When caught at the early stages, Lyme disease is treated with antibiotics and patients almost always make a full recovery. Later stages of the disease are harder to treat because people react differently to the disease and to treatment, but generally, a more vigorous regimen of antibiotics is used. In some cases, symptoms can linger for months or years after treatment, and in a few rare cases, permanent damage occurs. A high risk area for ticks carrying Lyme disease could be your own backyard, if you live near the woods or areas of overgrown brush. A hike or camping trip in the woods can expose vacationers to the disease, and people who work in forestry and wildlife management are constantly at risk.
Prevention is the best cure.
Tuck your pant legs into your socks to keep ticks from crawling up your legs, and spray insect repellent containing DEET on your skin and clothes. Avoid sitting on the ground, and stay on well-travelled trails. Check yourself every few hours for ticks. And most important of all, at the end of the day, do a careful full-body examination for ticks. Homeowners can reduce the tick population in their yards by taking a few simple precautions.