Deer ticks often harbor the bacteria that causes Lyme Disease.
Lyme Disease is an infectious illness that comes from the bite of a deer tick. The bacterium, Borrelia burgdorferi, causes a range of puzzling symptoms. One common manifestation is Bell's Palsy, a weakness of one side of the face, according to the KidsHealth.org The nerve involved in Bell's Palsy also supplies the sublingual gland, raising the possibility of sublingual gland symptoms in Lyme disease.
Some Basic Anatomy
To understand the role of the sublingual gland in Lyme Disease, it's important to know the difference between a salivary gland and a lymph node. Glands secrete liquid, such as saliva, and can be found in the mouth and throat. ENTassociates.com reports that the sublingual gland secretes saliva into the bottom of your mouth under your tongue.
Lymph nodes are tiny bodies in the neck, under the arms and in the groin. They don't secrete, they filter. Lymph nodes catch bacteria and other foreign bodies and function as part of your immune system, according to thelymphnodes.com.
Because lymph nodes and salivary glands are close together in the neck, it is easy to confuse them.
Symptoms of Lyme Disease
The Mayo Clinic's Web site says the first symptom of Lyme Disease is a small red rash at the site of the tick bite. It can be as small as a pin head or as large as 1 foot across. However, because the tick bites are tiny and can be located in less than obvious places like your groin or behind your knee, you might not be aware you have this rash.
Other symptoms include joint pain, flu feelings and neurological symptoms such as Bell's Palsy. Because the seventh cranial nerve involved in Bell's Palsy also ennervates the sublingual gland, this gland may show symptoms, said John Harney, M.D. of Dallas Neurological Associates.
However, sublingual gland symptoms in Lyme Disease are not widely reported. "To the best of my knowledge, there are no reports of any relationship or link," said Phillip J. Baker, Ph.D., Executive Director of the American Lyme Disease Foundation.
Treatment
An two- to three-week course of oral antibiotics is typical plan for early-stage Lyme Disease. If the infection is not treated immediately, sometimes intravenous antibiotics are needed. Following treatment, some Lyme Disease victims still experience muscle aches and fatigue. Autoimmune issues may also develop, according to the Mayo Clinic's site.
Prevention
The best way to keep from getting Lyme Disease is to avoid getting bitten by a deer tick in the first place. Wear long sleeves, long trousers and a hat when you are outdoors, especially if you're in a wooded area. Be aware that most deer ticks are found in the Northeast, Midwest and Northwest of the United States.
Use insect repellent on your skin and clothes at a concentration of 10 to 30 percent. Read the labels carefully.
Check everyone in your family for ticks, even your pets.
Warning
The Mayo Clinic reports the FDA warns against the use of Bismacine, a substance used by some in the alternative medicine field as an injection for Lyme Disease. It can damage the heart and kidneys.
Tags: Lyme Disease, Bell Palsy, Lyme Disease, Mayo Clinic, sublingual gland, sublingual gland