7 little-known symptoms of Lyme disease as Bella Hadid reflects on ‘15 years of suffering’ with the paralysing infection
BELLA Hadid yesterday said she is “finally healthy” after an agonising 15-year battle with Lyme Disease.
The supermodel, 26, was diagnosed with the condition in 2012, but was struggling with debilitating symptoms long before.
Reflecting on her “painful but enlightening experience” on Sunday, Bella shared a series of images on Instagram.
Some show her receiving treatment in hospital, while others show the exhausting reality of the bacterial infection in day-to-day life.
The star posted snaps of her medical records which reveal the extent of her health problems.
According to the documents, she suffered from extreme fatigue, memory disturbances, depression, sleep disorders, headaches, muscle weakness and joint aches as a teenager.
She also experienced night sweats, heart palpitations, cold hands and feet, numbness, ADHD, ringing in her eyes and chest pain.
Bella, who is currently taking a career break, described how living with Lyme disease, which “worsened with time”, “took its toll on me in ways I can’t really explain”.
But she told her 59.3million followers that she wouldn’t change a thing.
“If I had to go through all of this again, to get here, to this exact moment I’m in right now, with all of you, finally healthy, I would do it all again,” she said.
“It made me who I am today.”
Lyme disease is a bacterial infection that can spread to humans by infected ticks – usually found in grassy areas, gardens and woodland.
If diagnosed early, it is normally easy to treat with antibiotics, according to the NHS.
But some people, like Bella, continue to have symptoms for years after diagnosis.
It is commonly identified by a circular or oval-shaped rash around a bite, that looks like a bull’s eye.
Flu-like symptoms, such as a high temperature, headache and tiredness, are also common.
Someone who has been infected most frequently notices:
- Swelling
- Itchiness
- Blistering
- Bruising
- A high temperature
- Headaches
- Tiredness and a loss of energy
Some people will develop more severe symptoms months or years later. This can include:
- Muscle and joint pain, aches and swelling
- Brain fog, or trouble with memory or concentration
- Sensitivity to light
- Hearing loss
- Change in sleep habits
- Facial paralysis or palsy (drooping features on one or both sides of the face)
- Anxiety and/or depression
If left untreated, Lyme disease can affect other areas of the body, including the central nervous system and heart.
This can result in heart palpitations, fainting, shortness of breath, chest pain and lightheadedness.
Around one per cent of people with Lyme disease will develop heart problems, VeryWellHealth reports.
Lyme disease is the most common vector-borne disease (one which transmits between humans and animals) in the United States.
Each year, about 30,000 cases are reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) by state health departments and the District of Columbia, but this number does not reflect every case diagnosed in the country.
Experts estimate the true number to be around 500,000.
There are around 1,500 laboratory-confirmed cases of Lyme disease in England and Wales each year, with the total case number likely to be up to 4,000.
How to avoid tick bites and remove a tick safely
THERE are a few things you can do to lessen your likelihood of tick bites.
Firstly, try to cover as much of your skin as possible while walking outdoors and tuck your trousers into your socks.
You should also be using insect repellent containing DEET on your clothes and skin, and wearing light coloured clothing so you can spot a tick easily.
Also stick to paths where possible when you’re out walking.
But if you are bitten, you must remove a tick safely.
- Use fine-tipped tweezers or a tick-removal tool. You can buy these from some pharmacies, vets and pet shops.
- Grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible.
- Slowly pull upwards, taking care not to squeeze or crush the tick. Dispose of it when you have removed it.
- Clean the bite with antiseptic or soap and water.
The chance of getting ill is low. You do not need to do anything else unless you notice a rash or become unwell.
If either of these happen, make sure to see a GP so you can get treatment as soon a possible.
Source: NHS