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Lyme Disease Specialists
Lyme can cause debilitating fatigue, arthritis in any joint, neurological problems, psychiatric problems, cognitive problems, ongoing headaches, muscle pain, and vision or hearing problems and more. Lyme infection can lead to severe illness and disability in some people. It can affect any system of the body, and no two cases of Lyme disease are the same, so it can be difficult to diagnose. Left untreated, or under-treated, Lyme can persist for years or for a lifetime. Although rarely fatal, deaths have occurred, especially if the heart is involved.
When treated early, 6-12 weeks of treatment with a common antibiotic like doxycycline or amoxicillin may be sufficient. If not treated promptly treatment may include oral or intravenous antibiotics for a period of months or years, dietary modifications, chelation therapy to decrease inflammatory heavy metals when present, IV nutritional therapy and exercise. We can help you treat and recover from Lyme Disease.
Treatment
Prevention
It is best never to be bitten in the first place. Ticks cannot fly or jump and they are most often found less than 3 feet above the ground in tall grass or underbrush. Avoid walking through these areas, and if you must, check yourself carefully for ticks afterwards. Ticks can be active year-round but you are most likely to be bitten in the warmer months. The deer tick in the East and black-legged tick in the West most often carry Lyme and may carry other diseases. These are small ticks and easy to miss on your skin. (tick photo plus actual size) Avoid tall grass and underbrush, which is where most ticks are found. Clothing treated with permethrin is the most effective way to avoid being bitten. You can treat the clothes yourself (which is good for 6-8 weeks and you can wash the clothes during that time), or buy clothing that is permanently treated. Tick repellents containing DEET can be effective if applied properly and frequently enough while in tick habitat. Wear light-colored clothing and walk in the middle of trails. It is important to perform careful tick checks. Don’t forget hidden areas. Pets can bring infected ticks into your home. Check them carefully for ticks and use tick repellent products on your pets. Consider spraying permethrin on clothing.
Symptoms
Lyme disease is a bacterial infection that is acquired from the bite of an infected tick. It is most common in the Northeastern states and the Upper Midwest and the Pacific Northwest states, however, cases of Lyme have been reported in all states. If you are infected, symptoms appear anywhere from 2 to 30 days after you are bitten. Early symptoms are flu-like (fatigue, aches, fever, etc.). Some people develop a distinctive “bull’s eye” rash, but some studies suggest that this occurs in only fewer than half of infected people. Lyme disease may be masked within the body when the organism hides behind biofilm and evades the notice of the immune system. To make an accurate diagnosis, clinical diagnosis is equally as important as testing.