New York Medical College Announces Seasonal Opening of Lyme Disease Diagnostic Center
The Center will operate by appointment only throughout the summer with safety measures to ensure patient wellbeing during COVID-19
Jennifer Riekert, M.B.A.
Vice President of Communications
New York Medical College
(914) 594-4552
jennifer_riekert@nymc.edu
Valhalla, New York – New York Medical College (NYMC)’s Lyme Disease Diagnostic Center will open on Tuesday, June 23, by appointment only. Located at 19 Bradhurst Avenue in Hawthorne, New York, 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. 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 in its early stages, can have extremely detrimental effects,” said Dr. Wormser. “Amidst the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the safety of our patients and staff remains at the forefront of our mind, but we recognize the necessity of opening the Center so those who need to be treated/diagnosed for Lyme disease have the means to do so. We have implemented additional measures in our Center to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our patients and staff while concerns of COVID-19 remain.”
All patients will be required to wear masks and additional safety measures regarding COVID-19 will be discussed by telephone when the appointment is made.
Lyme disease is a bacterial infection spread through the bite of an infected deer tick, which can be found throughout the Lower Hudson Valley of 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.
New York Medical College
Founded in 1860, New York Medical College (NYMC) is one of the oldest and largest health sciences colleges in the country with nearly 1,500 students and 330 residents and clinical fellows, more than 2,600 faculty members and 23,500 living alumni. The College, which joined the Touro College and University System in 2011, is located in Westchester County, New York, and offers degrees from the School of Medicine, the Graduate School of Basic Medical Sciences, the School of Health Sciences and Practice, the Touro College of Dental Medicine at NYMC and the Touro College School of Health Sciences’ nursing program at NYMC. NYMC provides a wide variety of clinical training opportunities for students, residents, and practitioners.