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Lyme Disease Treatment

Regain Your Health and Vitality

According to the CDC, Lyme disease affects approximately 300,000 people in the US each year. In addition to Lyme disease, there are at least a dozen more pathogens that can cause illness, including Babesia, which causes malaria-like symptoms; Bartonella, which causes cat-scratch fever; Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and Toxoplasmosis. The symptoms associated with tick borne illnesses can range from mild to severe, and it can be very challenging to get an accurate diagnosis.

lyme disease

Lyme Disease

Lyme disease is transmitted through a tick bite; unfortunately, less than half of the patients suffering with Lyme disease do not recall being bitten. Ticks do not cause the disease; however, they carry the pathogens that cause the disease. Ticks can have more than one pathogen in their body; thus, you can have multiple co-infections, such as fungal, viral, bacterial and parasitic infections.

This disease is often referred to as the “great imitator” because of it has many of the same symptoms of a variety of neurological and rheumatological conditions, including Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Somatization Disorder. Over time, the immune system of someone with Lyme disease can become compromised and weakened. This disease is prevalent in the United States as well as around the world. In the United States, there are over 100 strains of Borrelia Burgdoferi- the bacterium that causes Lyme disease. Lyme disease can cause a number of symptoms, can become chronic and is often difficult to treat.

Lyme Facts

Lyme disease is the fastest growing vector-borne in the USA. To help put it in perspective, 34 new cases of Lyme disease occur every hour- that’s 882 cases per day, 5.770 cases per week and 25,000 cases per month! Since 1982, the number of reported cases of Lyme disease has increased almost 25-fold.

There are no accurate tests to verify the patient is cured. In fact, The Elisa test gives false negative result to between 35 percent and 50 percent of the Lyme disease patients screened. For this reason, it often takes 2 years before a patient is properly diagnosed. Moreover, most patients visit approximately five doctors before their diagnosis.

Lyme Disease Symptoms

The symptoms associated with Lyme disease can vary from patient to patient, making it difficult to get a proper diagnosis. At the 12th International Conference on Lyme Disease and Other Spirochetal and Tick-Borne Disorders in 1999, the following symptoms were discussed.

General Symptoms

  • Achiness, Fatigue, Stiffness, Sweating
  • Chills without rigors, Thirst, Bull’s eye rash
  • Fever- low grade in less than 30 percent of patients
  • Swollen glands in the neck and groin

 

Head, Neck and Facial Symptoms

  • Bell’s palsy, Headache, Hoarseness, Jaw pain, Vocal paralysis
  • Muscle spasms in the face, Stiff neck, Facial numbness or tingling
  • Swelling of the face, Sore throat, Difficulty swallowing, Facial twitches

 

Symptoms Affecting the Ears

  • Hearing loss, Hypersensitivity to sound, Meniere’s disease
  • Pain in the ears, Tinnitus

 

Eye Symptoms

  • Blindness, Conjunctivitis, also known as pink eye, Drooping Eyelids, Double or blurred vision
  • Floaters, Foreign body sensation, Eye pain, Sensitivity to light, Swelling around the eyes

Gastrointestinal Symptoms

  • Abdominal pain, Abdominal distention, Anorexia, Constipation
  • Diarrhea, Nausea, Frequent urination, Kidney failure
  • Vomiting, Changes in weight

 

Respiratory/Circulatory Symptoms

  • Chest pain, Cough, Heart blockages, Atrial fibrillation, Shortness of breath
  • Respiratory distress/failure, Vasculitis, swelling of the blood vessels

 

Musculoskeletal Symptoms

  • Chronic joint pain, Arthritis, Musculoskeletal pain, Tendonitis
  • Back pain, Sciatica, Carpal tunnel syndrome, Foot pain, Osteoporosis
  • Stiffness in the hands, Gout, Herniated discs, Inflammation

 

Neurological Symptoms

  • Aneurysms, Brain hemorrhages, Cerebral atrophy
  • Coordination difficulties, Coma, Dementia, Dizziness
  • Encephalitis, Meningitis, Numbness, Parkinson’s syndrome

 

Hepatic System Symptoms

  • Hepatitis, Elevated liver enzymes, Jaundice, Liver damage
diagnose tick borne illness

Diagnose Tick Borne Illnesses

Tick borne illnesses have many of the same symptoms as other medical conditions; therefore, it can be difficult to diagnose. These illnesses often come with a rash; however, many of the patients diagnosed with a tick borne illness do not experience a rash. When this occurs, a doctor may order several tests to help with diagnosis.

  • ELISA checks for antibodies in the blood stream. However, it is over 35% inaccurate. For the Elisa test to be accurate, the patient must have had the illness for several weeks. In the early stages of these diseases, the body has not produced enough antibodies to result in a positive result. Unfortunately, the sooner treatment is begun after the start of the infection, the higher the success rate. – See more at: http://www.ilads.org/lyme/treatment-guideline.php
  • Western Blot Testing is performed by a laboratory. This test reads and reports all of the bands related to Borrelia Burgdoferi. Unfortunately, this test is not very reliable and often reads a false negative.
  • IGENEX, or co-infection testing, checks for multiple tick-borne pathogens in the blood. These pathogens are not checked for with the Elisa or Western Blot blood test.
  • Autonomic Response Testing uses muscle biofeedback to detect issues in the autonomic nervous system.
  • PCR, or polymerase chain reaction, tests for tick borne illnesses by amplifying specific DNA.
Toxicity Quiz

Try a 5 Minute Toxicity Questionnaire

Evaluate symptoms that may be the underlying cause of illnesses.

Click Here for the Toxicity Questionnaire

prevent tick bites

Tips to Prevent Tick Borne Illnesses

Preventing tick borne illnesses is simply a matter of avoidance. Since approximately half of the ticks in the United States carry some sort of disease, it is imperative that patients protect themselves from being bitten. If you are going to be in wooded areas-

  • Wear long sleeves and pants that are light in color
  • Tuck your shirt into your pants and your pants into your boots
  • Walk only in the center of the trail while in the woods.
  • There are woods surrounding your yard, keep your grass cut short because ticks cannot survive in sunny lawns.
  • Before going into the woods apply a tick repellent to your clothing and exposed skin.
  • After being outdoors, inspect for ticks and take a shower immediately.
  • Wash all clothing in hot water and dry in a hot dryer.
lyme disease coinfections

Removing Ticks

If you are bitten by a tick, use a pair of tweezers and grasp the tick near its head. Firmly tug on the tick until it releases from your skin. Swab the bite with an antiseptic and apply a thin layer of triple antibiotic ointment. If you begin experiencing any of the symptoms listed above, schedule an appointment to see your physician immediately.

For more information visit: What Do You Do If You Get a Tick Bite.

treat lyme disease

Holistic Treatment for Lyme Disease and Coinfections

Lyme disease can cause infections to occur in multiple organs and produce a vast range of symptoms. Our integrative practitioners are dedicated to helping patients deal with these debilitating symptoms. Each patient is unique. A personalized treatment plan is created based on the patients specific conditions. We place special emphasis on boosting the patient’s immune system to help the body heal. Additionally, we also focus on co-infections, environmental toxins, mold toxins that can weaken the immune system.

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