Lyme or Borreliosis Disease, sometimes referred to as Lyme infection or borreliosis, is a bacterial illness, transmitted to humans by the bite of deer ticks (Ixodes ticks) carrying a bacterium known as Borrelia burgdorferi.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!- The disease has been reported in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, North Central, and Pacific coastal regions of the United States (see map) and in Europe, where people almost never take care of there self and careless with animals too.
- It is most prevalent in the northeastern and Midwestern states of the U.S., with about 96% of reported cases occurring in 14 states, including Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, and Wisconsin.
- Doctors at New Haven’s Yale Medical Center first described and named Lyme disease in the U.S. in 1977, after an unexpected number of residents in Lyme, Conn., were found to have a “new” and unusual illness.
- In Asia there are very rare reported cases of Lyme disease.
Lyme or Borreliosis Disease is not contagious (note transmitted from person to person). The only way humans can get Lyme disease is through the bite of an infected blacklegged tick.
Causes and Risk Factors
B. burgdorferi bacteria cause Lyme or Borreliosis Disease. The bacteria have a complex life cycle, spending part of their life in the deer tick and part in some mammals such as mice and deer.
Humans are not a part of the bacterium’s life cycle but can become infected when bitten by the tick. Lyme disease is not contagious and cannot be passed from person to person.
While dogs and cats can get Lyme disease, dogs and cats can bring the infected ticks into the home, which is one reason why tick protection for pets is important.
Risk factors for getting Lyme disease:
- Living in the northeastern or Midwestern U.S. states where the disease is most prevalent.
- Being outdoors in the woods or areas that have tall grass, shrubs, or bushes.
- Fishing, camping, hunting, yard work, hiking, and other outdoor activities in tick-infested areas.
- Having bare, unprotected skin when outdoors in high-risk areas.
- Pets who are not protected against ticks may bring them indoors.
- Not removing attached ticks promptly.
Signs and Symptoms
- Fever
- Chills
- Headache
- Fatigue
- Muscle and joint aches
- Swollen lymph nodes
- General feeling of being unwell (malaise)
The initial infection can occur with minimal or no signs or symptoms, latter symptoms are flu-like primary illness (in warm weather) or a characteristic rash several days to a few weeks following a tick bite.
This rash may feel warm to the touch, rarely itchy or painful.
The rash is called erythema and grows in size daily, it typically begins as a red spot and expands over a period of days to weeks to form a large round lesion, at least 5 cm (about 2 inches) across, and up to 30 cm (12 inches). A red circular spot that begins within hours and is smaller is usually a reaction to the tick bite.
When the rash/erythema occurs at the site of the tick bite, it is called a primary lesion. Multiple secondary lesions can occur that are a reaction to the infection and are not due to multiple tick bites. All of these lesions can enlarge to the size of a football (characteristic of Lyme disease), the red spots may be circular or oval.
As it grows, the rash can remain red throughout, although it often can develop a clear central area. In a minority, it may take on the appearance of a target with multiple rings (alternating red with clear skin), called a bull’s-eye lesion.
Symptoms and signs in children are similar, though younger children are more likely to have skin lesions occur on the head or neck and older children on the extremities.
Left untreated, signs and symptoms of the primary illness usually will go away on their own within a few weeks, although the rash may recur.
Days to months later, additional symptoms of Lyme or Borreliosis Disease may occur. The organs affected later in the course of the disease may lead to the following conditions and complications:
- Facial palsy (Bell’s palsy) is paralysis of the facial nerve that causes the facial muscles to be uneven and droop. This may get better without treatment.
- Meningitis causes headache, fever, and stiff neck.
- Nerve inflammation causes pain, numbness, and tingling in the arms or legs.
- Shooting pains may interfere with sleep and cause insomnia.
- Muscle weakness.
- Brain swelling (encephalitis) causes learning difficulties, confusion, and dementia.
- Intermittent episodes of arthritis last about a week and usually involve the knee or wrist. This involves severe joint pain, stiffness, and swelling. These may recur over periods of weeks to months, and if the Lyme disease remains untreated, about 10% of people who have these episodes develop persistent arthritis in the knee. Occasionally, people with Lyme disease can present with an acute arthritis in the knee without a clear history of a rash or other joint complaints.
