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New Toolkit to Help Clinicians Better Serve Patients | Lyme Disease | CDC
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</div> <div class="cdc-mobile-menu-footer"> <a href="/lyme/site.html"> <span> View All </span> <span>Lyme Disease</span> </a> </div> </div> </div> <div class="cdc-header-mobile__faux-title" aria-hidden="true"> </div> </div> <div class="cdc-mobile-navbar"> <div class="cdc-mobile-navbar__paging"> </div> <div class="cdc-mobile-navbar__links" tabindex="-1"> <a data-post-id="4334" href="/lyme/about/index.html" tabindex="0"> About </a> <a data-post-id="4308" href="/lyme/signs-symptoms/index.html" tabindex="0"> Signs and Symptoms </a> <a data-post-id="4349" href="/lyme/causes/index.html" tabindex="0"> How It Spreads </a> <a data-post-id="5121" href="/lyme/diagnosis-testing/index.html" tabindex="0"> Testing and Diagnosis </a> <a data-post-id="5222" href="/lyme/treatment/index.html" tabindex="0"> Treatment </a> <a data-post-id="4370" href="/lyme/data-research/facts-stats/index.html" tabindex="0"> Surveillance and Data </a> <a data-post-id="4353" href="/lyme/communication-resources/index.html" tabindex="0"> Educational Materials </a> <a data-post-id="5459" href="/lyme/stories/index.html" tabindex="0"> Featured Story </a> <a class="view-all" href="/lyme/site.html"> View All </a> </div> </div> </header> <main class="container cdc-main" role="main" aria-label="Main Content Area"> <section class="cdc-page-title-bar cdc-page-offset noindex"> <time class="cdc-page-title-bar__item cdc-page-title-bar__item--date" datetime="2024-11-14 05:00:00"> November 14, 2024 </time> </section> <div class="cdc-page-title cdc-page-offset syndicate"> <h1>New Toolkit to Help Clinicians Better Serve Patients</h1> </div> <div id="content" class="cdc-page-content cdc-page-offset syndicate container"> <div class="cdc-dfe-body "> <div class="cdc-dfe-body__top "> <div class="dfe-section dfe-section--page-summary summary-blurb summary-paragraph" data-section="cdc_story_summary"> <div class="dfe-section__header"> <h2 class="editor-block--title" id="heading-uo_dbquhxq">At a glance</h2> </div> <div class="dfe-section__content"> <p>In partnership with CDC, the American Medical Association (AMA) developed a toolkit to help clinicians better serve patients with prolonged symptoms and concerns about Lyme disease.</p> <div class="dfe-section__nav hide" id="dfe-section__nav"> <div class="dfe-section__nav__header" id="dfe-section__nav__header"> </div> <div class="dfe-section__nav-links" id="dfe-section__nav-links"> </div> </div> </div> <div class="dfe-section__image" id="page-summary-image"> <figure class="dfe-image dfe-image__large"><div class="image-container calculated-ratio-16-9 aspect-ratio-16-9"><img src="/lyme/media/images/2024/09/Woman-and-Doctor.jpg" alt="A doctor talking to a patient" title="Woman and Doctor"></div></figure> </div> <div id="nav-buttons"> </div> </div> </div> <div class="cdc-dfe-body__center "> <div class="dfe-section" data-section="cdc_story_back"> <a class="onThisPageAnchor" id="cdc_story_back-background" name="Background" title="Background"><!-- --></a><h2 class="editor-block--title" id="heading-heds7wyk6j">Background</h2> <p>People with prolonged symptoms like fatigue, body aches, or difficulty thinking often seek help from healthcare providers to understand the cause of the symptoms and find treatment. These <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/chronic-symptoms-following-infections/about/index.html" class="ce-selection">symptoms can follow different types of infections</a>. Sometimes people wonder if Lyme disease is causing the prolonged symptoms. The American Medical Association (AMA), in partnership with CDC, developed a training and toolkit to help clinicians support their patients and address concerns and questions.