Stages & Symptoms
Lyme disease is often separated into three stages: Early localized Lyme, Early disseminated Lyme, and Late disseminated Lyme (also referred to as Post-Treatment Lyme or Chronic Lyme disease).
Stage 1: Early localized Lyme disease
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During this stage, a person has been exposed to the Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria, but it has not yet spread throughout their body. This stage can last one to four weeks after infection. Symptoms in the Early localized Lyme disease stage may include:
  • Muscle and joint pain
  • Fever
  • An expanding circular rash that’s similar to a bulls-eye (erythema migrans)
  • Swollen lymph nodes
  • Chills
  • Headaches and stiff neck
  • Lack of energy
Since the symptoms in this stage can look like a variety of other illnesses, many people often don’t realize they have contracted Lyme yet. Especially if they don’t develop the bulls-eye rash most often connected to Lyme disease.
Stage 2: Early disseminated Lyme disease
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This stage of Lyme disease begins around one to four months after the initial bite as bacteria begins to spread throughout the body. If an infected person hasn’t realized they have contracted Lyme or have not received an antibiotic treatment in the initial stage, the infection will start to spread to other parts of the body. Symptoms in the Early localized Lyme disease stage may include:
  • Muscle and joint pain
  • Fever
  • An expanding circular rash that’s similar to a bulls-eye (erythema migrans)
Stage 3: Late disseminated Lyme disease/Chronic Lyme disease
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This stage of Lyme disease can develop weeks, months, or years after the initial infection. The bacteria has spread throughout the body and can cause severe damage to joints, the nervous system, and the brain. Symptoms of Chronic Lyme disease may include:
  • Severe fatigue
  • Encephalitis (brain inflammation)
  • Reproduction issues like miscarriages or stillbirths
  • Heart palpitations
  • Vertigo
  • Arthritis
  • Severe headaches or migraines
  • Sleep issues like insomnia
  • Mental fogginess
  • Numbness in your extremities
Chronic Lyme disease can occur even if a person has been treated in the early stages of your diagnosis. Even if your symptoms disappear, that does not mean the disease is gone. Untreated or undertreated Lyme disease symptoms can follow you throughout your life.
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