No one will have all symptoms but if many are present serious consideration must be given by any physician to Lyme as the possible culprit. Symptoms may come and go in varying degrees with fluctuation from one symptom to another. There may be a period of what feels like remission only to be followed by another onset of symptoms.

If you have 20 or more of these symptoms you have a serious potential for Lyme disease

Lyme Disease Symptoms

The Tick Bite

(fewer than 50% recall a tick bite, get or see the rash)

• Rash at site of bite
• Rashes on other parts of your body
• Rash basically circular and spreading out (or generalized)
• Raised rash, disappearing and recurring

• Memory loss (short or long term)
• Confusion, difficulty in thinking
• Difficulty with concentration or reading
• Going to the wrong place
• Speech difficulty (slurred or slow)
• Stammering speech
• Forgetting how to perform simple tasks

• Unexplained hair loss
• Headache, mild or severe, Seizures
• Pressure in Head, White Matter Lesions in Head (MRI)
• Twitching of facial or other muscles
• Facial paralysis (Bell's Palsy)
• Tingling of nose, (tip of) tongue, cheek or facial flushing
• Stiff or painful neck
• Jaw pain or stiffness
• Dental problems (unexplained)
• Sore throat, clearing throat a lot, phlegm ( flem ), hoarseness, runny nose

• Tremors or unexplained shaking
• Burning or stabbing sensations in the body
• Fatigue, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Weakness, peripheral neuropathy or partial paralysis
• Pressure in the head
• Numbness in body, tingling, pinpricks
• Poor balance, dizziness, difficulty walking,
  Increased motion sickness
• Lightheadedness, wooziness

• Decreased hearing in one or both ears, plugged ears
• Buzzing in ears
• Pain in ears, oversensitivity to sounds
• Ringing in one or both ears

• Loss of sex drive
• Sexual dysfunction
• Unexplained menstral pain, irregularity
• Unexplained breast pain, discharge
• Testicular or pelvic pain

• Oversensitivity to light
• Double or blurry vision
• Increased floating spots
• Pain in eyes, or swelling around eyes
• Flashing lights/Peripheral waves, phantom images in corner of eyes

• Diarrhea
• Constipation
• Irritable bladder (trouble starting, stopping) or Interstitial cystitis
• Upset stomach (nausea or pain) or GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease)

• Bone pain, joint pain or swelling, carpal tunnel syndrome
• Stiffness of joints, back, neck, tennis elbow
• Muscle pain or cramps, (Fibromyalgia)

• Unexplained weight gain, loss
• Extreme fatigue
• Swollen glands/lymph nodes
• Unexplained fevers (high or low grade)
• Continual infections (sinus, kidney, eye, etc.)
• Symptoms seem to change, come and go
• Pain migrates (moves) to different body parts
• Early on, experienced a "flu-like" illness, after which you have not since felt well.
• Low body temperature
• Allergies/Chemical sensitivities
• Increased effect from alcohol and possible worse hangover

• Shortness of breath, can't get full/satisfying breath, cough
• Chest pain or rib soreness
• Night sweats or unexplained chills
• Heart palpitations or extra beats
• Endocarditis, Heart blockage

Lyme Disease symptoms may show up fast, or very slowly and innocuously. There may be initial flu-like symptoms with fever, headache, nausea, jaw pain, light sensitivity, red eyes, muscle ache and stiff neck. Many write this off as a flu and because the nymph stage of the tick is so tiny many do not recall a tick bite.