Lyme disease is a bacterial illness caused by the bite of ticks. When ticks bite the skin, the bacterium infects the body. Ticks can cause rashes and infections as in Lyme disease. Lyme disease is caused by ticks that are commonly found in woody and grassy areas. In North America, Lyme disease is very common and many people suffer from rashes and more severe effects of Lyme disease. Deer ticks are especially potent in causing Lyme disease and rashes in humans. Lyme disease occurs in phases. The first phase is soon after the tick bite, where an expanding ring of redness shows as a symptom on the skin.
 

Treatment options for Lyme disease depend on the severity of symptoms such as rash, extent of progress of Lyme disease, and age of patient to be treated. Usually milder antibiotics like amoxicillin are administered orally for Lyme disease treatment in children younger than 8. Doxycycline is an antibiotic that is administered for pregnant women with Lyme disease. For older people with Lyme disease, antibiotics such as Claforan, Rocephin, Ceftin, and Erythrocin are administered for treatment of rash and other symptoms.

The standard Lyme disease antibiotic treatment is usually administered for four weeks to ensure that the rash and other symptoms are completely cured. The duration of treatment for Lyme disease with antibiotics differs from person to person.
 

Lyme disease antibiotics can be administered orally and via intravenous injections for treatment. In severe cases, Lyme disease leads to meningitis, arthritis, and problems in the nervous system. Intravenous antibiotic injections are usually administered in treatment of this nature.
 

Antibiotics are quite effective in Lyme disease treatment. Rashes are controlled from day two. Early symptoms of Lyme disease induced arthritis are controlled from day two with antibiotic treatment. However, complete cure of arthritis and meningitis caused by Lyme disease may take seven to 10 days with antibiotic treatment.
 

Antibiotics are effective in Lyme disease treatment but do cause side effects in some patients. In rare cases, hives and severe rashes may be formed. Severe diarrhea, swelling of face, lips and tongue, breathing trouble, nausea, and sick feeling even after 24 hours of taking antibiotics should be brought to doctor’s attention since they could be side effects of antibiotics administered for Lyme disease treatment.
 

Since Lyme disease is caused by infestation by ticks, it is better to take precautionary measures while venturing into woody and grassy areas. Lyme disease is not contagious and does not spread from one infected person to another.