Supermodel Bella Hadid once again gained fans’ attention and sympathy as she posted her recent hospital visit on Instagram with the caption- “I’m sorry, I always go MIA. I love you guys.” Without directly telling the reason behind her post, fans speculated Lyme disease relapse as the reason.
Bella has been very vocal about her struggle with Lyme disease since 2012, when she was first diagnosed along with her mother, Yolanda Hadid, and brother Anwar.
Fans immediately showered her with love and well-wishes on her Instagram post.
Hoping for her fast recovery, here’s all we know about Lyme disease:
It is caused by the bacterium species Borrelia, giving Lyme the name Lyme borreliosis. Lyme disease is transmitted by blood-feeding ticks in the genus Ixodes.
It most commonly spreads across the Northern Hemisphere during spring and early summer.
Symptoms of Lyme disease:
Its most common symptoms are red rash, commonly known as erythema migrans (EM), which appears about a week after the tick bite. Approx. 70-80% of infected persons develop a rash. Other symptoms include headaches and tiredness.
If the disease is left untreated, an infected person may face loss of facial movement on either one or both sides, neck stiffness with severe headaches, heart palpitations, and joint pain.
Sometimes months to years later, repeated joint pain and swelling might occur. At other times, tingling in the arms and legs, or shooting pain, may occur.
What are the possible diagnoses?
It is done regarding a combination of symptoms and the patient’s history of tick exposure, and after testing for specific antibodies present in the blood. In case of any infection development, several antibodies are effective, which include doxycycline, amoxicillin, and cefuroxime. Basic treatment usually lasts for 2-3 weeks.
If an infected person shows persistent symptoms even after appropriate treatments, they are said to have Post-Treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome (PTLDS).
How to prevent Lyme disease?
- Proper effort should be made if we know there is a tick infestation.
- Wear proper clothes to cover arms and legs
- Use picaridin or DEET-based insect repellents
- Avoid tick habitats, especially during spring and early summer.
Lyme disease can be very draining for someone who suffers from this consistently. But it is necessary to take all precautionary steps to avoid getting a tick infection. If infected, proper medication and treatment must be taken to avoid it affecting your personal life.
