SELF speaks to experts including Anne R. Bass, MD, rheumatologist at HSS about the common symptoms of Lyme disease that you should not ignore. 

“Lyme disease is a very, very antibiotic-responsive condition. It has a bad reputation for being difficult to treat, but it’s never too late to treat it,” explained Dr. Bass. 

One common symptom is feeling like you are coming down with the flu. When your body responds to the bacteria, you may have a fever, headaches, chills, and muscle pain. 

Of course, there are a ton of other things that can cause these symptoms too according to Dr. Bass. When you’re trying to figure out if it was due to a tick bite, you really have to take several things into consideration, including where you live in the country, what time of year it is, if you’ve spent time outdoors recently, and any other symptoms that are paired with your fever.

“The flu tends to come in the winter, roughly December through April, and people don’t typically get early Lyme disease at that time,” Dr. Bass pointed out. “Lyme disease also does not normally cause respiratory or gastrointestinal symptoms, so if you get a stuffy nose, sore throat, or even diarrhea or nausea, you’re probably dealing with a virus," Dr. Bass explained. 

Read the full article at SELF.com.