Lyme Disease Treatment

Lyme Disease research papers can focus on a number of medical health topics that deal with the treatment of the disease. Treatments are still being explored for fully curing Lyme Disease. In your research project you could look at any of the following topics:

• Former treatments for Lyme's Disease
• Current treatments for Lyme Disease
• Case studies of individuals with Lyme Disease

Lyme disease is a caused by the bite of an infected tick. Within about a week, most but not all infected individuals will develop a rash at the site of the bite. If left untreated, a host of physical and neurological symptoms can develop. Fortunately, Lyme disease treatment, which consists of antibiotics, has proven remarkably effective.

The specific use of antibiotics in Lyme disease treatment often depends on the individual and the stage of the disease. Since many infected individuals never develop a rash, diagnosis occurs after the onset of additional symptoms. However, for those who do develop an early, localized infection, an oral dosage of doxycycline is the first recommended step, as this medicine has proven effective against a number of diseases spread by ticks. However, doxycycline is not recommended for children under the age of eight or pregnant women. Other effective antibiotics are amoxicillin, cefuroxime axetil, and azithromycin.

Lyme disease treatment lasts anywhere from one to four weeks, depending on the severity of the infection. Since many patients develop joint swelling, or have reoccurrences of this condition, a second round of antibiotics may be necessary. An antibiotic course lasting more than 28 days is not recommended, as the medication is obviously ineffective. However, early and prompt treatment is effective in curing Lyme disease.