Diagnosis and Treatments for Lyme Disease

3. Diagnosis in Stage 2

If untreated, stage 1 Lyme disease usually advances. Stage 2 is called early disseminated Lyme disease. In this stage, the infection has spread, and your doctor will likely do blood testing and look for other symptoms, including more than one bullseye rash, numbness or tingling in the arms and legs, facial weakness or drooping, and pain in the muscles, joints, tendons, and bones.

At this stage, Lyme disease can spread to the brain and cause inflammation, which results in symptoms like neck stiffness, severe headache, and sensitivity to sound and light. If it spreads to the heart, it can cause heart palpitations, dizziness, irregular heartbeats, shortness of breath, or fainting. This stage can occur weeks to months after a tick bite.