- Pain in the tendons, muscles, and bones.
- Episodes of shortness of breath.
- Inflammation of the heart (carditis) results in heart palpitations or an irregular heartbeat (Lyme carditis), which can also result in dizziness or passing out.
- Inflammation of the brain and spinal cord
- Difficulty with short-term memory
What Specialists Treat Lyme or Borreliosis Disease?
A primary-care provider (PCP) should referred his/her patient(s)to a rheumatologists too (this diseases that affect the joints and muscles too). If patient has symptoe(s), may also be referred to a neurologist (if experience nerve problems or an infectious disease specialist).
When Should an individual Seek Medical Care for Lyme Disease?
Seek immediate medical attention if you live in or have visited an area where Lyme or Borreliosis Disease is common and you experience a flu-like illness or develop a red or target-like (bull’s eye) rash anytime from late spring to early fall. Prompt treatment at this early stage reduces the risk of further symptoms of Lyme disease.
- Remove any attached ticks by pulling them off your body:
- Never grasp the tick with tweezers etc, just apply some Ethanol or spirit swab or apply swab of Mustard oil.
- After few seconds just pull the tick upward with steady, even pressure. Don’t twist or jerk the tick.
- After removing the tick, thoroughly clean the bite area and hands with rubbing alcohol or with iodine scrub and wash thoroughly with soap and water.
- Following tick removal, see a doctor if any flu-like symptoms or rash develop within the next three weeks. If a rash develops, draw a line around it with waterproof ink that does not wash off each day to see if it is growing.
- Young children with fever and severe headache should see a doctor immediately, because these may be their only symptoms.
- Outdoor workers and anyone whose hobbies or recreational activities place them in wooded or brush areas should be particularly aware of these symptoms because their environmental exposure increases contact with the deer tick and is a risk factor for contracting Lyme disease.
Note: If you are pregnant and are bitten by a tick, see your doctor immediately. If you become infected with Lyme disease during pregnancy, the illness can infect the placenta and may result in stillbirth.
Lyme disease is not transmitted through breast milk.
Diagnose
- Physical examination findings are important, especially the presence of erythema migrans.
- If there is doubt whether a rash is due to Lyme or Borreliosis Disease, the doctor might measure its size and then remeasure one to two days later. Erythema migrans usually exhibits an increase in size of the rash, often expanding by about ½ inch every day.
- Some physical findings help to distinguish Lyme disease from other infectious ailments.
- Blood tests to examine for antibodies to the bacteria. Antibodies can be absent early in the course of a Lyme infection (in the first few weeks), so a negative test result may be misleading at that time.
- There are two tiers of blood tests used to diagnose Lyme disease, a screening test (Lyme ELISA or IFA) and, if that test is positive or equivocal, a more specific test (Western blot). A positive Western blot test result confirms current or past infection. A screening test (a Lyme titer) is not considered sufficient to make a diagnosis of Lyme disease; the Western blot has to be positive also. The accuracy of these tests is very good, but it depends on the stage of the disease. In early stages, a negative test is expected; however, after a few weeks, the ELISA and IFA tests have good sensitivity and accuracy.
- Once a Lyme blood test is positive, it will remain positive for a long time even with successful treatment. Repeat blood tests after treatment are not helpful in determining further care.
- Ixodes ticks can carry other organisms in addition to B. burgdorferi, and these can cause illnesses that can mimic Lyme disease or can even occur along with Lyme disease. The two most important infections are ehrlichiosis (HGE) and babesiosis. Doctors also may perform liver function tests and blood counts to examine the red blood cells and other tests for these two conditions.
- Another tick-borne illness called Rocky Mountain spotted fever can cause a rash but is not the same illness as Lyme or Borreliosis Disease.
- Patients with severe headaches may need a spinal tap to determine if there is inflammation in the nervous system (meningitis, encephalitis) and to test for Lyme antibodies in the spinal fluid.
