4 Differences Between Lyme Disease and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Differences between Lyme disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis include the following: presence of rash, feelings of fatigue, muscular problems, and joint pains.

Lyme disease is a simple disease to treat. However, this disease is not easily identified due to similar signs and symptoms as other diseases. One of these diseases that is similar to Lyme disease is Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Lyme disease sufferers and their medical team both need to identify the right disease for the proper and immediate treatment.

Presence of rash

One of the typical signs of Lyme disease is a skin rash on the bitten area of the body. This rash will appear between a few days to thirty days after the tick makes its infectious bite. The size of the rash can also be as large as twelve inches in diameter, and have the appearance of a bulls-eye; being circular in shape and with the outer part colored red and the inner part white. In contrast to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, which will not have signs of such a rash. The bulls-eye rash is unique to Lyme disease.

Feelings of fatigue

At the same time that the person suffering from Lyme disease has developed the rash, he will also experience feelings of fatigue; along with swollen glands, fever, headache, and chills. Medical experts say that those who have amyotrophic lateral sclerosis will also experience fatigue or body weakness. The difference with the two diseases is that the fatigue felt by those with the latter is felt only on a particular part of the body, which is contrary to Lyme disease. With Lyme disease, the sufferer will have a general body malaise, which will eventually improve over time, especially with the treatment of the disease. In amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, the fatigue feelings increase in degree as the disease progresses.

Muscular problems

Lyme disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis can both cause muscular problems, such as stiffness and muscle spasms. Based on a report by the CDC, Bell’s palsy can sometimes happen to people suffering from Lyme disease. Bell’s palsy is a facial paralysis, where either or both sides of the face lose muscular tone and strength. In addition to that, the same disease can also afflict the sufferer with neck muscle stiffness. In the early stages of the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, the sufferer will have the same muscular symptoms as those associated with Lyme disease; which are stiffness, twitching and muscle cramping. These muscular problems affect different areas of the body, such as the legs, arms and the face; making it difficult for the sufferer to eat or talk. Furthermore, the sufferer of the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis will experience increasing muscular pain and discomfort as his disease progresses and spreads to other parts of his body.

Joint pains

Those who are suffering from Lyme disease and refuse to get immediate treatment will eventually suffer from arthritis and joint pain. Arthritis or swelling of the joints in Lyme disease sufferers usually happen only in the later stages of the disease. And the most common joints affected are those of the knees and other major joints in the body. In comparison with that of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, joint pains are also present. The difference of the joint pains with the two diseases lies in the fact that it happens late in Lyme disease, and in the early stages of the other disease. Joint pains in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis are mostly associated with the lack of use of that particular body part due to muscular pain and stiffness.

It is important that a disease is ruled out, particularly Lyme disease. This is because, misdiagnosing a disease is no different from not being treated, and will lead to further and more serious complications. Always take part in your treatment.