New study focuses on post-treatment Lyme disease

Ticks are common in New York, which means that so is Lyme disease. While the tick-borne illness can be readily addressed with antibiotics, it has been known to linger on in the form of symptoms like joint pain, brain fog, fatigue and headaches. This condition is known as post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome, and it can last between several months and a couple years.

New research from the Johns Hopkins Lyme Disease Research Center has shown just how difficult the condition is to diagnose. In fact, the results of the study show that PTLDS sufferers are, on the outside, just as healthy as anyone else. Researchers came to this conclusion after comparing 61 patients who had been suffering PTLDS symptoms for at least six months to 28 healthy control subjects. No amount of tests, whether blood marker exams or neurological exams, could show there was anything wrong with the 61.

PTLDS afflicts about 10 to 20 percent of those who contract Lyme disease. Unfortunately, swiftness of treatment does not affect the odds. Those who believe they are suffering from PTLDS should have a doctor track their symptoms. This can cut down on misdiagnoses until a surer method of diagnosis becomes available. At the moment, symptoms can only be alleviated through means like cognitive behavioral therapy and low-impact aerobic exercises.

Some doctors who fail to diagnose PTLDS may be considered negligent. This is why a PTLDS sufferer may want to ask a lawyer to evaluate their claim. If the doctor ignored the patient's symptoms and never tracked them, this could be considered medical malpractice.