How Can I Help Prevent Lyme Disease In A Child
There is no vaccine for Lyme disease. A child who has had the disease doesnt build up immunity and can get it again. But you can help prevent Lyme disease by protecting your child from tick bites.
Ticks cant bite through clothing, so dress your child and family in:
- Long-sleeved shirts tucked into pants
- Socks and closed-toe shoes
- Long pants with legs tucked into socks
Choose light-colored clothing so that ticks can be easily seen. Check your child often for ticks, including:
- Behind the knees, between fingers and toes, in underarms, and in the groin
- In the belly button
- In and behind the ears, on the neck, in the hairline, and on top of the head
- Where underwear elastic touches the skin
- Where bands from pants or skirts touch the skin
- Anywhere else clothing presses on the skin
- All other areas of the body and hair
Run fingers gently over the skin. Run a fine-toothed comb through your childâs hair to check for ticks.
Other helpful tips include:
- When possible, use cleared or paved paths when walking through wooded areas and fields.
- Shower after outdoor activities are done for the day. It may take up to 4 to 6 hours for ticks to attach firmly to skin. Showering may help remove any loose ticks.
Use insect repellents safely. The most common used against ticks are:
Check your pets for ticks. Talk with your pets veterinarian about tick repellent medicine.
What Are The Signs Of Kidney Lupus How Is It Diagnosed And Classified
Swelling of the ankles and abdomen may be a sign of kidney disease, but the problem with kidney lupus is that often people are not aware that it is occurring until they visit the doctor for lab tests and blood work. Testing for the disease includes urinalysis, which your doctor will check for items such as red blood cells, red blood cell casts, and protein that has leaked from your kidneys into your urine. In addition, she/he will most likely ask you to perform a 24-hour urine test and determine the efficiency with which your kidneys are filtering blood by measuring your creatinine clearance. Lastly, your doctor may also recommend you to a kidney doctor to perform a biopsy to determine the class and degree of your kidney involvement. There are 6 levels of kidney lupus and the class in which your disease falls will help your doctor to design a specific course of treatment.
Strategies For Managing Nerve Pain
1. Reduce Your Microbial Burden
When youre dealing with Lyme disease and co-infections, its not always easy to pinpoint which stealth pathogen is affecting your nervous system. In fact, its most reasonable to recognize that all sneaky microbes are capable of disrupting immune function and causing it to go awry.
When your bodys microbial burden becomes too great, your microbiome becomes imbalanced, driving inflammation and aggravating neuropathy. Thus, at the top of the priority list is decreasing the infectious load to normalize and calm the immune system.
When youre looking for natural solutions to lessen the impact of stealth pathogens, herbal therapy can play a critical role. Not only do herbs have antimicrobial properties, but they are anti-inflammatory and contain antioxidants as well.
Moreover, herbs dont disrupt the delicate balance of the microbiome like synthetics medications do. Some of my favorite herbs with antimicrobial and immunomodulating properties to keep in mind include:
2. Use Medications Cautiously
When it comes to neuropathy, the reality is that sometimes you need some extra support to get your pain levels to a tolerable level. There are a variety of over-the-counter and prescription medications that may be useful from time to time.
However, the value of medications is limited to short term management of symptoms because of cumulative side effects. The list of medications commonly recommended by healthcare providers includes:
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Lyme And Neuropathy: How To Ease Nerve Pain Tingling And Weakness
Lyme disease can affect several systems of the body the brain, nervous system, joints, heart, and more.
The list of symptoms infected individuals can experience is expansive and varies from person to person.
Its one of the reasons a Lyme disease diagnosis may be controversial.
Yet, one thing everyone seems to agree on about the tick-borne disease is that it can significantly impact the nervous system, especially without prompt treatment in the early stages of the infection.
Unfortunately, Lyme often goes missed early on. The telltale sign of a Lyme infection an erythema migrans rash, or the classic bulls-eye rash doesnt occur in every case. .
And the initial symptoms of infection may be nothing more than fever, chills, headache, fatigue, or muscle aches, making them easy to miss or brush off as a case of the flu.
But as the disease advances, the bacteria associated with Lyme, Borrelia burgdorferi, spreads via the bloodstream to other parts of the body, a process known as dissemination. This occurs in the days and weeks following infection, referred to as early disseminated Lyme disease.
If an infection goes untreated for months to years, however, theres a good chance the infection will proceed to late stage or late disseminated Lyme disease, sometimes called chronic Lyme disease. Thats when the nervous system can become involved, and symptoms ratchet up to a whole new level.
Can Lyme Disease Affect Kidney Function
Kidney disease can be a prevalent problem in patients who suffer from Lyme disease. In cases of chronic Lyme disease-induced kidney disease, the bacteria causes lesions on the kidneys, and can also cause glomerular disease.
Glomerular disease is a condition that causes red blood cells and proteins to leak out of the bloodstream and body and into the urinary tract. The condition can also cause the build-up of certain wastes because it damages the kidneys ability to rid the body properly of that waste.
