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Lyme Disease At Home Treatment

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Question 3 Is There A Molecular Test For Lyme Disease

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One example of a molecular test for Lyme disease at Quest is the Lyme Disease DNA, Qualitative Real-Time PCR, Blood . Amplification of Borrelia genomic DNA from blood, fluids or tissues can support the diagnosis of Lyme disease. Click here for a list of this and other molecular tests for Lyme disease at Quest.

Treatment Round #: Antibiotics

My initial Lyme treatment looked like a whole lot of antibioticsdoxycycline, plus two others that were supposedly beneficial for combating common Lyme co-infections. And this was fine with me. Given the severity of my symptoms, I was willing to try anything. Plus, at the time, I didn’t really know I had any other options.

Because I’d likely had Lyme for years by the time I began treatment, it took some time for me to notice any results. But soon, there was no question the drugs were working. After three months, I had less pain after six months, I could walk around the block and after nine months, I could go on a 2-mile hike. All told, I was on this combination of antibiotics for about two years , after which I felt completely symptom-freesomething I never, ever expected.

And I felt pretty great for about a year. But then I’d start to feel a bit more achy than usual after walking my ankles and knees would get red, hot, and painful I started to notice that old tingling sensation in my arms and legs and eventually, I was struggling to walk again. My Lyme was re-emerging even after lengthy antibiotic treatmentand apparently, that’s not uncommon. This, I’ve since learned, is partially due to the spirochete shape of the bacteria that causes Lyme disease , which allows some forms of the bacteria to essentially burrow deep into your tissue and lay dormant only to re-emerge later when conditions are more favorable.

What Is Post Treatment Lyme Disease

Post Treatment Lyme Disease represents a research subset of patients who remain significantly ill 6 months or more following standard antibiotic therapy for Lyme disease. PTLD is characterized by a constellation of symptoms that includes severe fatigue, musculoskeletal pain, sleep disturbance, depression, and cognitive problems such as difficulty with short-term memory, speed of thinking, or multi-tasking. In the absence of a direct diagnostic biomarker blood test, PTLD has been difficult to define by physicians, and its existence has been controversial. However, our clinical research shows that meticulous patient evaluation when used alongside appropriate diagnostic testing can reliably identify patients with a history of previously treated Lyme disease who display the typical symptom patterns of PTLD.

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Detoxifying And Excreting The Toxins Of Lyme

Lyme during its life cycle produce numerous toxins. These toxins are important because they trigger many harmful responses in the body, including the inflammation that is damaging to healthy tissue and causes the dysfunction of the immune system. These toxins are fat-soluble lipoproteins and are very difficult to rid the body of. The body normally detoxifies fat-soluble substances in the liver and excretes them from the bile. Unfortunately, the toxins appear to be reabsorbed from the gut and circulate back into the body. Treatments designed to aid the body in eliminating these toxins is a very important part of a complete and comprehensive Lyme disease therapy.

Dr. Toshiko Yamazaki, MD owns an infrared therapy clinic in Japan where she has done extensive research on the uses of Infrared Therapy or Infrared Light Therapy. In her book, The Science of Far- Infrared Therapies, she explains that one of the reasons IR has beneficial results in a variety of illnesses is the ability of IR waves to remove toxins along with heavy metals. Infrared Therapy also has beneficial results with mercury detoxification, which is often at the core of many health problems. Since humans are bio-accumulators, numerous toxins that disturb natural body healing and cannot be removed immediately after entry are stored in our bodies and prevent future natural body healing. InfraRed therapies are simple, inexpensive natural way to FIGHT BACK.

Lab Testing For Lyme Disease Is Notoriously Tricky Even For Trained Doctors

6 Powerful Home Remedies for Lyme Disease

Gold-standard Lyme disease tests are still murkymeaning a kit you buy online may be even less reliable.

Researchers determine the validity of most disease screening tests by looking at two factors.4 The first is sensitivity, which refers to how accurately a test identifies people who have the markers of a disease . The second is specificity, which refers to how well a test identifies people who dont have the markers of a disease .

In general the recommended lab tests for Lyme disease can lack both. There are a lot of false positives out there , and thats always been a problem, Raymond J. Dattwyler, MD, a professor of microbiology, immunology, and medicine at New York Medical College, tells SELF.

