Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsPrescriptionsComplementary MedicineLyme Disease Treatment ResearchFrequently Asked QuestionsNext in Lyme Disease GuideWhat Is Lyme Disease?
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Prescriptions
Complementary Medicine
Lyme Disease Treatment Research
Frequently Asked Questions
Next in Lyme Disease Guide
The specifics of yourLyme diseasetreatment will depend on your case. You’re far more likely to contract Lyme disease in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, or North-Central states, as well as on the West Coast, particularly northern California. Symptoms can begin anywhere from days after you’ve been bitten to years afterward.
A short course of antibiotics will likely easily cure you if you are in the early stage. Successful treatment for more complicated cases, however, requires three to four weeks of antibiotic therapy and possibly additional treatments. Here’s a look at how different stages andsymptomsof Lyme disease are treated.
Verywell / Emily Roberts
Your healthcare provider can likely effectively treat yourLyme diseasewith the appropriate use ofantibiotics. In general, the sooner you begin treatment following infection, the quicker and more complete your recovery will be. Antibiotics such as doxycycline, cefuroxime axetil, and amoxicillin, taken orally for a few weeks, can speed the healing of yourerythema migransrash and usually prevent subsequent symptoms such as arthritis or neurological problems.Doxycycline will also effectively treat most other tickborne diseases.
This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.See PhotoLyme disease rash.DermNet /CC BY-NC-ND
This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.See Photo
This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.
DermNet /CC BY-NC-ND
Children and Pregnant or Breastfeeding Women
Children with Lyme disease are treated with amoxicillin, doxycycline, or cefuroxime axetil.Treatment for pregnant women with Lyme disease is similar to that of non-pregnant adults except that doxycycline is not used because it can affect fetal development. Women who are diagnosed with Lyme disease and are also breastfeeding should talk to their healthcare provider so he or she can prescribe an antibiotic that’s safe for use when breastfeeding.
Lyme Arthritis
If you have Lyme arthritis, your healthcare provider may treat you with oral antibiotics. If your arthritis is severe, you may be given ceftriaxone or penicillin intravenously (through an IV). To ease discomfort and to further healing, your healthcare provider might also:
In most people, Lyme arthritis will go away within a few weeks or months following antibiotic treatment. In some, however, it can take years to disappear completely.
Some people with Lyme disease who are untreated for several years may be cured of their arthritis with the proper antibiotic treatment. If the disease has persisted long enough, however, it may permanently damage the structure of the joints.
Neurological Problems
For facial nerve palsies, your doctor may give you an oral regimen of doxycycline. For meningitis, you will be treated with the antibiotic ceftriaxone given intravenously once a day for three weeks at most. Most people recover completely.
Heart Problems
For severe heart problems, such as an atrioventricular block, you may be prescribed ceftriaxone or an oral regimen of doxycycline for three weeks.
People with Lyme disease rarely have long-term heart damage.
Post-Treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome
If you have post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome (PTLDS), you may need to have your healthcare provider rule out other illnesses with similar symptoms. Your symptoms may also go away with more time.
The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) takes PTLDS seriously and funded three placebo-controlled clinical trials to discover the efficacy of prolonged antibiotic therapy in patients with PTLDS. Here’s what they found out:
The bottom line:Prolonged antibiotic therapy is not any better than short-term antibiotic therapy and may actually be harmful. The NIAID is looking at supporting more research to find a reason for PTLDS and effective treatments, especially those that leave no remnants of the bacteria behind.
Samento and Banderol: Uses and Research
Proponents of banderol and samento recommend them as alternatives to antibiotics, which are the standard treatments for Lyme disease. It’s said that these herbal remedies may help patients steer clear of the side effects sometimes associated with antibiotic use, such as gastrointestinal distress.
In addition, banderol and samento are sometimes used to control post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome (PTLDS). In people with PTLDS, symptoms linger long after they’ve completed a course of antibiotics. These symptoms include fatigue, muscle and joint pain, sleep disruption, and mood changes.
At this point, however, there’s very little evidence to back up claims that banderol or samento can help treat Lyme disease. There is some research out there showing that a combination of samento and banderol may help knock outBorrelia burgdorferi,the bacterium responsible for Lyme disease.One study often pointed to, however, lacks rigorous peer review.Scientists have yet to confirm these findings or those of related research in clinical trials involving Lyme disease patients.
Samento vs. Cat’s Claw
If you’re thinking of using samento to treat Lyme disease, it’s important to know the difference between samento and cat’s claw. Although they belong to the same species, the two remedies have a different chemical makeup.
Both samento and cat’s claw contain pentacyclic oxindole alkaloids (POAs), which are compounds said to stimulate immune function and help Lyme disease patients to recovery. However, unlike cat’s claw, samento does not contain a class of compounds called tetracyclic oxindole alkaloids (TOAs). TOAs are believed to disrupt the function of the central nervous system and weaken the effects of POAs.
