Tuesday, April 23, 2024

Lyme Literate Doctors In Ma

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What to do after a tick bite & finding a Lyme Literate Doctor!

Practice

  • American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology
  • Clinical Neurophysiology
  • Medical School – Faculté de Médecine de Tunis
  • University of Texas, Austin, Residency in Neurology
  • National Institutes of Health, Fellowship in Clinical Neurophysiology
  • National Institutes of Health, Fellowship in Epilepsy

Common visit reasons

Practice

  • American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology

Education

  • Medical School – New York Medical College, Doctor of Medicine
  • University of Michigan Medical Center
  • Boston University, Fellowship in Behavioral Neurology
  • Boston University, Residency in Neurology

Common visit reasons

Practice

  • American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology
  • Neuromuscular Medicine
  • Medical School – Temple University, Doctor of Medicine
  • Boston University Medical Center Hospital, Residency in Neurology
  • Massachusetts General Hospital, Fellowship in Neuromuscular Medicine

Common visit reasons

Practice

  • American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology
  • Medical School – State University of New York, Stony Brook, Doctor of Medicine
  • Boston Medical Center
  • Veterans Administration Medical Center, Boston, Fellowship in Behavioral Neurology

Common visit reasons

Practice

  • American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology
  • Medical School – Tufts University, Doctor of Medicine
  • Boston Medical Center, Internship in Internal Medicine
  • Boston Medical Center, Residency in Neurology
  • Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Fellowship in Headache Medicine

Common visit reasons

Practice

  • American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology

Practice

We Treat Lyme Disease

Lyme Laser Centers, Inc. was founded with the goal of providing an affordable means of treating the distressing symptoms of Lyme disease. We have successfully cared for hundreds of acute and chronic Lyme clients. Lyme is a progressive disease that can have permanent, irreversible effects on the body. Damage to the neurological system is especially difficult to reverse. The Lyme Laser Protocol is designed to immediately begin the regeneration of these systems. Our research has shown that a significant number of our clients have undiagnosed co-factors that severely suppress normal body function and regeneration. It is just as important to be able to identify what these issues are and address them, as it is to address the Lyme itself.

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My Chronic Lyme Disease Journey

Likely, you have come to this page in hopes of sorting out some of the confusion surrounding Lyme disease.

There is so much controversy around this disease because most doctors dont understand it. Even many doctors who consider themselves Lyme experts or Lyme literate medical doctors do not completely comprehend its complexities.

But I have one qualification that most other physicians do not. My life and a busy medical career were disrupted midstream by Lyme disease, though obtaining that diagnosis was quite the journey through multiple diagnoses including fibromyalgia.

My late 40s were marked by debilitating fatigue, tremendous brain fog, aching all over, burning in my feet and tingling in my hands, skin rashes, joint pain, chest pain, heart palpitations, mood changes, and poor sleep. I know what its like to start and end every day feeling like you have a terrible flu. Over several years, I experienced virtually every known symptom of Lyme disease.

Ultimately, this caused me to stop practicing obstetrics. But because I didnt have a firm diagnosis at the time, declaring disability wasnt an option. As an alternative, I started a less demanding primary care practice that did not require nightcall. The practice provided me with the environment I needed to recover. I had control over my work hours and the intensity of the work.

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What Is A Lyme Literate Doctor

Dr. Abigail Dumes addresses the question: What is a Lyme literate doctor? in a recent issue of Medical Anthropology. She explains the disagreement in medicine between doctors over the symptoms of “chronic Lyme disease.” One group described as “mainstream doctors” consider the symptoms to be due to a medically unexplained illness. While the other faction, known as “Lyme literate doctors” considers the symptoms to be sufficient evidence for a medical explanation.

In the Infectious Diseases Society of America guidelines, Wormser and colleagues initially dismissed Lyme disease symptoms as nothing more than the aches and pains of daily living. A Lyme literate doctor would disagree.

That conclusion, however, has been undermined by findings from clinical trials, sponsored by the National Institutes of Health , which report patients with Lyme disease suffer from severe symptoms, poor quality of life, and a loss of function.

Additionally, other studies indicate patients diagnosed with Post-Treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome exhibit ongoing pain, impaired cognitive function, severe fatigue, and poor function.

Although they may not agree on the cause, both groups of doctors are beginning to recognize that these patients, whatever they are labeled, continue to suffer from chronic illnesses.

Lyme literate doctors have reached the same conclusion. For purposes of transparency, I have been viewed as a Lyme literate doctor.

References:

Do Your Research And Get Referrals

Cima Pillsbury, ND, LAc

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 Find A Lyme

When youre dealing with Lyme disease or other tick-borne infections, it can be a daunting task to find a doctor whos familiar with the illness throughout its various stages. Your family doctor or primary care provider may be able treat you when your symptoms correspond to an acute case of the condition. But where do you turn for Lyme disease treatment if your illness doesnt check the traditional boxes for the infection? Or if the disease has progressed to a later stage? Thats where a Lyme-literate medical doctor or Lyme specialist comes in. These physicians have additional training in the diagnosis and treatment of Lyme disease and other tick-borne infections. Here are resources to find a provider who understands your symptoms and can help guide you toward recovery.

