Lyme Disease and the Gender Gap: Why Women Get the Short End of the Tick

Lyme disease is a serious illness caused by tick bites, and while it can affect anyone, women often have a tougher time getting diagnosed and treated compared to men. This gender gap in healthcare isn't talked about enough, but it's something we need to understand and address, especially for those who might be dealing with this disease.

Diagnosing Lyme Disease: Why Women Get Overlooked

Lyme disease can be tricky to diagnose because its symptoms can look like a lot of other conditions—things like chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, or even anxiety. Unfortunately, when women report these symptoms, they’re more likely to be told that it’s "just stress" or "all in their head." This means that women are often misdiagnosed or have their symptoms dismissed. LymeDisease.org CEO Lorraine Johnson, lead author of the MyLymeData study in 2023, said “We need to find out why more women than men develop persistent Lyme disease. Our study shows that women are diagnosed later—which increases their risk of chronic illness.”

One big reason for this is that medical research has traditionally focused more on men, leading to a lack of knowledge about how diseases like Lyme might show up differently in women. So, if a woman’s symptoms don’t fit the "typical" (usually male-centered) picture of Lyme disease, her diagnosis might be delayed or missed altogether.

Treatment: The Struggle Continues

Even after finally getting diagnosed, women often face more challenges when it comes to treatment. Dr. Raphael Stricker said, “Women may have a higher treatment failure rate.” Studies show that they are more likely to experience chronic Lyme disease, where symptoms stick around even after treatment. But despite this, women often receive less aggressive treatment than men, which could be because their symptoms are still not taken as seriously.

On top of that, women are more likely to have side effects from medication, but these are often brushed off or not properly managed. This can lead to a longer recovery time and even more frustration.

The Mental and Emotional Impact

The difficulties women face in getting diagnosed and treated for Lyme disease don’t just affect their physical health—they can also take a serious toll on their mental and emotional well-being. Being dismissed or misdiagnosed can make women feel invalidated and isolated, which can add to the stress and anxiety they’re already dealing with.

There’s also a stigma around chronic Lyme disease, especially for women. They might feel like people don’t believe them, which can strain relationships with friends, family, and even at work. All of this makes it even harder to get better.

What Needs to Change?

To close the gap in how Lyme disease is treated between men and women, we need to make some changes. First, current research needs updates on how Lyme disease can show up differently in women. This could help doctors take women’s symptoms more seriously and lead to faster diagnoses.

Treatment plans also need to be more personalized. Women might need longer or different courses of treatment to fully recover, and their side effects should be carefully managed.

Lastly, it’s important that women’s experiences with Lyme disease are heard and valued. By listening to and learning from these experiences, we can create a healthcare system that works better for everyone.

Conclusion

Lyme disease is tough enough on its own, but for women, the challenges can be even greater. By recognizing the gender disparities in diagnosing and treating this disease, we can help ensure that everyone gets the care they need—no matter their gender.