Other Natural Remedies
Samento is just one of many remedies thought to benefit people with Lyme disease. Some proponents of alternative medicine suggest that herbs likeastragalusand echinacea can help rev up your immune system and clear your body of microbes. Supplements such asmethylsulfonylmethane(MSM) are claimed to relieve joint pain, andginkgo bilobais touted as a natural approach to increase mental clarity.
However, as is the case with banderol and samento, there is currently a lack of research to support the use of any of these remedies in the treatment of Lyme disease.
Consult Your Healthcare Provider Before Using Natural Remedies
If you’re curious about banderol, samento, or other herbal treatments, talk with your healthcare provider about whether to incorporate any of these remedies into your Lyme disease treatment plan. While it may be tempting to want to try it, improper treatment of Lyme disease can lead to serious complications such as joint problems and nervous system disorders, so self-treating with herbs isn’t recommended.
Also, it’s important to keep in mind that the side effects and risks of these herbs in regular or high doses aren’t known, nor is their safety in children, pregnant or nursing women, or people with other health conditions. Your healthcare provider can help you weigh the risks with the benefits.
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Studies suggest that people who suffer from chronic Lyme disease, PTLDS, may begenetically predisposedto develop an autoimmune response that contributes to their symptoms.Researchers are now examining the significance of this finding in great detail, as well as conducting studies to find out the best length of time to give antibiotics for the various signs and symptoms of Lyme disease.
NIH conducts and supports biomedical research aimed at meeting the challenges of Lyme disease, and scientists are gaining a better understanding of the human immune response that leads to it.For example, they are uncovering the mechanisms responsible for treatment-resistant Lyme arthritis. Improved understanding of the human immune response may lead to better diagnostic and prognostic tools.
Frequently Asked QuestionsWhen diagnosed and treated early with antibiotics, most people who contract Lyme disease arefree of the infectionand symptoms within three or four weeks. Even when the disease spreads to other parts of the body, the resulting complications often can be cured, although they may be challenging to treat.There are three stages, each of which can have various symptoms (though sometimes the symptoms can overlap):Acute/early localized: Fever, chills, headache, stiff neck, sore throat, fatigue, muscle and joint pain,swollen lymph nodes, and a rash (that may or may not be shaped like a bull’s eye)Early disseminated:Flu-like symptomsplus pain, weakness or numbness in the limbs, changes in vision,heart palpitations, chest pain, andBell’s palsy(paralysis of the face)Late disseminated:Any of a number of symptoms that develop as the infection becomes more entrenched throughout the body, such as arthritis,migraines,vertigo, and increasingly extreme fatigue, cognitive issues, and heart problemsIf untreated, Lyme disease can spread to other parts of the body and cause complications such as arthritis, carditis, and neurological problems. It also can result in lingering symptoms that interfere with overall health and quality of life.“Chronic Lyme disease” is another name for post-treatment Lyme disease (PTLD). However, it is not an official diagnosis. Instead, Lyme disease researchers use the term to refer to people who continue to have certain symptoms for six months or more after antibiotic treatment, among them:Debilitating fatiguePain in muscles, bones, and jointsSleep problemsDepressionCognitive impairment (difficulty withshort-term memory, slowed thinking, or inability to multitask)
When diagnosed and treated early with antibiotics, most people who contract Lyme disease arefree of the infectionand symptoms within three or four weeks. Even when the disease spreads to other parts of the body, the resulting complications often can be cured, although they may be challenging to treat.
There are three stages, each of which can have various symptoms (though sometimes the symptoms can overlap):Acute/early localized: Fever, chills, headache, stiff neck, sore throat, fatigue, muscle and joint pain,swollen lymph nodes, and a rash (that may or may not be shaped like a bull’s eye)Early disseminated:Flu-like symptomsplus pain, weakness or numbness in the limbs, changes in vision,heart palpitations, chest pain, andBell’s palsy(paralysis of the face)Late disseminated:Any of a number of symptoms that develop as the infection becomes more entrenched throughout the body, such as arthritis,migraines,vertigo, and increasingly extreme fatigue, cognitive issues, and heart problems
There are three stages, each of which can have various symptoms (though sometimes the symptoms can overlap):
If untreated, Lyme disease can spread to other parts of the body and cause complications such as arthritis, carditis, and neurological problems. It also can result in lingering symptoms that interfere with overall health and quality of life.
