What is Lyme Disease that Justin Timberlake has been diagnosed with? Symptoms & more

Justin Timberlake said he has been diagnosed with Lyme disease and said that it “can be relentlessly debilitating, both mentally and physically.”

Lyme disease is transmitted by Ixodes ticks, also known as deer ticks. It can cause flu-like conditions, neurological problems, joint pain and other symptoms. In the vast majority of cases, Lyme disease is successfully treated with antibiotics.

The singer, who just wrapped his Forget Tomorrow tour in Turkey on Wednesday, said he considered ending the tour when diagnosed, but wrote that he “decided the joy that performing brings me far outweighs the fleeting stress my body was feeling. I’m so glad I kept going.”

Timberlake cancelled and postponed multiple shows throughout the tour’s run, citing health issues, including bronchitis and laryngitis. Six of his US shows were postponed from October and November to February. He ultimately cancelled the last show of the US leg of the tour in Ohio due to the flu in February.

Gigi Hadid’s mother, Yolanda Hadid, a former supermodel, also suffers from Lyme disease. However, since her symptoms were dismissed for several years as chronic stress syndrome, her disease worsened and took a severe toll on her nervous system and cognitive functions. It wasn’t until 2012 that she was diagnosed with chronic neurological Lyme Disease.

Two of her children, Bella and Anwar Hadid, have also been diagnosed with Lyme Disease.

What is Lyme disease?

Lyme disease is caused by a bacterium often carried by black-legged ticks, also called deer ticks, that live in woodlands throughout North America and Europe.

Exactly how often Lyme disease strikes isn’t clear.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention cites insurance records suggesting 4,76,000 people are treated for Lyme disease in the US each year.

Lyme disease: Symptoms

Symptoms can include widespread pain, fatigue, and muscle weakness. In serious cases, patients could experience damage to the tissues, joints and immune system.

Often, but not always, the first sign is a red, round bull’s-eye rash.

Lyme disease: Treatment

Early antibiotic treatment is crucial, but it can be hard for people to tell if they were bitten by ticks, some as small as a pin.

Untreated Lyme can cause severe arthritis and damage the heart and nervous system. Some people have lingering symptoms even after treatment.