- Doctors may perform an ECG if patient have possible heart complications.
- CT scans and MRI of the brain may be performed to rule out other conditions that can cause similar symptoms.
Allopathic Treatment
- An allopathic doctors will treat primary or early Lyme or Borreliosis Disease with oral antibiotics (doxycycline, Vibramycin, cefuroxime, penicillins, amoxicillin, or erythromycin.
- Doctors may treat late-stage cases of neurological, heart, or arthritic Lyme disease with intravenous antibiotics (usually ceftriaxone Rocephin) in the hospital or as an outpatient.
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen or naproxen may be recommended to help relieve pain and inflammation.
Homeopathic Treatment for Lyme Disease
Prevention
A natural way to immunize against Lyme or Borreliosis Diseases to take the Borrelia-200 (a homeopathic Lyme disease remedy).
Allium sativum
Asthma, periodical. Bronchitis. Catarrhs. Colic. Constipation. Cough. Coxalgia. Dandruff. Diarrhoea. Dyspepsia. Fevers. Headache. Hip rheumatism. Hoarseness. Menorrhagia. Ophthalmia. Rheumatism. Salivation. Scurvy. Skin, affections of. Sprains. Whitlow. Worms.
Arctium lappa
Acne. Bunion. Dupuytren’s contraction. Eczema serpiginosa. Eruptions. Glands, affections of. Gonorrhoea. Gout. Impotence. Leucorrhoea. Phosphaturia. Rheumatism. Ringworm. Scrofula. Sterility. Ulcers. Uterus, prolapse of.
Rumex acetosella
Borborygmi. Bronchitis. Catarrh. Corns. Coryza. Cough. Diarrhoea. Dyspepsia. Epistaxis. Feet, tender. Gastralgia. Heart, pain in; affections of. Indigestion. Irritation. Lichen. Mouth, ulceration of. Phimosis. Phthisis. Prurigo. Rheumatism. Throat, sore ulcerated. Trachea, affections of. Urticaria.
Rumex Obtusifolia, has a reputation among children as the best antidote to the nettle sting.
Rumex crispus, according to Joslin, quoted by Hale, was used by allopaths internally and externally for the cure of itch.
Lac Canimum
Arms, varicosis of. Breasts, painful. Chancre. Croup. Diphtheria. Dysmenorrhoea. Epulis. Eyes, affections of. Gonorrhoea. Headache. Ichthyosis. Leucorrhoea. Neuralgia. Ovaries, affections of. Ranula. Rheumatism. Sciatica. Spinal irritation. Stomach, affections of. Syphilis. Throat, sore. Ulcers. Uterus, affections of. Vaccinosis. Varicose veins. Warts.
Mercurius
Abscess, Anaemia, Aphthae, Balanitis, Bone disease and pains, Breathing-offensively, Bronchitis, Bubo, Catarrh, Chicken-pox, Cold, Condylomata, Cough, Diarrhoea, Dysentery, Dyspepsia, Ecthyma, Eczema, Emaciation, Excoriation, Gouty inflammations, Fainting, Fevers, Fissures, Glandular swellings, Gout, Gum-boil, Gums unhealthy, Heart affections, Herpes, Hydrophobia, Jaundice, Joints affections, Liver affections, Lumbago, Mania. Measles, Melancholia, Meningitis, Mollities ossium, Mucous patches, Mumps, Noises in the head, Odour of body offensive, Ovaries affections, Parametritis, Parotitis, Peritonitis. Perspiration abnormal, Phimosis, Pregnancy affections, Purpura, Pyaemia, Ranula, Rheumatism, Rickets, Rigg’s disease, Salivation, Scurvy, Smallpox, Stomatitis, Fever, Syphilis, Deafness, Throat soreness, Tremors, Typhus fever, Vomiting.