“Chronic Lyme disease” is another name for post-treatment Lyme disease (PTLD). However, it is not an official diagnosis. Instead, Lyme disease researchers use the term to refer to people who continue to have certain symptoms for six months or more after antibiotic treatment, among them:Debilitating fatiguePain in muscles, bones, and jointsSleep problemsDepressionCognitive impairment (difficulty withshort-term memory, slowed thinking, or inability to multitask)
“Chronic Lyme disease” is another name for post-treatment Lyme disease (PTLD). However, it is not an official diagnosis. Instead, Lyme disease researchers use the term to refer to people who continue to have certain symptoms for six months or more after antibiotic treatment, among them:
What Is Lyme Disease?
14 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Treatment and intervention for Lyme disease.Arvikar SL, Steere AC.Diagnosis and treatment of Lyme arthritis.Infect Dis Clin North Am.2015;29(2):269-80. doi:10.1016/j.idc.2015.02.004Melia MT, Auwaerter PG.Time for a different approach to Lyme disease and long-term symptoms.N Engl J Med.2016;374(13):1277-8. doi:10.1056/NEJMe1502350National Institute of Allergy and Infections Diseases.Lyme disease antibiotic treatment research.Ramesh G, Didier PJ, England JD, et al.Inflammation in the pathogenesis of lyme neuroborreliosis.Am J Pathol. 2015;185(5):1344-60. doi:10.1016/j.ajpath.2015.01.024Ścieszka J, Dąbek J, Cieślik P.Post-Lyme disease syndrome.Reumatologia. 2015;53(1):46-8. doi:10.5114/reum.2015.50557Weiss J.Herb⁻drug interaction potential of anti-borreliae effective extracts from (Samento) and (Banderol) assessed in vitro.Molecules. 2018;24(1):137. doi:10.3390/molecules24010137Datar A, Kaur N.In vitro effectiveness of samento and banderol herbal extracts on the different morphological forms of borrelia burgdorferi.Townsend Letter, the Examiner of Alternative Medicine. 2010.Bouquet J, Soloski MJ, Swei A, et al.Longitudinal transcriptome analysis reveals a sustained differential gene expression signature in patients treated for acute Lyme disease.MBio. 2016;7(1):e00100-16. doi:10.1128/mBio.00100-16Locke JW.Complement evasion in spirochetes: Mechanisms and opportunities for intervention.Antibiotics (Basel).2019;8(2):80. doi:10.3390/antibiotics8020080National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.Lyme disease studies.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Clinical treatment of erythema migrans rash.Global Lyme Alliance.The stages of Lyme disease.Johns Hopkins Lyme Disease Center.Lyme disease treatment and prognosis.Additional ReadingCenters for Disease Control and Prevention.Chronic symptoms and Lyme disease.Melia MT, Auwaerter PG.Time for a different approach to Lyme disease and long-term symptoms.N Engl J Med. 2016;374(13):1277-1278.doi:10.1056/NEJMe1502350.National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.Chronic Lyme disease.
14 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Treatment and intervention for Lyme disease.Arvikar SL, Steere AC.Diagnosis and treatment of Lyme arthritis.Infect Dis Clin North Am.2015;29(2):269-80. doi:10.1016/j.idc.2015.02.004Melia MT, Auwaerter PG.Time for a different approach to Lyme disease and long-term symptoms.N Engl J Med.2016;374(13):1277-8. doi:10.1056/NEJMe1502350National Institute of Allergy and Infections Diseases.Lyme disease antibiotic treatment research.Ramesh G, Didier PJ, England JD, et al.Inflammation in the pathogenesis of lyme neuroborreliosis.Am J Pathol. 2015;185(5):1344-60. doi:10.1016/j.ajpath.2015.01.024Ścieszka J, Dąbek J, Cieślik P.Post-Lyme disease syndrome.Reumatologia. 2015;53(1):46-8. doi:10.5114/reum.2015.50557Weiss J.Herb⁻drug interaction potential of anti-borreliae effective extracts from (Samento) and (Banderol) assessed in vitro.Molecules. 2018;24(1):137. doi:10.3390/molecules24010137Datar A, Kaur N.In vitro effectiveness of samento and banderol herbal extracts on the different morphological forms of borrelia burgdorferi.Townsend Letter, the Examiner of Alternative Medicine. 2010.Bouquet J, Soloski MJ, Swei A, et al.Longitudinal transcriptome analysis reveals a sustained differential gene expression signature in patients treated for acute Lyme disease.MBio. 2016;7(1):e00100-16. doi:10.1128/mBio.00100-16Locke JW.Complement evasion in spirochetes: Mechanisms and opportunities for intervention.Antibiotics (Basel).2019;8(2):80. doi:10.3390/antibiotics8020080National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.Lyme disease studies.