Lyme disease: The devastating impact of a tick bite
Each summer, thousands of Lyme disease cases show up across the US. But experts say this year, the proliferation of ticks, the insects that carry and transmit the disease to humans, will increase as the planet warms.
Although most cases of Lyme can be cured with a 2-to-4 week course of oral antibiotics, it's an invisible illness, often misdiagnosed, which triggers interminable discussions amongst doctors while patients wait for treatment. Some of them get stuck for months, or even years, with various symptoms, including pain, fatigue, difficulty thinking and panic attacks.
What is it like coping with Lyme disease? Award-winning writer Porochista Khakpour, author of the memoir 'Sick', shares her journey as a long-term patient of the disease.
Filmed by Ilya Shnitser
Produced by Natalia Guerrero and Sanjana Bhambhani