Thuja Oxydentalis
Angina pectoris. fistula, fissure, Asthma. Balanitis. Catalepsy. Chorea. Clavus. Condylomata. Constipation. Convulsions. Coxalgia. Diarrhoea. Dyspareunia, flatues. Dysmenorrhoea. Ear polypus, Enuresis. Epilepsy. Epulis. Eyes tumours, eyes granular inflammation. Fatty tumours. Feet, fetid. Ganglion. Gleet. Gonorrhoea. Haemorrhage. Haemorrhoids. Headache. Hernia. Herpes zoster. Ichthyosis. Intussusception. Joints cracking. Levitation. Morvan’s disease. Mucous patches. Muscae volitantes. Myopia. Naevus. Neck cracking. Onanism. Ozaena. Neuralgia. Nose, chronic catarrh of; polypus of. Paralysis. Pemphigus. Polypus. Post-nasal catarrh. Ptosis. Ranula. Rheumatism, gonorrhoeal. Rickets. Sciatica. Seminal emissions, nocturnal. Sycosis. Syphilis. Tongue ulcers, tongue biting. Vaccination. Vaccinosis. Vaginismus. Warts. Whooping-cough.
Arsenicum Album
Abscess. Acne rosacea. Anaemia. Brown-ague. Caecum affections. Carbuncle. Cholera Asiatica. Cholera. Cold. Coldness. Cough. Croup. Delirium tremens. Depression, Diarrhoea. Diphtheria. Dropsy. Duodenum. Eczema. Endometritis. Enteric fever. Epithelioma. Erysipelas. Eye affections. Facial eruptions. Fainting. Fever. Gangrene. Glandular swellings.
Gout. Hay-asthma. Headache. Heart, affections of. Hectic. Herpes zoster. Hodgkin’s disease. Hydrothorax. Hypochondriasis. Ichthyosis. Indigestion. Intermittent fever. Irritation. Jaundice. Kidney, diseases of. Lichen. Lips, eruption round; epithelioma of. Locomotor ataxy. Lung affections. Lupus. Malignant pustule. Measles. Melancholia. Menstruation, disorders of. Miliary eruptions. Morphoea. Myelitis. Nails, diseased. Nettle-rash. Neuralgia. Neuritis. Nonta pudendi. Numbness.
Peritonitis. Perityphlitis. Pityriasis. Plethora. Pleurodynia. Pneumonia. Psoriasis. Purpura. Pyohemia. Pyelitis. Remittent fever. Rheumatic gout. Rheumatism. Rickets. Ringworm. Scald Head. Scarlatina. Sciatica. Scrofulous affections. Shiverings.
Thirst. traumatic fever. Typhus. Ulcers. Vomiting. Whooping-cough. Worms. Wounds. Yellow fever. Characteristic of this medicine includes a marked weakness and extreme restlessness. Lyme disease when there are tearing pains in the limbs, symptomes gets worse during the night and at rest after exertion. There is a sudden decrease in strength during the second stage of Lyme disease, which is well indicative of this medicine.
Key indications for using Arsenicum Album for Lyme Disease:
– Fatigue
– Extreme Restlessness
– Tearing Pains
Ledum Palustre
Ledum is known for its antiseptic properties and is useful in preventing infections. Ledum palustre is a well-indicated remedy for insect stings, including tick bites. It is also indicated for a twitching sensation around skin rash. The area of the tick bite is cold to the touch.
Key indications for using Ledum Palustre for Lyme Disease:
Tick Bite, Twitching Sensation around the rash, Black-eye. Boils. Bruises. Deafness. Ear inflammation. Eczema. Erythema nodosum. Pimples on. Feet pains and tenderness. Gout. Haemoptysis. Hands pains in. Intoxication. Joints affections and/or cracking. Pediculosis. Priapism. Prickly heat. Punctured wounds. Rheumatism. Skin eruptions. Stings. Tetanus. Tinnitus. Tuberculosis. Varicella. Whitlow. Wounds.
Syphilinum
Their fear will often lead to a profound aversion to dirt or to touching dirty things. Lyme is similar to the Syphilis bacteria. There is an acute phase, dormant phase, and a progressive chronic phase where it gets worse with time. As mentioned above, an acute state of panic and fear of death can also be helped with Aconite. Homeopathy can definitely help with the feelings of despair, depression or even suicidal thoughts that may result from chronic Lyme disease.