Image by on The urinary system is designed to rid the body of waste, but what happens when its not doing its job?
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Lyme Disease In Dogs: Symptoms And Treatment
Lyme disease in dogs is one of the most common tick-transmitted diseases in the world, but it only causes symptoms in 5-10% of affected dogs. So some dogs may have it, but never show symptoms.
Transmission of Lyme disease has been reported in dogs throughout the United States and Europe, but its most prevalent in the upper Midwestern states, the Atlantic seaboard and the Pacific coastal states.
However, the disease is spreading and becoming more common throughout the United States. Heres some info about the causes and prevention of Lyme disease, as well as the symptoms you should look for and treatment options.
What Are The Signs & Symptoms Of Lyme Disease
Lyme disease can affect different body systems, such as the nervous system, joints, skin, and heart. The symptoms of Lyme disease are often described as happening in three stages. Not everyone with Lyme has all of these, though:
The rash sometimes has a “bull’s-eye” appearance, with a central red spot surrounded by clear skin that is ringed by an expanding red rash. It also can appear as an growing ring of solid redness. It’s usually flat and painless, but sometimes can be warm to the touch, itchy, scaly, burning, or prickling. The rash may look and feel very different from one person to the next. It can be harder to see on people with darker skin tones, where it can look like a bruise. It gets bigger for a few days to weeks, then goes away on its own. A person also may have flu-like symptoms such as fever, tiredness, headache, and muscle aches.
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Your Horse And Dangers Of Lyme Disease
Newsdate: Tuesday, July 14, 2020, 11:57 amLocation: GILROY, California
Lyme disease is difficult to diagnose in horses, but it is a disease that horse owners should consider when a horse exhibits symptoms ranging from weakness, lameness, lack of appetite, and behavioral changes to kidney failure, heart disease or neurologic disorders. Treatment can be given as long as organ failure has not begun.
Two women enjoying a trail ride on their horses
Lyme disease should be considered when a horse exhibits symptoms ranging from weakness, lameness, lack of appetite, and behavioral changes to kidney failure, heart disease or neurological disorders.© 2017 by Julie Vader New window.
Many pet and horses owners do not see the ticks on their animals only to find out when tested that their horses are indeed positive for Lyme disease.This infectious disease is caused by the bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi and affects horses, humans and many other animals. While fewer cases of Lyme disease are diagnosed in cold winter areas, it is a disease that both horse owners and veterinarians need to consider throughout the year.
Veterinarians usually apply a process of elimination when investigating symptoms common to Lyme disease and other illnesses in horses.
Diagnosis in horses is further complicated by problems in detecting the spirochaetal bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi, which is responsible for Lyme disease, in blood samples taken from horses.
Sensitivities To Light And Sound
One of the pioneers in Lyme disease research is Joseph J. Burrascano Jr., MD. In the early days of the disease, he came up with a checklist that doctors could use to diagnose itand it includes all of the above signs, as well as other previously observed symptoms like sensitivities to light and sound, muscle weakness, erectile dysfunction, and dental pain.
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Antioxidant Diet For Lyme Disease
The Lyme Diet strengthens the immune system rather than weakens it. Two substances to exclude from the diet are sugar and gluten. They are known to cause inflammation, something you are trying to eliminate.
Every persons Lyme diet will be different, however, because there is no one-size-fits-all solution. Some people may be able to tolerate foods others cannot. It may take some trial and error to figure out which foods make you feel better or worse. Tips for creating a Lyme diet protocol include a focus on hydration. Drinking a lot of water can reduce inflammation and flush toxins.
Although it is called a Lyme diet, try not to think of it as a diet, but more as a lifestyle. Everything you consume should provide some form of nourishment to the body. Fresh fruits and vegetables are a great source of nutrients. Also, think about using nutritional supplements as part of your diet.
Diagnosing And Treating Your Dog
Diagnosing your dog for Lyme disease requires the veterinarian to run an antibody test. This test takes a closer look at the bodys immunity. The response of the immune system is measurable by the test.
The experts can see whether the antibody for Lyme disease is present for making a correct diagnosis. This will show that the dogs body has been fighting the disease. If the blood reports show a high volume of antibodies then your veterinarian can make a diagnosis. Once the experts confirm the presence of the infection, they will then start the treatment.
Fortunately, the treatment of Lyme disease is straightforward and includes taking antibiotics and painkillers. Unfortunately, there is no vaccine available. Scientists continue to work on developing a vaccine to prevent Lyme disease.
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How Long Does It Take For Lyme Disease To Present Symptoms
Once infected with the bacteria, your dog will take two to five months to start displaying any symptoms of Lyme disease. This is the stage where bacteria is present in the body but not actively causing symptoms. Because of this, there can be quite a long gap in between the tick bite and the first signs.
