Social media were buzzing with the news of the absence of Palestinian model Bella Hadid this year from the role of fashion. Bella Hadid revealed her continued absence from the most prominent fashion events because of her suffering from Lyme disease. So what is Lyme disease that threatens the future of supermodel Bella Hadid and keeps her out of the limelight?
In this Article
Bella Hadid’s Battle with Lyme Disease
“Health is a crown on the heads of the healthy that only the sick can see”. This is how the famous 26-year-old model Bella Hadid appeared, who published a sad post on her Instagram about her battle with Lyme disease, which is caused by an insect called a tick. She was diagnosed in 2013.
Bella Hadid said that her absence from fashion shows may continue this year and that she will return to the catwalk when she is “ready”, after the end of the treatment period for her ongoing health problems.
Bella Hadid shared with her fans a series of clips of her receiving medical treatment and wrote: “Living in this state, worsening with time and work while trying to make myself, my family, and the people who support me, proud, had taken a toll on me in ways I can’t really explain.”
On the onset of her Lyme disease, Bella said on TikTok in April that she had a dental infection that had led to health complications. And in a more recent post, she described “Almost 15 years of invisible suffering.”
US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says if the disease is left untreated, the infection can spread to the joints, heart, and nervous system.
Bella Hadid’s Family Relationship with Lyme Disease
According to Today.com, Bella Hadid and Anwar Hadid, 24-year-old brother of Bella Hadid, and Yolanda Hadid, mother of Bella Hadid, 59, claim that they contracted this disease, which was spread by ticks.
Yolanda Hadid discussed having Lyme disease while she was a cast member on “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.”
Additionally, she mentioned in a blog post that Bella Hadid and Anwar Hadid have been “undergoing holistic treatment since they were diagnosed in 2013.”
In short, the Hadid family got this tick-borne disease because, according to Yolande, “we spent most of our time in nature with the kids and lived on a horse ranch in Santa Barbara for ten years.”
You must be very curious to know what Lyme disease caused this terrible tragedy for Bella Hadid and her family. Let’s get to know it
What is Lyme Disease?
Lyme disease is an infectious disease caused by the transmission of the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi to an infected person.
B. burgdorferi is transmitted to humans through the bite of a black-legged tick or deer tick infected with the bacteria. The tick becomes infected after it feeds on infected deer, birds, or mice.
It is required that the tick be attached to the skin for approximately 36 to 48 hours to transmit the infection, and most people with Lyme disease do not remember the time of their tick bite.
People who live or spend a lot of time in wooded areas infested with ticks are more likely to get this disease. Also, people with pets who visit wooded areas also have a higher chance of contracting Lyme disease.
Lyme disease is an infection caused by bacteria transmitted by black-legged deer ticks, and these bacteria are found in bodily fluids. However, there is no evidence that Lyme disease can be transmitted to another person through sneezing, coughing, or kissing.
There is also no evidence that Lyme disease can be transmitted through sexual contact or transmitted through blood transfusions.
Lyme Disease Symptoms
Symptoms may vary between people with Lyme disease in severity because Lyme disease is usually divided into three stages (early localized, early disseminated, and late disseminated) so symptoms will overlap. While symptoms may be delayed in some people and appear late.
The Most Common Symptom of Lyme Disease
- A flat, circular rash that looks like a red oval anywhere on your body.
- Fatigue.
- Joint pain and swelling.
- Muscle aches.
- Headache.
- Fever.
- Swollen lymph nodes.
- Sleep disorders.
- Difficulty concentrating.
Which requires immediate medical attention.
Symptoms of Lyme Disease in Children
Children generally have the same symptoms of Lyme disease as adults, and they are more likely to complain of:
- Fatigue.
- Joint and muscle pain.
- Fever.
- Other flu-like symptoms.
These symptoms may occur shortly after infection, or after several months or years.
You may also notice some psychological symptoms in your child. According to data collected in 2019, some parents reported the following psychological problems in their children with Lyme disease:
- Anger or aggression
- Mood changes
- Depression
- Nightmares
If your child seems to be acting differently and can’t explain why or what they’re feeling, it’s important to talk to their doctor, as these changes can be a sign of many conditions, including Lyme disease.
Lyme Disease Stages
Lyme disease can occur in three stages, which we will mention in detail. Symptoms appear according to the stage that the patient is going through. The development of Lyme disease can differ from one person to another because some people who suffer from it do not go through its three stages.
The First Stage: Early Localized Lyme Disease
Symptoms of Lyme disease usually begin 3 to 30 days after a tick bite. One of the first signs of the disease is a rash. The rash occurs at the site of the tick bite, but not always. It appears as a central red spot surrounded by a palpable macula with an area of redness at the edge. The rash is painless and does not itch. This rash will gradually disappear in most sufferers.
Some fair-skinned people develop a solid red rash. Some dark-skinned people may experience a bruise-like rash. The rash can also occur with or without systemic viral symptoms similar to those of the flu.
Other common symptoms at this stage of Lyme disease include:
- Chills
- Fever
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Sore throat
- Vision changes
- Fatigue
- Muscle aches
- Headache
The Second Stage: Early Disseminated Lyme Disease
Early Disseminated Lyme disease can occur months after the tick bite. The patient will have a general feeling of not feeling well. A rash may appear in areas other than the tick bite.
This stage of the disease is primarily characterized by evidence of systemic infection, which means that the infection has spread throughout the body.
Symptoms can include:
- Erythematous lesions of polymorphism.
- Heart rhythm disturbances that can be caused by Lyme carditis.
- Neurological conditions: such as numbness, tingling, facial and cranial nerve paralysis, and meningitis.
Symptoms of the first and second stages can overlap.