Rhus Toxicodendron
The homeopathic medicine Rhus tox is prepared from poison ivy- a vine-like shrub. This shrub is found naturally all over North America and belongs to the Anacardiaceae family. The leaves and stalks of this shrub are collected at night to prepare Rhus Toxicodendron. Rhus tox has given tremendous results in arthritis, especially of knee joints in Lyme disease patients. There is stiffness and painful swelling of the knee joint which becomes better by warmth. It is also indicated for joint problems in the elbows and ankles in some instances of Lyme disease. A tingling sensation in feet and other places of the body is also treated with this remedy.
Key Indications for using Rhus Tox for Lyme Disease
Knee Joint Arthritis, Tingling Sensation
Belladonna
Abscess. Acne. Amaurosis. Apoplexy. Bladder weakness. Boils. Brain, affections of. Bronchial glands, disease of. Carbuncle. Colic. Constipation. Convulsions. Cough. Croup. Delirium tremens. Depression. Diarrhoea. Dysentery. Ear, affections of. Enteric fever. Epilepsy. Erysipelas. Erythema. Excitement. Eye, affections of. Fear, effects of. Glandular swellings. Goetre. Gout. Haemorrhoids. Headache. Heart, affections of. Hydrocephalus. Hydrophobia. Hyperaemia. Influenza. Kidney, affections of. Lung, affections of. Malignant pustule. Mania. Measles. Meningitis. Menstruation. Mouth affections. Mumps. Neuralgia. Nose, affections of. Nyctalopia. Nymphomania. Paralysis. Parametritis. Perichondritis. Perimetritis. Peritonitis. Phlegmasia alba dolens. Pleurisy. Pneumogastric paralysis. Pneumonia. Pregnancy, disorders of. Puerperal mania. Rheumatism. Roseola. Scarlatina. Sensitiveness. Sleep, disorders of. Smell, disordered. Strangury. Taste, disordered. Tenesmus. Testicles, affections of. Thirst. Throat, sore. Tongue, affections of. Tuberculosis. Ulcers. Uterine affections. Vaccinia. Vertigo. Whooping-cough. Worm fever.
Kali Phosphoricum
Kali phosphoricum is a well-indicated remedy for patients of Lyme disease where there is mental fatigue from overwork. There is dullness of mind, loss of memory, a lack of interest in talking and the person suffers from forgetfulness. The characteristic symptom of using this remedy is a low, nervous condition with sensitivity. The person is easily fatigued.
Alopecia areata. Amenorrhoea. Anaemia. Asthma. Atrophy. Brain, concussion of. Brain-fag. Brain-softening. Carbuncle. Chilblains. Cholerine. Diphtheria. Dysentery. Enuresis. Facial neuralgia. Feet, fidgety. Gangrene. Hypochondriasis. Hysteria. Insomnia. Melancholia. Menstrual headaches. Nervous dyspepsia. Neurasthenia. Night-terrors. Noma. Nymphomania. Edema pulmonum. Paralysis. Pneumonia. Ptosis. Puerperal fever. Puerperal mania. Sciatica. Scurvy. Stomach ulcer. Ulcers (dermal). Urticaria. Whitlow.
Aconitum Napellus
Amaurosis. Anger. Apoplexy. Asthma. Blindness, sudden. Bronchitis. Catalepsy. Catheter fever. Chest affections. Chicken-pox. Cholera. Cholera infantum. Cold. Coldness. Consumption. Convulsions. Cough. Croup. Cystitis. Dengue fever. Diarrhoea. Dropsy. Dysentery. Dysmenorrhoea. Ear affections. Enteritis. Erythema nodosum. Excitement. Eye affections. Face flushing. Fear effects. Fever. Fright effect.
Glands swollen. Glossitis. Gonorrhoea. Haemorrhages. Haemorrhoids; strangulated. Headache. Heart, affections of. Hip-joint, diseased. Hodgkin’s disease. Hyperpyrexia. Influenza. Jaundice. Joints affections. Lactation. Laryngitis. Liver inflammation. Lumbago. Lungs affections. Mania. Measles. Meningitis. Menstruation disorders. Miliaria. Miscarriage. Mumps. Myalgia. Myelitis. Nephritis.
