Patient education: Lyme disease tests (The Basics)

What is a Lyme disease test? — 

This is a blood test to check for Lyme disease. People can get Lyme disease after being bitten by a tiny insect called a tick. When a certain type of tick bites you, it can pass the germ that causes Lyme disease from its body to yours. But a tick can infect you only if it stays attached for at least a day and a half.

Lyme disease has 3 stages:

●In the first month, most people get a rash that can look like a "bull's eye." Some people also have symptoms like fever, headache, body aches, or feeling very tired.

●If Lyme disease is not treated, it can lead to other symptoms in the weeks to months after the tick bite. These can include problems with the brain and nerves, heart, or skin.

●Months to years after the tick bite, people can develop other symptoms. The most common is joint pain and swelling (arthritis).

There are a few different blood tests that can show if a person has Lyme disease. They check for different "antibodies." These are proteins the body makes when a person has Lyme disease. Because it takes the body time to make antibodies, blood tests are not usually used to diagnose Lyme disease early, when a person has the rash.

Lyme disease is treated with antibiotics.

Why might I get a Lyme disease test? — 

Your doctor might order this test if you have had symptoms that could be caused by Lyme disease.

How do I prepare for a Lyme disease test? — 

You need to get a "blood draw." Your doctor or nurse will tell you where to go for this.

It might help to wear a short-sleeve shirt to your blood draw appointment. This makes it easier for the person drawing your blood to get to your arm.

What happens during a blood draw? — 

A needle is used to take a small amount of blood from your arm (figure 1). Collecting the blood only takes a few minutes. The blood is then tested in a lab.

Tell the person who takes your blood:

●If you take "blood thinner" medicines or have a bleeding problem – They will make sure your bleeding is under control before you leave.

●If you have a latex allergy – Some of the supplies used for blood draws might contain latex.

●If you have a preferred arm to use

Most of the time, getting blood taken does not cause problems. You might have a little soreness or bruising where the needle went in.

What do my results mean? — 

Your doctor or nurse will tell you when to expect your results, and will contact you with the results. Or if you use an online "patient portal," you might get an alert there when your results are ready.

The results of the test can be:

●Positive – This might mean you have Lyme disease or had it in the past.

●Negative – This means the test did not find signs of Lyme disease.

If you do have Lyme disease, your doctor will work with you to come up with a treatment plan.

More on this topic

Patient education: Lyme disease (The Basics)
Patient education: Insect bites and stings (The Basics)

Patient education: Lyme disease prevention (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: What to do after a tick bite to prevent Lyme disease (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Lyme disease symptoms and diagnosis (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Lyme disease treatment (Beyond the Basics)