What's Ailing You: Lyme disease

This week's "What's Ailing You" looks at how doctors detect Lyme disease. Wilton resident Charissa McWilliams says that ever since she and her family moved to the area 16 years ago, they've been on

News 12 Staff

Aug 28, 2015, 2:11 AM

Updated 3,163 days ago

Share:

What's Ailing You: Lyme disease
This week's "What's Ailing You" looks at how doctors detect Lyme disease.
Wilton resident Charissa McWilliams says that ever since she and her family moved to the area 16 years ago, they've been on the lookout for Lyme.
"We give ourselves tick checks every day at our house, because we're outdoors all the time," McWilliams says. "I would like to know if they're improving the testing because I know they get a lot of false readings."
Wilton-based internist Dr. Steven Phillips says there is a newer culture test to check for the disease that is very expensive and takes a long time to return results. 
It hasn't yet become a recommended standard, he says, but current tests have a high incidence of false positives.
Phillips says he and other doctors rely mostly on symptoms they can see. 
And as for treatment, he says oral antibiotics are now thought to be more effective than IV antibiotics.
News 12 Connecticut wants to know "What's Ailing You." You ask the medical question and we'll work to find you an expert's answer. Send your questions by way of Facebook or Twitter using the hashtag #WhatsAilingYou.


More from News 12