Neuralgia. Numbness. Esophagus inflammation. Paralysis. Peritonitis. Phlegmasia alba dolens. Pleurisy. Pleurodynia, Pneumonia. Pregnancy. Puerperal fever. Purpura. Quinsy. Remittent fever. Roseola. Scarlatina. Shivering. Sleeplessness. Smell disorders. Stiff-neck. Testicles affections. Tetanus. Tetany. Thirst. Traumatic fever. Urethral spasmodic stricture. Urethral fever. Urine suppression. Uterus prolapsus. Vaccination effects. Vertigo. Whooping-cough. Yawning. Yellow fever.
Conium Maculatum
Asthma. Bladder, inflammation of. Breast, affections of; painful. Bronchitis. Bruises. Cancer. Cataract. Chorea. Cough. Depression of spirits. Diphtheritic paralysis. Dysmenia (membranous). Erysipelas. Eyes, affections of. Galactorrhoea. Herpes. Hypochondriasis. Jaundice. Liver, enlarged. Melancholia. Menstruation, disordered. Numbness. Ovaries, affections of. Paralysis; Landry’s. Peritonitis. Phthisis. Pregnancy, painful breasts during. Prostatitis. Ptoses. Scrofula. Spermatorrhoea. Sterility. Stomach, affections of. Testicles, affections of. Tetters. Trismus. Tumours. Ulcers. Vertigo. Vision, disordered. Wens.
How to Differentiate from Fibromyalgia?
Both fibromyalgia and Lyme disease can cause fatigue and pain, but there are many differences between them
The cause for fibromyalgia is not clear, but it is related to genetic factors, often triggered by stress (physical or emotional stress), and associated conditions like osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and Ankylosing spondylitis. Fibromyalgia gives rise to widespread pain and tender points, body fatigue, depression, headache, pain, and cramping in the lower abdominal region.
While Lyme disease is an infectious tick-borne disease caused by the bacteria of borrelia type.
The bacteria penetrate into the bloodstream and trigger symptoms inside the body. Symptoms of Lyme disease include a headache, chill, fever, swelling of lymph nodes and a rash called Erythema migrans. As the condition takes the chronic form, there are chances of developing arthritis, nerve involvement leading to numbness or tingling sensation, depression, anxiety, palpitations and short-term memory loss.
Although symptoms overlap between Fibromyalgia and Lyme disease, these diseases are distinguished by the presence of a rash which is a hallmark of Lyme disease (called Erythema Migrans). There is no such rash in fibromyalgia.
What Is the Prognosis for Lyme or Borreliosis Disease?
- When treated early, the prognosis for most people with Lyme disease is rapid improvement and minimal complications from the disease. Later stages of illness are avoided by effective treatment of early Lyme disease.
- Patients with later stages of the disease may also do well when they are diagnosed soon after their later-stage symptoms first occur.
- A small percentage of patients with Lyme disease do not fully recover, or recover very slowly, and have a condition called post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome (PTLDS), in which symptoms of fatigue, pain, or joint and muscle aches last for more than six months following treatment.
- Long-term effects of Lyme disease may include residual facial palsy or residual knee pain.
- Other patients develop chronic muscle and joint pains, fatigue, and concentration difficulties that seem to have arisen from the time of the original Lyme disease infection.
While these chronic and recurring symptoms have been called chronic Lyme disease, recent studies have not shown any evidence of Borrelial infection in the blood or spinal fluid, and allopathic antibiotic therapy does not appear to have a durable effect in relieving the condition. For the present, Homeopathy is the best option.
For consultation about Lyme or Borreliosis Disease, especially infectious diseases visit our clinic.
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Dr. Sayyad Qaisar Ahmed (MD {Ukraine}, DHMS) ; senior research officer Dnepropetrovsk state medical academy Ukraine; is a leading Homeopathic physician practicing in Al-Haytham clinic, Umer Farooq Chowk Risalpur Sadder (0923631023, 03119884588), K.P.K, Pakistan.
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