</p> <div class="dfe-block dfe-callout dfe-callout--standard"><div class="dfe-callout__icon" aria-hidden="true" role="img"></div> <h3>Keep reading‎</h3> <div class="dfe-callout__body"><div class="callout-desc">Find more information about <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/chronic-symptoms-following-infections/about/index.html">chronic symptoms following infections</a> and <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/lyme/signs-symptoms/chronic-symptoms-and-lyme-disease.html">chronic symptoms and Lyme disease</a>.</div> </div></div> </div> <div class="dfe-section" data-section="cdc_story_main_story"> <a class="onThisPageAnchor" id="cdc_story_main_story-the-challenge" name="The%20Challenge" title="The Challenge"><!-- --></a><h2 class="editor-block--title" id="heading-dmc_2ruoy9">The Challenge</h2> <p>Lyme disease is the most common vector-borne disease in the United States, and its geographic range is expanding. Although most people diagnosed with Lyme disease recover completely when treated with a short course of antibiotics, some can have prolonged symptoms of fatigue, body aches, or difficulty thinking. Studies have found that 6 months after treatment these symptoms are 5-10% more common among people who have had Lyme disease than among people who have not.</p> </div> <div class="dfe-section" data-section="cdc_story_intervention"> <a class="onThisPageAnchor" id="cdc_story_intervention-about-the-toolkit" name="About%20the%20Toolkit" title="About the Toolkit"><!-- --></a><h2 class="editor-block--title" id="heading-zqzb-f8atv">About the Toolkit</h2> <p>The toolkit gathers best practices and guidance from CDC, medical professional societies including American Academy of Neurology (AAN), American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (AAPM&R), American College of Rheumatology (ACR), Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA), and practicing clinicians to provide better care for patients with prolonged symptoms and concerns about Lyme disease.</p> <p>The toolkit includes </p> <ul class="nested-list"> <li class="level-1">Expert interviews<ul> </ul> </li> <li class="level-1">A free CME module on caring for patients with prolonged symptoms and concerns about Lyme disease<ul> </ul> </li> <li class="level-1">Resources for patients and clinicians<ul> </ul> </li> </ul> <div class="dfe-block dfe-callout dfe-callout--calltoaction"><h3>Explore the Toolkit‎</h3> <div class="dfe-callout__body"><div class="callout-desc"><a href="https://www.ama-assn.org/delivering-care/public-health/improving-care-patients-prolonged-symptoms-and-concerns-about-lyme" class="tp-link-policy" rel="noreferrer" data-domain-ext="org">Improving Care for Patients with Prolonged Symptoms and Concerns about Lyme Disease: A Clinician Toolkit<span class="visually-hidden sr-only" aria-label=" external icon" role="img"></span><span class="cdc-icon-external cdc-link-icon" aria-hidden="true" alt="external icon"></span></a><br></div> </div></div> <p>Prolonged or recurring symptoms, no matter the cause, can lead to considerable suffering. It's important that healthcare providers engage with patients who are seeking help, thoroughly evaluate potential diagnoses, and support patients and their families as they learn how to manage these symptoms.</p> </div> </div> <div class="cdc-dfe-body__right page-right-rail"> <aside class="page-right-rail__static noindex" role="complementary"> <div class="on-this-page " data-sid=""> <h2 class="on-this-page__heading"> On This Page </h2> <div class="card-body"> <ul> <li><a href="#cdc_story_back-background">Background</a></li> <li><a href="#cdc_story_main_story-the-challenge">The Challenge</a></li> <li><a href="#cdc_story_intervention-about-the-toolkit">About the Toolkit</a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </aside> <aside class="page-right-rail__dynamic noindex" role="complementary"> <div data-related-nav></div> </aside> </div> </div> <div data-journey-next></div> <section class="container page-mobile-bar"> <time class="page-mobile-bar__item page-mobile-bar__item--date" datetime="2024-11-14 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