Whats So Hard About Finding A Lyme Doctor Anyhow
If youve landed on this post, you probably already know the answer. But for those who are at the beginning stages of investigating Lyme disease, let me fill you in.
You see, most doctors simply dont understand Lyme disease and some are certainly not humble enough to admit they dont really understand this disease. Many doctors dont even believe chronic Lyme exists.
To make matters worse,testing is unreliable and notoriously inaccurate, particularly the standard tests most doctors will run. If you happen to test positive for Lyme on one of those standard tests, the doctors will most likely throw a couple weeks of antibiotics at you and call it good.
Yeahthats not so good. And likely it wont help much at all.
When it comes right down to it, theres been precious little research done on this complex disease. Doctors at large have not been educated about what the good research out there actually says about Lyme. All they know is the outdated and ineffective guidelines passed down from the CDC.
The doctors that are really making an impact are those that have gone out of their way to dig into the research. Theyve spent time educating themselves and working intimately with their patients .
Bannwarth Syndrome In Early Disseminated Lyme Disease
Welcome to another Inside Lyme Podcast with your host Dr. Daniel Cameron. In this episode, Dr. Cameron will be discussing the case of a 66-year-old man with Bannwarth syndrome with urinary retention in early Lyme disease. By Dr. Daniel Cameron Omotosho and colleagues described this case in an article entitled A Unique Case of Bannwarth Syndrome in Early Disseminated Lyme Disease.¹ The man presented to the emergency room with generalized
A Pioneer In Lyme Disease
Our program is led by Allen Steere, MD, one of the world’s foremost experts on Lyme disease. Dr. Steere discovered the illness in 1976 and laid the foundation for understanding the many manifestations of the disease, including Lyme arthritis .
Today, Dr. Steere is researching why some patients with Lyme arthritis have persistent joint inflammation after using antibiotic therapy to eliminate the Lyme disease bacterium. This research is leading to improved diagnostic and treatment capabilities for such patients.
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Laboratory Testing For Lyme Disease
While a diagnosis of Lyme disease may be based solely on clinical signs and symptoms , laboratory tests are available to assist physicians in making a diagnosis.
Laboratory confirmation of infection with B. burgdorferi, the bacteria responsible for causing Lyme disease, is established when a laboratory isolates the spirochete from tissue or body fluid, detects diagnostic levels of IgM or IgG antibodies to the bacteria in serum or cerebrospinal fluid , or detects a significant change in antibody levels in paired acute and convalescent serum samples.
Serological assays remain the most common and practical method of laboratory testing for Lyme disease. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that, initially, specimens be tested by a sensitive test such as an enzyme immunoassay or immunofluorescent assay . Samples with positive or equivocal results from these tests should be re-tested using a standardized Western blot procedure. The two-step algorithm, as opposed to using a single test, increases the specificity of laboratory testing. It is important to remember that serological assays will be negative early in disease and this type of testing is not recommended at that time.
Functional Medicine: We Apply A Functional Medicine Viewpoint To Everything We Do
You are a unique individual, with a unique genetic make-up, unique experiences and a unique path. That is why you need a one-of-a-kind approach to your healthcare needs.
Functional Medicine is a customized patient-centered approach, where the physician treats the whole person. Following a thorough and thoughtful evaluation, a treatment plan is established treating current symptoms. Patients will also receive the tools necessary to maintain wellness and prevent future chronic illness.
Under our current healthcare system the typical western medicine physician spends limited time with patients. The doctor simply takes patient symptoms and puts them under an umbrella of a diagnosis. Once a diagnosis is established, there are prescription drugs or a standard generic protocol that fall into place. This is a diagnosis-centered approach for the masses, where the physician treats a diagnosis and not the unique individual as a whole. Functional medicine seeks to remedy this traditional method of patient interaction and care.
We are committed to Functional Medicine at My Path Medical. We strive to provide this level of service to every patient visiting our practice.
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Finding A Top Lyme Doctor Is Difficult Come To Us
If you need a Lyme doctor, consider the wellness protocol provided by Lyme Laser Centers. Were rapidly expanding our operations to include other health care facilities in the area. Here, you can count on a team that understands your needs and puts your best interests first. Learn more in our video documented testimonials.
Lyme disease can make anyone feel chronic pain, lethargy, and general malaise. Dont let another Lyme doctor, Massachusetts, tell you that antibiotic regimens, anti-depressants, and pain management therapies offer the only relief. We have experience working with people who are fighting this debilitating illness. Stop searching for a Lyme doctor, and contact our North Andover office by phone at 725-5963.
