Last time, we started discussing how everyone from the avid camper to the occasional gardener now needs to be on guard concerning the threat posed by Lyme disease, which is most frequently spread through the bite of juvenile deer ticks.

Indeed, we discussed how this threat was particularly pronounced here in Pennsylvania, which had the most confirmed cases of Lyme disease in the nation as recently as 2013. We’ll continue this discussion in today’s post, looking at some of the symptoms of Lyme disease and prevention tips.

What are some of the early warning signs of a Lyme-related infection?

According to experts, some of the early symptoms that people should be on the lookout for include a red almost target-like expanding rash, muscle aches, fatigue, fever, chills, headache and swollen lymph nodes.

What happens if Lyme disease’s goes untreated?

Experts indicate that early diagnosis and treatment are the key when it comes to Lyme disease, and that if caught early enough, patients typically make a full recovery.

If the condition goes untreated, however, people can suffer symptoms ranging from severe headaches and body pain to extreme swelling in the large joints and heart palpitations within only a few days or even weeks of the infection.

The prognosis gets worse the longer Lyme disease goes untreated, with people often developing dangerous cardiac and neurological problems, to name only a few.

What can people do to protect themselves from deer ticks?

Some time-tested prevention tips include wearing insect repellant with 20-30 percent DEET, long pants, long sleeves and a hat if walking through shady wooded areas or areas with long grass.

Once a trip outdoors is complete, experts advise conducting a thorough body check to find any ticks and, if any are located, carefully removing them with a pair of sharp tweezers. They also recommended bathing as soon as possible and putting clothes in the dryer to kill any ticks still clinging to clothes.

Does medical malpractice comes into play into cases involving Lyme disease?

Like any case where there is a question of a missed or failed diagnosis, the answer is “it depends.” Certainly anyone diagnosed with late-stage Lyme disease who believes that their treating physician should have caught their condition should consider speaking with an experienced legal professional who can listen to their story, explain the law and outline their options.