The list of treatments mentioned in various sources for Lyme disease includes the following list. Always seek professional medical advice about any treatment or change in treatment plans.
The first step in getting correct treatment is to get a correct diagnosis. Differential diagnosis list for Lyme disease may include:
Hidden causes of Lyme disease may be incorrectly diagnosed:
Note:You must always seek professional medical advice about any prescription drug, OTC drug, medication, treatment or change in treatment plans.
Some of the different medications used in the treatment of Lyme disease include:
Unlabelled alternative drug treatments for Lyme disease include:
The following are some of the latest treatments for Lyme disease:
Lyme disease is treated with antibiotics under the supervision of a physician. (Source: excerpt from NINDS Neurological Sequelae Of Lyme Disease Information Page: NINDS)
Nearly all Lyme disease patients can be effectively
treated with an appropriate course of antibiotic therapy. In general, the sooner
such therapy is begun following infection, the quicker and more complete the
recovery.
Antibiotics, such as doxycycline, cefuroxime axetil, or
amoxicillin taken orally for a few weeks, can speed the healing of the erythema
migrans rash and usually prevent subsequent symptoms such as arthritis or
neurological problems. Doxycycline will also effectively treat most other
tick-borne diseases.
Patients younger than 9 years or pregnant or
lactating women with Lyme disease are treated with amoxicillin, cefuroxime
axetil, or penicillin because doxycycline can stain the permanent teeth
developing in young children or unborn babies. Patients allergic to penicillin
are given erythromycin.
Lyme disease patients with neurological symptoms
are usually treated with the antibiotic ceftriaxone given intravenously once a
day for a month or less. Most patients experience full recovery.
Lyme
arthritis may be treated with oral antibiotics. Patients with severe arthritis
may be treated with ceftriaxone or penicillin given intravenously. To ease these
patients' discomfort and further their healing, the physician might also give
anti-inflammatory drugs, draw fluid from affected joints, or surgically remove
the inflamed lining of the joints.
Lyme arthritis resolves in most
patients within a few weeks or months following antibiotic therapy, although it
can take years to disappear completely in some people. Some Lyme disease
patients who are untreated for several years may be cured of their arthritis
with the proper antibiotic regimen. If the disease has persisted long enough,
however, it may irreversibly damage the structure of the joints.
Physicians prefer to treat Lyme disease patients experiencing heart
symptoms with antibiotics such as ceftriaxone or penicillin given intravenously
for about 2 weeks. If these symptoms persist or are severe enough, patients may
also be treated with corticosteroids or given a temporary internal cardiac
pacemaker. People with Lyme disease rarely experience long-term heart damage.
Following treatment for Lyme disease, some people still have muscle
achiness, neurologic symptoms such as problems with memory and concentration,
and persistent fatigue. NIH-sponsored researchers are conducting studies to
determine the cause of these symptoms and how to best treat them.
Researchers are also currently conducting studies to assess the optimal
duration of antibiotic therapy for the various manifestations of Lyme disease.
Investigators are also testing newly developed antibiotics for their
effectiveness in countering the Lyme disease bacterium.
Unfortunately, a
bout with Lyme disease is no guarantee that the illness will be prevented in the
future. The disease can strike more than once in the same individual if he or
she is reinfected with the Lyme disease bacterium. (Source: excerpt from Lyme Disease - The Facts, The Challenge: NIAID)
According to treatment experts, antibiotic treatment for 3-4 weeks with doxycycline or amoxicillin is generally effective in early disease. Cefuroxime axetil or erythromycin can be used for persons allergic to penicillin or who cannot take tetracyclines. Later disease, particularly with objective neurologic manifestations, may require treatment with intravenous ceftriaxone or penicillin for 4 weeks or more, depending on disease severity. In later disease, treatment failures may occur and retreatment may be necessary. (The Medical Letter, Vol. 42(Issue 1077), May 1, 2000) (Source: excerpt from Questions and Answers About Lyme Disease: DVBID)
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A 28-day course of an antibiotic, such as doxycycline, is the treatment of choice for nonpregnant adults. Oral penicillin is usually prescribed for children. Alternatives include tetracycline, cefuroxime, and ceftriaxone. When given in the early stages, these drugs can minimize later complications. When given during the late stages, high-dose I.V. ceftriaxone may be successful.
Source: Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition), 2005
A 3- to 4-week course of antibiotic treatment using doxicycline or amoxicillin is generally effective in early disease. Cefuroxime axetil and erythromycin are alternatives. Oral penicillin is usually prescribed for children. When given in the early stages, these drugs can minimize later complications. When given during the late stages, high-dose I.V. penicillin or I.V. ceftriaxone may be a successful treatment.
CLINICAL TIP: Neurologic abnormalities are best treated with I.V. ceftriaxone or I.V. penicillin.
Source: Handbook of Diseases, 2003
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