Diagnosing And Treating Lyme Disease Online
Lyme disease is caused by a bacterium known as Borrelia burgdorferi. This bacteria is transmitted to humans when they are bitten by an infected blacklegged tick aka the deer or bear tick. Since these ticks are so small, it can be difficult to know when you have a tick on you or if you have been bitten. If you have been bitten, you will typically produce symptoms of fever, headache, fatigue and a skin rash in the shape of a bulls-eye. This bulls-eye shaped rash is also known as erythema migrans.
The rash can gradually grow over a period of days. Sometimes, the rash can grow to about 12 inches across! The rash may be warm to touch, but rarely itches or is painful. If there is a chance you have been exposed to ticks recently, it is important to check your body for the creepy crawlers because you might not be able to feel the reaction.
The chances of getting Lyme disease from a tick bite will depend on the following:
- The kind of tick
- Where you were when the bite occurred
- How long the tick was attached to you
These ticks will have to be attached to you for at least 24 hours to transmit Lyme disease. If Lyme disease is left untreated, the infection can spread to the joints, the heart and the nervous system.
Options for treatment of Lyme disease may include:
- A prescription of antibiotics
- A prescription for nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories
- A referral to a specialist
- Where a bloodwork test may be administered
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Be Prepared For Your Doctor Visit
You can improve your chances of having an accurate diagnosis and effective treatment by providing your doctor with as much information as you can from the very start. The following checklist can be a good reminder of what to bring and discuss with your physician at your first visit:
- Have the tick tested and/or identified:If you were able to remove or find the tick that bit you, seal it in a glass or plastic container and consider sending it to IGeneX for testing. Additionally, photograph the tick and/or have the species identified ahead of time if possible. Knowing what kind of tick bit you and, in particular, whether it has tested positive for a tick-borne disease can be extremely helpful for your doctors diagnostic process. If the tick is still being tested when you see your doctor, you still may be able to start treatment based on the severity of your symptoms.
- Note possible exposure: Write down the places and dates that you believe you were exposed to ticksand the possible date and time of day when the engorged tick attached and fell off or was removed.
- Track your symptoms: Keep a running log of all symptoms youve noticed since the tick bite, even if youre no longer experiencing them. Be sure to include the days/times when symptoms appeared . For additional help, you can use IGeneXs Symptom Checker.
- Take pictures: Take pictures of any rashes or blisters that you may have noticed at the site of the tick bite or elsewhere on your body.
Root Cause: We Try To Get To The Root Cause Of Your Issue And Not Just Give You A Band Aid
Our philosophy at My Path Medical is grounded by our comprehensive patient-first approach that utilizes functional medicine to create unique and holistic treatment plans for every patient.
We take the time necessary to uncover the root cause to your problems instead of only providing band-aid solutions to your symptoms.
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Strategies For Finding A Good Lyme Doctor
The first thing I did after my Lyme diagnosis was spend as much time and mental energy as I could researching Lyme disease. I needed to understand a little more what treatment options were available and how they compared.
I had a general idea that I wanted to find a good integrative LLMD to help guide me through the treatment process. I wanted a doctor who would take the best that modern medicine has to offer while also understanding what other alternative treatment modalities could bring to the table.
Good luck on your doctor search!
Do Your Research And Get Referrals
You can learn a lot just by researching doctors and reading patient reviews online. You can also connect with other patients through local and online support groups for various tick-borne diseases. Asking other patients to recommend or share their own experiences with different doctors can be particularly helpful when youre trying to locate and learn about physicians who specialize in various tick-borne illnesses.
The following sites can connect you to online support-group forums or help you identify different tick-borne support groups in the United States:
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How To Approach Your Non
For various reasons, you may choose to consult with a doctor who doesnt specialize in Lyme disease or other tick-borne diseases.
If so, be sure to be as proactive as possible in providing information that could help in diagnosing your disease, and always feel free to share resources that you find in your own research to prompt discussions about any aspect of your diagnosis or treatment, including more advanced testing options.
If your doctor does not believe Lyme disease exists, reach out to another doctor for a second opinion.
Want To Find A Blood Draw Site? Use Our Tool Here.
Hubbardston Tick Control And Lyme Disease Information
Mosquito Squad of Worcester is committed to providing you the best most up-to-date information on the threat of tick-borne diseases, such as Lyme disease in Massachusetts. Stay tuned for the latest on ticks in the area. Be sure to follow the 6 C’s of tick control to make certain your yard is not inadvertently attracting ticks. If you have not begun a tick control program with Mosquito Squad, please consider protecting your family with our effective EPA-registered tick control solution. Once you sign up, we will apply tick control spray about every 21 days from spring through fall. In the fall, we can embolden your tick protection efforts with our highly-effective tick tubes, which work to break the tick life cycle, resulting in fewer emerging ticks in the spring.
