neck and fatigue. In order to diagnose the disease Lyme Specialist in Virginia looks at your symptoms and medical history of the patient. Post identifying the disease the sooner the treatment begins the faster are the chances of recovery. Generally, Antibiotics can cure most cases of Lyme disease but are these antibiotics harmful in the long run?

According to research, approximately 10% to 15% of people who are treated for Lyme disease tend to develop recurring or persistent symptoms of cognitive, fatigue or musculoskeletal pain and cognitive complaints. Patients who are treated with a long-term course of antibiotics have seen reporting continuous symptoms such as pain, fatigue, muscle aches and in some cases neurological impairment. Often these symptoms are referred to as post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome.

Dr. Shor, a Lyme disease specialist explains that post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome is a real disorder and often patients are not aware of it. This disease is commonly treated with more rounds of long-term antibiotic therapy which is based on disputed reports that patients may harbor hidden reservoirs of the bacteria that causes Lyme disease.

But according to the research these therapy has proven to show little or no benefit but may produce some significant risks that could be worse than the illness itself which may include damage of liver, kidney or intractable diarrhea. Also, ongoing studies suggest that antibiotic therapy offers no sustained benefit to patients for post-Lyme disease syndrome.