New York Medical College (NYMC)’s Lyme Disease Diagnostic Center is now open by appointment only. Located at 19 Bradhurst Avenue in Hawthorne, New York, Suite 1400 South, the clinic operates every summer to meet the demand of peak Lyme Season. Appointments are available on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. through the end of August and may be made by calling (914) 493-7177.
For more than 30 years, the Center has provided the community with expert care in the diagnosis and treatment of tick bites, early/acute Lyme disease, Anaplasmosis (Ehrlichiosis), Babesiosis, Deer Tick Virus (Powassan), and Borrelia Miyamotoi. Gary P. Wormser, M.D., the founder of the Center, professor of medicine, chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases and vice chairman of the Department of Medicine at NYMC, leads a team of highly experienced physicians and nurses at forefront of Lyme disease diagnosis, treatment and research.
“Lyme disease, if not recognized and treated early, can have extremely detrimental effects,” said Dr. Wormser. “As the warm summer weather moves in and people spend more time outside, increasing their exposure to ticks, we recognize the necessity of opening the Center so those who need to be expertly treated/diagnosed for Lyme disease have the means to do so. We encourage all members of our community who are concerned they may have Lyme disease to book an appointment immediately.”
Lyme disease is a bacterial infection spread through the bite of an infected deer tick, which can be found throughout New York State. Undetected in its early stages, Lyme disease can cause myriad health problems including, headaches, arthritis, swelling of the joints, and heart and central nervous system issues. If detected early, the infection can be treated with antibiotics and patients often recover quickly and completely.
Early symptoms of Lyme disease may be mild and easily missed and may include:
- An expanding circular rash at least two inches in size—that may or may not look like a bull’s eye—that usually occurs at the site of the tick bite
- Headache
- Fever/chills
- Stiff neck
- Pain in joints or muscles
- Paralysis of facial muscles
- Palpitations
- Multiple rashes
If you experience any of these symptoms or would like to learn more about the Lyme Disease Diagnostic Center, please visit www.nymc.edu/lyme-disease-diagnostic-center/ or call (914) 493-TICK [8425]. The Lyme Disease Diagnostic Center is open to patients 18 years of age and older who are either acutely ill or who have recently been bitten by a tick. Most insurances are accepted. Children under the age of 18 may be evaluated by the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Division of New York Medical College by calling (914) 493-8333.