If you believe you have been bitten by a Lyme infected tick, seek medical attention immediately.
Begin your Hubbardston tick control regimen with Mosquito Squad of Worcester. We offer year-round solutions for helping protect your family from ticks and the harmful diseases they carry. Call us today at .
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Lyme Disease In An African American Child With Downs Syndrome
Welcome to another Inside Lyme Podcast with your host Dr. Daniel Cameron. In this episode, Dr. Cameron discusses the case of a 3-year-old African American child with Downs syndrome, developmental delays and disseminated Lyme disease. By Dr. Daniel Cameron “A case of disseminated Lyme disease in a child with skin of color” was published by Bax and colleagues in the journal Pediatric Dermatology.¹ The child, who had trisomy 21 (Downs
Call Ahead And Ask Questions
Even if you find a doctor who specializes in treating tick-borne diseases, you will want to ask some questions before making an appointment and committing your time and money. A few basic questions to consider asking upfront include the following:
- What is your experience in treating patients with tick-borne diseases?
- How do you diagnose diseases? Do you use any specific labs or lab tests to confirm diagnosis?
- Do you test for coinfections?
- Do you use traditional antibiotics and/or herbals?
- Do you have any patient success stories you can share?
- Do you strictly adhere to CDC test interpretation criteria or are you open to alternative criteria?
If youd like to find a LLMD and want to know more about how to vet them, read the Tick Talk blog, What Makes a Doctor Lyme Literate?
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Identify Doctors Trained In The Diagnosis And Treatment Of Tick
You can access a variety of online resources and directories to locate doctors who are specifically trained in identifying and treating tick-borne illnesses. These do not have to be infectious disease specialists they can be physicians from any practice area who simply have extensive experience with tick-borne diseases.
It is particularly important to find a Lyme expert if you suspect that you may have Lyme disease, since it is the most frequently misdiagnosed of all tick-borne diseases. Finding a Lyme-literate medical doctor a physician who is familiar with the vast range of symptoms that may indicate infection at various stages of the disease, as well as potential coinfections and other complexitiescan help ensure that you get the right treatment, right away.
To find a doctor who is also a Lyme expert, you may want to explore the following resources:
Note: Some of these organizations may require you to submit a form or create a login to access their databases.
Lyme Disease & Tick Borne Illness In New England
New Hampshire is the most infested and infected tick area in the United States for Lyme Disease and other tick borne infections. For being so easy to catch, it is very complicated, underserved, and too often misunderstood. There is a lot of political issues, social stigma, socioeconomic stress, and trauma associated with the disease.
We are very proactive with the disease treating with what is best for the patient. Best results in the clinic have been seen when natural medications and antibiotics are used in conjunction. We also treat all tick bites with antibiotics immediately, and for at least four weeks. This significantly decreases chance of long term infection, and with amount of infected ticks in the area we feel the most preventative approach is to respond to the bite at the get go. We here at Greenhouse Naturopathic Medicine would refer to ourselves at Lyme Literate Naturopathic Doctors.
Our goal is to take a thorough history of all the symptoms. Lyme disease and associated infections are always tested, but in the end it should be based on symptoms and history even if lab work is not clear. Referrals are given when appropriate to rule out other conditions if suspected for patient safety.
Before your visit with us for tick borne disease
Common Symptoms of Tick Borne Disease
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Finding A Good Lyme Doctor
I was one of the lucky ones.
After over a year of my general doctor running tests and sending me to different specialists, I tentatively questioned if Lyme disease might be worth investigating.
My doctor agreed: it was a good idea. But he also admitted that he knew the tests were terribly unreliable and Id need a good Lyme doctor to help me figure out if this was indeed causing all of my mysterious symptoms.
He referred me to a colleague who helped guide me through the early stages of Lyme testing and getting my diagnosis.
Ill forever be grateful for my doctors honesty. He knew he didnt understand Lyme well enough. He knew certain tests were sadly unreliable. And he was gracious enough to help me search for answers when most doctors would have scoffed.
Treatment Starts With Accurate Diagnosis
The only way to get the proper treatment for your tick-borne disease is to get the right diagnosis in the first place and one of the best ways to do that is, if possible, to see a physician whos experienced with tick-borne diseases. Accurate diagnosis also requires high quality testing at a reputable lab. Learn more about why doctors and patients trust the tests offered by IGeneX.
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