Lyme Disease And Tick

Lyme disease patients have difficulty finding doctors with experience treating Lyme disease. For the past 25 years, LymeDisease.org has been connecting patients with Lyme-literate practitioners who specialize in caring for patients with Lyme disease.

We are happy to connect you with your nearest Lyme literate practitioners contact information. Please note, however, we are not privy to the status on each individual offices payment/insurance practices or if they are accepting new patients, with that said, we do encourage you to use the information available to contact the offices directly.

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Four Important Facts About Lyme Disease You Should Know From A Functional Medicine Doctor

  • Lyme Disease is known as the Great Imitator because its symptoms mimic many other chronic illnesses making it harder for a true diagnosis and harder to treat Lyme disease. A large percentage of people suffering from Lyme Disease never had the classic bull’s eye rash. If you live in areas where Lyme Disease is endemic like the Northeast or the Upper Midwest, you should familiarize yourself with the symptoms of Early Lymeto allow for prompt diagnosis and treatment.

  • Lyme Disease in children can cause different symptoms from those in adults. Kids infected with Lyme may complain of headaches, fatigue, become irritable or have mood swings.

  • Ticks carry more infections than just Lyme Disease. All labs will test for the presence of Borrelia Burgdorferi, the bacteria that causes Lyme Disease. However, ticks carry more than one type of Borrelia bacteria as well as many other bacterial infections that, if untreated, can have serious implications for your health, including long-term effects on your nervous system. Learn more about our testing here.

  • Prevention is the best policy. Don’t take a chance with Lyme Disease! Learn how you can protect yourself and your family from Lyme Disease and other tick-borne diseases.

Lyme Disease And Other Tickborne Diseases

Chronic Lyme Disease Controversy

Lyme Disease and Other Tickborne Diseases: Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is Lyme Disease?

A: Lyme Disease is the most commonly reported vector-borne illness in the United States. Transmitted through tick bites, Lyme Disease can cause serious, even chronic, health problems for both people and their companion animals. The bacteria that causes the disease, Borrelia burgdorferi, lives inside a tick or mammal and can bind to connective tissue once the tick bites its host. Lyme has the ability to change its presentation in the immune system, so the symptoms can vary with the individual and can even change at each stage of the infection.

Q: Are there other diseases that can make my dog sick from ticks?

A: Ticks have the potential to carry many harmful diseases. Common ones in Massachusetts include Anaplasmosis, Ehrlichiosis, which can often be co-transmitted with Lyme Disease. These are easily tested for. Other diseases, such as Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, are rare in our geographical area but still our pets are still at possible risk of infection.

Q: What are the symptoms of Lyme Disease?

A: Symptoms may not present themselves for two to six months or more. They can include lameness, which can change from one limb to another without explanation. Other symptoms can include joint swelling, decreased energy/lethargy, fever, and loss of appetite.

Q: What kind of actions can I take for my dog to prevent infection of Lyme Disease and other tick borne diseases?

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Proven Or Alleged Unethical Activities Of Some Llmds

Some LLMDs, advocacy organisations for patients, and certain diagnostic laboratories have interconnections, presenting potential conflicts of interest for these LLMDs in their multiple roles as advisors, personal physicians, and recipients of grants from activist organisations. Many of these physicians are represented by the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society , located in Maryland, USA. Two of the most vocal patient-activist organisations are the Lyme Disease Association in New Jersey, and the California Lyme Disease Association , USA.

Get A Compelling Long Read And Must

Sam Telford has spent his entire professional career focused on stamping out ticks and the diseases they transmit to humans. / Photo by Matt Kalinowski

Its a bright Thursday afternoon, and Sam Telford is rummaging through the back of his white Chevy Silverado pickup truck. Slapped on the tailgate are a pair of bumper stickers: The first asks the age-old question Got Ticks? and the other reads I Brake for Roadkill. When I ask if the second one is true, Telford raises his dark eyebrows over his glasses and assures me that his bumper doesnt lie. I cut their heads off and take their brains, he says.

Fortunately, decapitating roadkill isnt on todays to-do list. Telford, whos sporting khakis, a brown pair of wellies, and a quilted blue jacket, has agreed, however, to take me on a walk through the woods near his North Grafton office to see if we can capture some ticks. The weather conditions are far from ideallow 40s, windy, snow still lingering on the groundbut as Stephen Rich, a UMass Amherst microbiology professor, told me, Sam could find a tick in a blizzard. We shall see.

And with that, we make our way toward the trees.

In the aftermath, numerous and extensive follow-up studies by the FDA never corroborated any of the safety risks that were alleged in the lawsuitbut it didnt matter. Clouded by controversy, sales of the vaccine sputtered out of the gate and SmithKline Beecham yanked it from the market.

