Many people with early-stage Lyme disease develop a distinctive circular rash at the site of the tick bite, usually around three to 30 days after being bitten. This is known as erythema migrans.
The rash is often described as looking like a bull's-eye on a dart board. The affected area of skin will be red and the edges may feel slightly raised.
The size of the rash can vary significantly and it may expand over several days or weeks. Typically it's around 15cm (6 inches) across, but it can be much larger or smaller than this. Some people may develop several rashes in different parts of their body.
However, around one in three people with Lyme disease won't develop this rash.
Some people with Lyme disease also experience:
- Flu like symptoms
- Tiredness
- Muscle pain
- Joint pain
- Headaches
- High temperature
- Chills
- Neck stiffness
- Pain and swelling in the joints
