The doctor determines the best treatment for your Lyme disease based on your individual condition. Severity and symptoms of this bacterial infection vary widely from person to person. The treatment is usually based on several factors. First, the doctor must know if the tick that bit you tests positive for spirochetes. Second, your symptoms are considered. Two Lyme disease patients can have different symptoms. Third, the doctor needs to know if you’re pregnant or not. Although there is little evidence that Lyme disease causes birth defects, the doctor will prescribe safer antibiotics that will not harm your baby. Lastly, the place where you were bitten by a tick is also considered.
Antibiotics
Lyme disease is usually treated with antibiotics. Usually, these antibiotics come in the form of capsules or syrup. However, in some severe cases which are not detected early, there may be a need to give it intravenously or through injections. This is usually what they do especially when the nervous system is involved.
The most common antibiotics that doctors use in treating Lyme disease are amoxicillin, ceftriaxone, and doxycycline. Amoxixillin and doxycycline are both oral medications which kill bacteria by inhibiting the synthesis of their cell walls. Ceftriaxone is applied intravenously. Macrolide antibiotics are sometimes used as well. Anti-inflammatory medications like ibuprofen are also prescribed with antibiotics to relieve joint stiffness. Although these antibiotics are the primary treatment, it is the default treatment only for cases in its early stage. Using antibiotics to treat late Lyme disease has sparked some controversies in the medical community.
Alternative Therapies
There are several alternative therapies that have been suggested for Lyme disease. However, clinical trials for these therapies have not been conducted. One of these is hyperbaric oxygen therapy. There are still no published data to support its effectiveness against Lyme disease but results using a mouse model are said to be promising.
Treating Lyme disease with antibiotics usually cures the infection completely. However, when the illness is in its later stages, a cure is highly improbable although symptoms can improve.