Is this year going to be bad for ticks? I asked.

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What Are The Symptoms Of Lyme Disease

Early stage : The most common early symptom is a rash where the tick was attached. It often, but not always, starts as a small red area that spreads outward, clearing up in the center so it looks like a donut. Flu-like symptoms, such as fever, headache, stiff neck, sore and aching muscles and joints, fatigue and swollen glands may also occur. Even though these symptoms may go away by themselves, without medical treatment, some people will get the rash again in other places on their bodies, and many will experience more serious problems. Treatment during the early stage prevents later, more serious problems.

Later stages : If untreated, people with Lyme disease can develop late-stage symptoms even if they never had a rash. The joints, nervous system and heart are most commonly affected.

  • About 60% of people with untreated Lyme disease get arthritis in their knees, elbows and/or wrists. The arthritis can move from joint to joint and become chronic.
  • Many people who dont get treatment develop nervous system problems. These problems include meningitis , facial weakness or other problems with nerves of the head, and weakness or pain in the hands, arms, feet and/or legs. These symptoms can last for months, often shifting between mild and severe.
  • The heart also can be affected in Lyme disease, with slowing down of the heart rate and fainting. The effect on the heart can be early or late.

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This Wellness Center Is Unlike Any Other

Amazing experience. It is so clean and makes you feel safe especially during Covid-19 times. Ive had two facials there so far and am HOOKED! This wellness center is unlike any other. Its calm quiet and has something for everyone! Acupuncture, facials and health. Thank you Cailin for the best facial Ive ever received. Youre the skincare goddess. You wont be disappointed when you go. I had the 90 min custom facial and it was pure heaven.

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Why Antibiotics Have Limited Use For Chronic Lyme

Borrelia clears the blood quickly and uses its corkscrew shape to penetrate deeply into tissues where it is protected from antibiotics and the immune system. It can penetrate into cells, give up the corkscrew shape, and live inside of cells, thus gaining protection from the immune system and antibiotics. If confronted with a full antibiotic assault, it rolls up into dormant cyst and rides out the storm until the antibiotics are gone.

Antibiotics work best on highly threatening microbes that grow very rapidly and congregate densely in localized areas in the body . Borrelia grows very slowly in the body and only occurs in very low concentrations in tissues.

Borrelia is a master at blending in with the trillions of other microbes that make up the human microbiome . Overwhelming the host is not its mission it simply needs to scavenge enough resources to survive. Borrelias stealthy ability to lay low makes diagnosis and treatment a real challenge.

Borrelia never occurs alone. There are many stealthy microbes Mycoplasma, Chlamydia, Bartonella, Epstein-Barr virus , cytomegalovirus , and others that can occupy space in the microbiome. Sometimes they occur as coinfections with the tick bite, but they can already be present in the microbiome, without causing symptoms, when infection with Borrelia occurs.

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Disclaimer: The above material is provided for information purposes only. The material is not nor should be considered, or used as a substitute for, medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, nor does it necessarily represent endorsement by or an official position of Global Lyme Alliance, Inc. or any of its directors, officers, advisors or volunteers. Advice on the testing, treatment or care of an individual patient should be obtained through consultation with a physician who has examined that patient or is familiar with that patients medical history. Global Lyme Alliance, Inc. makes no warranties of any kind regarding this Website, including as to the accuracy, completeness, currency or reliability of any information contained herein, and all such warranties are expressly disclaimed.

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Are Video Visits With A Neurologist Online Covered By My Insurance

Most insurers provide coverage for video visits at the same cost as in-person visits. You can search on Zocdoc specifically for Neurologists in Boston, MA who accept your insurance for video visits by selecting your carrier and plan from the drop-down menu at the top of the page. We recommend you check with your insurance carrier directly to confirm your coverage and out of pocket costs for video visits.

Darcy Wellness Center + Spa Is Amazing

April̢s Stem Cell Story РLyme Disease

DArcy Wellness Center + Spa is amazing! A true one stop shop for wellness. I can get acupuncture, see a chiropractor, get a massage and have a facial, all top quality and all at one location. Cailins facials are so good. Using cleaner products, Gua Sha facial massage and light therapy she has really helped my skin and takes the utmost caution during these Covid times. I highly recommend DArcy and all the practitioners!

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What Is Lyme Disease

Lyme disease is a tick-borne illness caused by the bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi. It can cause symptoms and illness of the skin, heart, joints, or neurologic system, so its important for it to be detected early and treated with antibiotics, says Dr. Nancy A. Shadick, director of the Lyme Disease Prevention Program at Brigham and Womens Hospital.

The signature bulls eye rash is distinctive enough to make the diagnosis, but the rash is absent in approximately 20 percent of those who are infected.

How Can I Make A Same

On average, patients who use Zocdoc can search for a Neurologist in Boston, MA, book an appointment, and see the Neurologist within 24 hours. Same-day appointments are often available, you can search for real-time availability of Neurologists in Boston, MA who accept your insurance and make an appointment online.

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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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