← Back to Lyme Disease
Health guidanceUnited Kingdom with regional context

Can Lyme disease affect the nervous system?

Lyme disease can affect nerves or the nervous system, and new facial weakness, severe pain or neurological change needs clinical assessment.

Reviewed by VuxLore® Knowledge Team For Everyone

Short answer

Lyme disease can affect nerves or the nervous system, and new facial weakness, severe pain or neurological change needs clinical assessment.

At a glance

Lyme disease can affect nerves or the nervous system, and new facial weakness, severe pain or neurological change needs clinical assessment. Use NHS and NICE guidance in the UK; diagnosis and treatment belong to qualified clinicians.

Key takeaways

• Lyme disease can affect nerves or the nervous system, and new facial weakness, severe pain or neurological change needs clinical assessment.

• Use NHS and NICE guidance in the UK; diagnosis and treatment belong to qualified clinicians.

• This article is educational and cannot diagnose, exclude or treat illness. Use NHS 111, a GP, emergency services or the corresponding local service according to symptom severity.

Direct answer

Lyme disease can affect nerves or the nervous system, and new facial weakness, severe pain or neurological change needs clinical assessment.

Use it in context

Use NHS and NICE guidance in the UK; diagnosis and treatment belong to qualified clinicians.

Practical next step

This article is educational and cannot diagnose, exclude or treat illness. Use NHS 111, a GP, emergency services or the corresponding local service according to symptom severity.

Sources and further reading

UK Lyme disease guidance and data

For current UK clinical advice, public-health guidance and surveillance data, consult these primary national sources.

  1. Lyme disease — NHS opens in a new tab
  2. Lyme disease: diagnosis and management (NG95) — NICE opens in a new tab
  3. Lyme disease: management and prevention — UKHSA opens in a new tab
  4. Lyme disease surveillance dashboard — UKHSA opens in a new tab
  5. Lyme disease — NHS Inform Scotland opens in a new tab