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Clinical treatment of erythema migrans rash.Global Lyme Alliance.The stages of Lyme disease.Johns Hopkins Lyme Disease Center.Lyme disease treatment and prognosis.Additional ReadingCenters for Disease Control and Prevention.Chronic symptoms and Lyme disease.Melia MT, Auwaerter PG.Time for a different approach to Lyme disease and long-term symptoms.N Engl J Med. 2016;374(13):1277-1278.doi:10.1056/NEJMe1502350.National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.Chronic Lyme disease.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Treatment and intervention for Lyme disease.Arvikar SL, Steere AC.Diagnosis and treatment of Lyme arthritis.Infect Dis Clin North Am.2015;29(2):269-80. doi:10.1016/j.idc.2015.02.004Melia MT, Auwaerter PG.Time for a different approach to Lyme disease and long-term symptoms.N Engl J Med.2016;374(13):1277-8. doi:10.1056/NEJMe1502350National Institute of Allergy and Infections Diseases.Lyme disease antibiotic treatment research.Ramesh G, Didier PJ, England JD, et al.Inflammation in the pathogenesis of lyme neuroborreliosis.Am J Pathol. 2015;185(5):1344-60. doi:10.1016/j.ajpath.2015.01.024Ścieszka J, Dąbek J, Cieślik P.Post-Lyme disease syndrome.Reumatologia. 2015;53(1):46-8. doi:10.5114/reum.2015.50557Weiss J.Herb⁻drug interaction potential of anti-borreliae effective extracts from (Samento) and (Banderol) assessed in vitro.Molecules. 2018;24(1):137. doi:10.3390/molecules24010137Datar A, Kaur N.In vitro effectiveness of samento and banderol herbal extracts on the different morphological forms of borrelia burgdorferi.Townsend Letter, the Examiner of Alternative Medicine. 2010.Bouquet J, Soloski MJ, Swei A, et al.Longitudinal transcriptome analysis reveals a sustained differential gene expression signature in patients treated for acute Lyme disease.MBio. 2016;7(1):e00100-16. doi:10.1128/mBio.00100-16Locke JW.Complement evasion in spirochetes: Mechanisms and opportunities for intervention.Antibiotics (Basel).2019;8(2):80. doi:10.3390/antibiotics8020080National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.Lyme disease studies.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Clinical treatment of erythema migrans rash.Global Lyme Alliance.The stages of Lyme disease.Johns Hopkins Lyme Disease Center.Lyme disease treatment and prognosis.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Treatment and intervention for Lyme disease.
Arvikar SL, Steere AC.Diagnosis and treatment of Lyme arthritis.Infect Dis Clin North Am.2015;29(2):269-80. doi:10.1016/j.idc.2015.02.004
Melia MT, Auwaerter PG.Time for a different approach to Lyme disease and long-term symptoms.N Engl J Med.2016;374(13):1277-8. doi:10.1056/NEJMe1502350
National Institute of Allergy and Infections Diseases.Lyme disease antibiotic treatment research.
Ramesh G, Didier PJ, England JD, et al.Inflammation in the pathogenesis of lyme neuroborreliosis.Am J Pathol. 2015;185(5):1344-60. doi:10.1016/j.ajpath.2015.01.024
Ścieszka J, Dąbek J, Cieślik P.Post-Lyme disease syndrome.Reumatologia. 2015;53(1):46-8. doi:10.5114/reum.2015.50557
Weiss J.Herb⁻drug interaction potential of anti-borreliae effective extracts from (Samento) and (Banderol) assessed in vitro.Molecules. 2018;24(1):137. doi:10.3390/molecules24010137
Datar A, Kaur N.In vitro effectiveness of samento and banderol herbal extracts on the different morphological forms of borrelia burgdorferi.Townsend Letter, the Examiner of Alternative Medicine. 2010.
Bouquet J, Soloski MJ, Swei A, et al.Longitudinal transcriptome analysis reveals a sustained differential gene expression signature in patients treated for acute Lyme disease.MBio. 2016;7(1):e00100-16. doi:10.1128/mBio.00100-16
Locke JW.Complement evasion in spirochetes: Mechanisms and opportunities for intervention.Antibiotics (Basel).2019;8(2):80. doi:10.3390/antibiotics8020080
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.Lyme disease studies.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Clinical treatment of erythema migrans rash.
Global Lyme Alliance.The stages of Lyme disease.
Johns Hopkins Lyme Disease Center.Lyme disease treatment and prognosis.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Chronic symptoms and Lyme disease.Melia MT, Auwaerter PG.Time for a different approach to Lyme disease and long-term symptoms.N Engl J Med. 2016;374(13):1277-1278.doi:10.1056/NEJMe1502350.National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.Chronic Lyme disease.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Chronic symptoms and Lyme disease.
Melia MT, Auwaerter PG.Time for a different approach to Lyme disease and long-term symptoms.N Engl J Med. 2016;374(13):1277-1278.doi:10.1056/NEJMe1502350.
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.Chronic Lyme disease.
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