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Clinical Presentation Of Lyme Disease And Ehrlichiosis Are Inconsistent
For Lyme disease, controlled-infection studies have demonstrated that only a fraction of the dogs with joint capsule pathology show clinical signs of polyarthritis.3,4 Even fewer exposed dogs demonstrate severe kidney involvement manifested as acute progressive and often fatal protein-losing nephropathy that is classically recognized as Lyme nephritis.5 Therefore, simply relying on clinical signs of lethargy or shifting-limb lameness may not be sufficient to alert veterinarians to an underlying disease process affecting the joints, kidneys, or other body systems. Similarly, for ehrlichiosis, practitioners may rely on hematologic and biochemical abnormalities, such as thrombocytopenia and hyperglobulinemia, to indicate active infection in a seropositive dog. However, during the subclinical phase of ehrlichiosis, these abnormalities may be inconsistent or mild6 due to compensatory mechanisms.
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Arthritis Caused By Lyme Disease
There are many causes for arthritis, and your veterinarian will focus on differentiating arthritis initiated by Lyme disease from other inflammatory arthritic disorders, such as trauma and degenerative joint disease.
Immune-mediated diseases will also be considered as a possible cause of the symptoms. X-rays of the painful joints will allow your doctor to examine the bones for abnormalities.
What Is Lyme Carditis
Lyme carditis occurs when Lyme disease bacteria enter the tissues of the heart. This can interfere with the normal movement of electrical signals from the hearts upper to lower chambers, a process that coordinates the beating of the heart. The result is something physicians call heart block, which can vary in degree and change rapidly. Lyme carditis occurs in approximately one out of every hundred Lyme disease cases reported to CDC.
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Tiny Deer Ticks Transmit Lyme Disease
Although the tick prefers certain creaturessuch as voles, white-footed mice, or deerupon which to feed during the various stages of its life cycle, it is quite willing to feed on people or dogs. Regardless of its stage of development , if the tick carries the bacteria in its body, people and dogs can become infected if bitten. Once a tick attaches, it takes 1-2 days for it to transmit the bacteria that cause Lyme disease, so prompt removal of ticks is important. Risk of transmission is highest during periods when the nymphs and adults are actively seeking hosts.
Lyme disease in dogs has been reported in every state in the United States, but certain geographical areas are much more likely to harbor bacteria-carrying ticks than others. Infection rates of ticks vary, but can be as high as 50%. Areas in the United States where it occurs most often include the northeast , upper Midwest, and Pacific coast. The disease is actually named after the town Lyme, Connecticut, where an early outbreak was first described. Lyme disease is also seen in Europe and Asia. The risk of Lyme disease being transmitted to people is increasing. In the last 20 years, the number of cases reported to the Centers for Disease Control has about doubled, to around 30,000/year. Although the rate of occurrence of the disease in a geographic area is similar in both animals and people, animals, especially dogs, are at significantly higher risk because of their greater exposure to ticks.
Beware Of The Symptoms Of Lyme Disease In Dogs
Lyme disease affects dogs but it’s not the same in all dogs. The bacteria that causes Lyme disease in dogs can affect the neurological system, musculoskeletal system and kidneys. Dogs suffering from Lyme disease will have symptoms that depend on the organs or systems that are being affected. This article will look at the different systems and organs that can be affected by Lyme disease and reveal the symptoms of Lyme disease in dogs.
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What Is Chronic Liver Disease
Chronic liver disease includes a wide range of medical conditions of different severity. CLD includes conditions such as:
- Liver transplant recipients
Some conditions, especially nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, often occur in combination with obesity and/or diabetesconditions that alone increase the risk of severe disease with COVID-19.
Now that COVID-19 has been around for some time, researchers are learning more about the risks, as well as complications that might be expected with people with chronic liver disease who acquire the virus.
Lyme The Nervous System And Neuropathy
Unfortunately, once the infection begins to spread throughout the body, many people will develop Lyme neuroborreliosis . This is neurological Lyme disease, which affects and inflames the central and peripheral nervous systems.
Research suggests the neurologic manifestations of Lyme disease may be present in approximately 15% of the patient population. However, the exact incidence of LNB isnt well known. A brief stint in an online Lyme patient forum will quickly reveal that most individuals report experiencing at least some amount of neurological involvement on a routine basis.
One debilitating symptom that may be present among those with LNB is peripheral neuropathy . This is a disease process that impacts the nerves located outside of the brain and spinal cord. Neuropathy occurs when there is damage or dysfunction of neurons in one or more nerves.
The damage results in interference among the neurons, and they begin to have difficulty communicating with each other and the brain.
To make matters worse, co-infections like Babesia and Bartonella can contribute to neuropathy as well, according to a study in the International Journal of General Medicine.
So how do you know if the symptoms youre facing are neuropathy, and what can you do to find some relief? Read on to learn about the symptoms, diagnosis, and ideas on how to manage the pain and discomfort associated with neuropathy more effectively.
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