How long does a lyme test take?

Introduction

Lyme disease is a bacteria. infection that's transmitted to humans by deer ticks. If you think you have Lyme disease, it's important to get a test for it as soon as possible. Here's what you need to know about getting tested for Lyme disease:

A Lyme disease test looks for antibodies made by your immune system in response to a bacterial infection.

Lyme disease is a bacterial infection transmitted to humans by ticks. The bacteria is hard to detect in the body, so it's important to go for regular blood tests to see if you have antibodies for Lyme disease. Antibodies are made by the immune system to fight bacterial infections, and they show up during an infection when test results come back positive. If your test comes back negative, that doesn't mean there's no chance of having been infected—it just means your current antibody levels are too low or absent at this time.

If you think you've been exposed to ticks or live near wooded areas where they're likely present (such as in forests or grassy areas), it's important not only to avoid being bitten but also check yourself frequently throughout the day as well as after spending time outdoors. If possible, wear long pants tucked into socks when walking through tall grasses; wear light-colored clothing so any bites are easily visible; use insect repellent containing DEET (which comes with a warning label) on exposed skin areas that may be harder for ticks like ankles and knees; tuck pant legs into socks if possible; remove debris from shoes before putting them back on indoors; shower soon after coming home from being outside so any embedded ticks can be removed before feeding off blood again later on (if left alone for too long).

Although symptoms of Lyme disease are similar to those caused by other infections and health problems, having these signs does not necessarily mean you have the infection.

Even if you have symptoms similar to those of Lyme disease, you may not have the condition. This is because the signs and symptoms can be like those of many other infections and health problems.

To get an accurate diagnosis from your doctor, he or she will perform a physical exam, take your medical history, and order tests.

Your doctor will give you a physical exam and ask about your symptoms and activities. Be prepared to answer questions such as:

When you meet with your doctor, be prepared to answer questions like the following:

• Have you been outdoors recently? If so, how often and for how long? If not, why not?
• Have you spent time in an area where Lyme disease is common (such as a forest or grassland)?
• Do any activities worsen your symptoms—for example, walking or climbing stairs?

When did your signs and symptoms begin?

Make sure you're keeping a record of the time since you first noticed symptoms. This will help your doctor pinpoint when they started and may help him or her determine if something else is going on.

• How long ago did your signs and symptoms begin?
• What were your signs and symptoms like at first?
• What were your signs and symptoms like when they began?
• When did your signs and symptoms start to get better or worse, if at all?

Have you been outdoors recently?

If you've been outdoors recently, it's possible that you've been exposed to the bacteria that causes Lyme disease. The most common way of contracting this disease is by being bitten by a tick carrying the bacteria. If you have traveled to an area where ticks are known to live or visit, if you work outdoors, or if your pet has been exposed to ticks in an area where they are prevalent (such as Northern New England), it's also possible that you were exposed while outdoors.

If you're concerned about having Lyme disease but weren't bitten by a tick recently and haven't traveled anywhere within the past month or two that may be home to infected ticks, there are other ways in which people can contract this infection:

• Contact with animals (especially ones that live in wooded areas) can lead to exposure. Be alert when spending time around cats, dogs—and even squirrels!—that have access outside because these animals often carry ticks on them without realizing it themselves.

Have you spent time in an area where Lyme disease is common?

A Lyme disease test is usually done by drawing blood, which could take up to 2 weeks for results.

If you are being treated for Lyme disease and want to know if your current treatment is working, that's what a doctor will tell you in the office. If you think you may have been bitten by an infected tick, talk to your doctor about getting tested for Lyme disease as soon as possible.

Have you had a fever?

Have you had a fever?

Fever is a symptom of many infections and can be caused by other infections besides Lyme disease. So while it’s possible that your Lyme test could come back negative, it’s also possible that your body is fighting off another kind of infection—one that doesn’t require the presence of a fever to diagnose. Not all illnesses cause fevers; some people simply don’t get them, while others experience them only during certain stages of their illness. If you are concerned about how long to wait for an accurate result from your blood test, ask your doctor if you should have another one taken later on down the road when symptoms might have resolved or worsened so that doctors can assess whether or not this is likely due to a false positive (falsely detecting something) or false negative (not detecting something).

Do certain activities, such as walking or climbing stairs, make your symptoms worse?

• Do certain activities, such as walking or climbing stairs, make your symptoms worse?
• Have you been bitten by a tick recently?

If you have been bitten by a tick, your doctor may ask you to describe the bite and if there were any other signs of infection (such as pain at the site of the bite).

It's important to get tested if you think you have lyme disease so that it can be treated ASAP.

If you think you have Lyme disease, it's important to get tested as soon as possible. The test results will give your doctor more information about how best to treat the disease.

Unfortunately, test results are not always accurate and they can be affected by many factors. These include your health (the severity of your symptoms), diet and stress level during the time you were infected with Lyme disease (this is especially true if they happened recently).

Conclusion

Hopefully, this article has helped you learn more about the Lyme disease test. If you think that you may have Lyme disease, make sure to get tested right away so that it can be treated as soon as possible! If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us at Info@LabcorpLabs.com.