Chronic Lyme disease symptoms and treatment support at Neighborhood Naturopathic in Edina, MN

Lyme Disease: What You May Not Know

When Lyme Disease Symptoms Don’t Add Up

At Neighborhood Naturopathic, we often see patients searching for answers to vague, frustrating symptoms: fatigue that doesn’t improve with rest, joint pain that travels from one part of the body to another, or brain fog that makes the easiest task feel overwhelming. Many have seen multiple doctors, undergone conventional testing, and still don’t have a diagnosis. One possibility that’s often overlooked: Lyme disease.

Wait—Isn’t Lyme Just a Bullseye Rash and a Tick Bite?

That’s the common perception. And yes, Lyme disease can start with a distinctive bullseye rash, fever, and flu-like symptoms. But, many people don’t realize that not everyone experiences or notices these early warning signs. In fact, only about 70% of people infected with Lyme disease report a bullseye rash. And many never recall a tick bite at all.

Ticks can be tiny, about the size of a poppy seed, and their bites often go unnoticed. So, if you’re waiting for a rash or a tick memory to “confirm” Lyme, you might miss the early clues entirely. Did you know:

  1. Only about 33% of people with chronic Lyme report a bullseye rash
  2. People in more Lyme endemic areas, like Maine or Minnesota, have a lower rate of reporting rashes with infection.
  3. Furthermore, having a rashless Lyme infection leads to high rates of misdiagnosis

Early Symptoms of Lyme Disease

In the first days to weeks following a tick bite, Lyme disease might show up as:

  • Mild fever or chills
  • Headache
  • Fatigue
  • Muscle and joint aches
  • Swollen lymph nodes
  • That characteristic (but not guaranteed) bullseye rash

For some, these symptoms resolve on their own. But that doesn’t mean the infection is gone.

When Lyme Lingers: Late-Stage and Chronic Symptoms

In many cases, Lyme symptoms may go quiet only to reemerge weeks, months, or even years later. This re-emergence is when we see what’s known as late-stage or chronic Lyme disease, and it’s often where things get confusing.

Late-stage Lyme symptoms can include:

  • Persistent fatigue
  • Migrating joint pain (often in one joint at a time)
  • Sharp, stabbing joint pain that comes and goes
  • Muscle twitching—pronounced or subtle
  • Tingling, numbness, or neuropathy
  • Brain fog or memory issues
  • Mood changes, including anxiety or depression
  • Chronic migraines or headaches
  • Sensitivity to light and sound
  • Poor sleep
  • Unusual neurological symptoms that mimic conditions like MS

We’ve seen many Minnesotans who are struggling with a confusing mix of neurological symptoms, joint pain, and low energy. If these symptoms are lingering, especially after conventional care hasn’t uncovered answers, it’s appropriate to consider Lyme disease as a potential root cause.

The Problem with Lyme Testing

Testing for Lyme is notoriously tricky. Standard tests are most accurate within a narrow window, typically 4 to 6 weeks after infection. Test too early, and the body may not have produced enough antibodies to show a positive result. Test too late, and the immune system may no longer be mounting the response those tests are designed to detect.

Many people with chronic Lyme test negative using conventional methods. It’s not because the infection isn’t there, it’s because the tests weren’t built to detect it at that stage.

So What Can You Do?

If you’re experiencing chronic symptoms and haven’t found relief, it’s time to dig deeper. At Neighborhood Naturopathic, we take a comprehensive, root-cause approach that can look like this:

  • Reviewing your full symptom history
  • Considering your environment and possible tick exposures
  • Using specialty testing when appropriate
  • Supporting your immune system, nervous system, and detox pathways
  • Collaborating with you on a personalized plan for healing

Your body is talking. If you’re dealing with ongoing symptoms that don’t add up, especially joint pain, neurological shifts, or energy crashes, it’s worth asking: could this be Lyme?

Is there more to your symptoms than what conventional testing has shown you? Dr. Litchy is an expert in the diagnosis and treatment of Lyme disease. At Neighborhood Naturopathic, we offer a complimentary call for new patients, which you can schedule online or by calling (612) 259-8529. You don’t have to suffer through your symptoms alone. We’re here to help you optimize your health and feel well again.

Neighborhood Naturopathic is located in Edina, Minnesota.