The Third Stage: Late Disseminated Lyme Disease
Late disseminated Lyme disease usually occurs when the infection is not treated in stages one and two. Stage three can occur months or years after the tick bite.
This stage is characterized by:
- Arthritis in one or more large joints.
- Brain disorders, such as encephalopathy that can cause short-term memory loss, difficulty concentrating, mental confusion, problems following conversations, and sleep disturbances.
- Numbness in the arms, legs, hands, or feet.
Post-Treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome
If Lyme disease has been treated with antibiotics, and the patient still has some symptoms, then he suffers from post-Lyme disease syndrome or post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome.
About 10 to 20 % of people with Lyme disease have this syndrome, and the causes are unknown.
Post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome can affect motor and cognitive skills. Treatment focuses primarily on relieving pain and fatigue. Most people recover, but it may take months or years.
Post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome has the following symptoms:
Symptoms of post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome are similar to those in the early stages of the condition.
These symptoms may include:
- Fatigue.
- Difficulty sleeping.
- Joint or muscle pain.
- Pain or swelling in your large joints, such as your knees, shoulders, or elbows.
- Difficulty concentrating and short-term memory problems.
- Speech problems.
Lyme Disease Diagnosis
Diagnosing Lyme disease begins with a review of your health history, which includes looking for reports of tick bites or living in an area where the infection is common. Next, the doctor performs a physical examination to look for a rash or other symptoms characteristic of Lyme disease.
Blood tests are most reliable a few weeks after the initial infection. When antibodies are present, testing is not recommended during an early topical infection.
Lyme Disease Treatment
Lyme disease is best treated in the early stages. Early topical disease treatment is a simple course of oral antibiotics for 10 to 14 days to clear the infection.
Intravenous antibiotics are used to treat some forms of Lyme disease.
After improvement and completion of the course of treatment, healthcare professionals will usually switch to an oral regimen. The full course of treatment usually takes 14 to 28 days.
Lyme arthritis, a symptom of late-stage Lyme disease that may affect some people, is treated with oral antibiotics for 28 days.
Lyme Disease Risk Factors
The risk factors for Lyme disease lie in the places and people who are most likely to get the disease, such as:
- People who work outdoors are at great risk.
- A builder.
- Sleep in the natural.
- Work in forestry.
- Work in agriculture.
- Work in a park or wildlife department.
The majority of tick bites occur in the summer when ticks are most active and people spend more time outside. However, it’s also possible to contract Lyme disease from tick bites in early fall. And even late winter if the weather is unusually warm.
Lyme Disease Prevention
A tick infected with B. burgdorferi can attach itself to any part of your body. It is most commonly found in areas of the body that are difficult to see, such as the scalp, armpits, and groin area.
Most people with Lyme disease have been bitten by immature insects called nymphs. It is very difficult to see these tiny ticks. They feed during the spring and summer. Adult ticks also carry the bacteria but are easier to see and can be removed before being transferred. Prevention of Lyme disease does not mean more than reducing the risk of tick bites. And for this, we advise you to follow these steps:
- Wear long pants and long-sleeved shirts when you’re outside.
- Make your yard tick-inhospitable by clearing wooded areas, and minimizing woodpiles in areas with lots of sun.
- One use of insect repellent containing 10 % DEET will protect you for about two hours. Do not use more DEET than is needed for the time you are outside. Do not use it on the hands or faces of young children under 2 months of age.
- It has been shown in experiments that lemon and eucalyptus oil give the same protection against mosquitoes as low concentrations of DEET. That may be useful against ticks if you do not have a conventional insect repellent, and should not be used on children under three years of age.
- Be careful and check your children, pets, and yourself for ticks. If you have Lyme disease, do not assume that you cannot catch it again. You can get Lyme disease more than once.
- Removing ticks with tweezers. Place the tweezers near the head or mouth of the tick and pull gently. Check to make sure all parts of the tick have been removed.
- Contact a doctor immediately if a tick bites you or your loved ones.
Living with Lyme Disease
After you’ve been treated for Lyme disease with antibiotics, and it takes weeks or months for all symptoms to go away, you can take these steps to help speed recovery:
- Eat foods rich in nutrients, and avoid foods that contain a large amount of refined sugar.
- Get plenty of rest.
- Try to reduce stress.
- Take anti-inflammatory medications as necessary to relieve pain and discomfort.
How to Detect and Remove Ticks
Once inside from outside, the best way to check for ticks is to shower frequently. In addition, do your best to check your clothes, especially the folds of your clothes. Knowing that ticks can be very small and hard to notice, running your hands through your hair is also a good idea.
The best way to remove a tick, if present, is to:
Use a pair of tweezers to grab the tick. Pull upward firmly, being careful not to twist the tweezers (this may cause the mouthparts of the tick to break and get stuck in the skin). After removing the tick, clean the bite area with soap and water or rubbing alcohol.
Don’t crush the tick, get rid of it by putting it in alcohol, flushing it down the toilet, or putting it in a sealed bag or trash can.
It was not taken into account that Lyme disease and the tick that causes it would be of interest, but the increasing number of infected people around the world has shed light on a disease that is not dangerous if treated in its early stages, but may affect the future of a famous model such as Bella Hadid due to the delay in its treatment.
Frequently Asked Questions about Bella Hadid and Lyme Disease
How common is Lyme disease?
Given the high rates of Lyme disease over the past 20 years, it is likely that 14 percent of the world’s population has contracted the disease.
Is there a vaccine for Lyme disease?
In August 2022, a Lyme disease vaccine entered late-stage clinical trials, indicating that a vaccine could be approved in the coming years.
Is Lyme disease contagious?
There is no evidence that Lyme disease is contagious. According to medical sources, there are no reports of Lyme disease being transmitted, for example, through breast milk.
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