Lyme disease: taking care in the countryside

Publication Date:21/07/2008

As summer continues, millions of people will be visiting Britain's countryside. Anyone spending time in wooded or grassy areas needs to be aware of Lyme disease, a rare but unpleasant illness.

What is Lyme disease?

Lyme disease is spread by ticks, which are small, spider-like creatures that live on deer, sheep and horses. Ticks can carry bacteria. If a tick gets on to your skin and bites you, the bacteria can get into your blood and cause Lyme disease.

Last year in the UK, 797 people were diagnosed with Lyme disease. Many of these people became ill after visiting places like the New Forest, the South Downs or the Lake District.

Young ticks are tiny, about the size of a poppy seed, so you won't always spot them or know that you've been bitten. Lyme disease can also be difficult for doctors to spot. So if you've been visiting the countryside, it's a good idea to be aware of the symptoms.

What are the symptoms?

The most common symptom of Lyme disease is a rash. Some people get a bull's-eye pattern of red and white rings around the spot where they were bitten. But not everyone gets a rash. Lyme disease can also cause flu-like symptoms, such as a headache, a temperature or muscle pains.

Lyme disease can cause more serious problems if you don't get treatment. After a few weeks or months, it's possible for the infection to spread into your nerves and joints. You may lose control of some of the muscles in your face, or have difficulty moving parts of your body. Eventually, you could get swollen joints. This is called Lyme arthritis. Occasionally, Lyme disease can cause heart problems.

How can I avoid ticks?

You can prevent Lyme disease by avoiding tick bites. Ticks are most active in spring, early summer and autumn, so you might want to take special care at these times.

If you're spending time in grassy or wooded areas, or places where deer are common, wear long-sleeved tops and long trousers tucked into your socks. You can also spray your clothes with an insect repellent or a chemical called permethrin. You might see permethrin sold as a mosquito repellent in travel shops.

Wearing light-coloured clothing can make it easier to find and remove ticks. If you've been in an area where there might be ticks, brush off or wash your clothes as soon as you can. And check your body for ticks, especially in skin folds and hairy areas.

If you find a tick, remove it straight away. To do this, grip it with fine tweezers, as close to your skin as you can. Don't grab the body, as you'll probably crush it, which could squeeze bacteria into your blood. Pull the tick gently but firmly, without twisting. Then wipe the area with an antiseptic, such as rubbing alcohol.

Not all ticks carry Lyme disease, and a tick needs to stay on your skin for hours to infect you. Finding a tick doesn't mean you'll go on to get Lyme disease.

How is Lyme disease treated?

Antibiotics can kill the bacteria which cause Lyme disease. If you take them soon after getting ill, you're very likely to make a complete recovery.

Antibiotics may also help to prevent Lyme disease if you've been bitten by a tick. But the risk of getting Lyme disease from one bite is very small. Many doctors don't recommend starting treatment unless you get ill.

Antibiotics are also used to treat later symptoms, such as Lyme arthritis.

What's the outlook for someone with Lyme disease?

Most people get better completely, if they're treated early. So, if you get a rash or flu-like illness, and think you could have been bitten by a tick, see your doctor, even if you didn't notice a bite.

If your symptoms don't clear up after taking antibiotics, your doctor will probably suggest you take them for longer or switch to a different type of antibiotic.

Many people who aren't treated straight away also make a good recovery. But if you're treated early, it stops you going on to get later-stage Lyme disease, which can be more serious. A very small number of people who don't get treatment go on to get long-term nerve damage. This can affect the way you move your body.

Occasionally, people get pain and tiredness that lasts for months or years, even if they've been treated for Lyme disease. This is sometimes called 'post-Lyme syndrome'.

To read more, see our information on Lyme disease.

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This information does not replace medical advice. If you are concerned you might have a medical problem please ask your Boots pharmacy team in your local Boots store, or see your doctor.