There are numerous reasons for potential inaccuracies. Some Western blot tests dont look for every type of protein band related to Lyme disease, for example, which could skew results, according to both Dr. Dattwyler and Samuel Shor, MD, FACP, former president of the International Lyme & Associated Diseases Society and clinical associate professor of health care sciences at George Washington University. Even if you take one that does, IgG and IgM antibodies may not develop until weeks after you become infected, so testing too soon can lead to false negatives, Dr. Shor says.

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Natural Treatment For Lyme Disease In Dogs

Lyme disease in dogs is the leading tick-borne disease in the United States.

And while Lyme disease may not be common and many dogs never develop any symptoms, it is something that you need to treat if your dog starts showing signs

But if your dog does get this infection, dont run to the vet for drugs without trying these natural alternatives first.

Chronic Lyme Disease Vs Ptlds

The terms chronic Lyme disease and Post-Treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome are sometimes used interchangeably. However, PTLDS is slightly more restrictive, referring to patients who have received treatment for Lyme disease but go on to experience Lyme disease symptoms. It does not include those who received a misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis and have developed chronic symptoms of Lyme disease before receiving any kind of treatment.

The CDC defines PTLDS as generalized and/or recurring pain, fatigue, and cognitive difficulties that last for more than 6 months after treatment. These mirror symptoms associated with chronic Lyme disease, with or without treatment.

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When Should I See My Healthcare Provider

If you feel sick after having spent time in areas where ticks might live, you should make an appointment with your healthcare provider.

If you received a Lyme disease diagnosis and you dont feel well after taking all of your antibiotics, contact your provider. This is especially true if you have symptoms like a stiff neck or mental confusion.

A Natural Cure For Lyme Disease

Alternative treatments for Lyme disease symptoms brings new hope to those suffering
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Every year, at least 30,000 people and possibly 10 times that are infected with the bacterium that causes Lyme disease, most in the Northeast and upper Midwest. Symptoms can include fatigue, joint pain, memory problems and even temporary paralysis. In a small minority of cases, the malaise can persist for many months.

So its worrisome that in recent decades, Lyme cases have surged, nearly quadrupling in Michigan and increasing more than tenfold in Virginia. Its now the single greatest vector-borne disease in the United States, Danielle Buttke, an epidemiologist with the National Park Service in Fort Collins, Colo., told me, and its expanding on a really epic scale.

Whats behind the rise of Lyme? Many wildlife biologists suspect that it is partly driven by an out-of-whack ecosystem.

Lyme disease is transmitted by bites from ticks that carry the Lyme-causing bacterium, Borrelia burgdorferi. Ticks get it from the animals they feed on, primarily mice and chipmunks. And rodents thrive in the fragmented, disturbed landscapes that, thanks to human activity, now characterize large sections of the Northeast.

If humans have inadvertently increased the chances of contracting Lyme disease, the good news is that theres a potential fix: allow large predators, particularly wolves and cougars, to return.

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How Much Do At

Generally, at-home Lyme disease tests cost around $100, while others may cost closer to $500. The difference comes down to how many pathogens you are hoping to test for. On average, the test will look for two or three, but more expensive tests may screen for 10 to 15.

Depending on your insurance and which test you select, it may be covered. Another option is to pay for the Lyme disease test with your HSA/FSA, since some companies will accept that as a payment form.

What Abnormal Results Mean

A positive ELISA result is abnormal. This means antibodies were seen in your blood sample. But, this does not confirm a diagnosis of Lyme disease. A positive ELISA result must be followed up with a Western blot test. Only a positive Western blot test can confirm the diagnosis of Lyme disease.

For many people, the ELISA test remains positive, even after they have been treated for Lyme disease and no longer have symptoms.

A positive ELISA test may also occur with certain diseases not related to Lyme disease, such as rheumatoid arthritis.

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An Overview Of Medical Treatment For Lyme Disease

Medical treatments for Lyme disease include antibiotics, herbal antibiotics, and other pharmaceutical drugs besides antibiotics. Combinations of antibiotics are typically used for Lyme disease treatment because the three types of Borrelia bacteria that cause Lyme disease, Borrelia burgdorferi for short, Borrelia afzelii, and Borrelia garinii, morph into different forms that must be targeted with different antibiotics. Antibiotics that are commonly used to treat Lyme disease include penicillins , cephalosporins , macrolides , and tetracyclines .

The natural world is filled with botanicals with antibiotic properties. Herbal antibiotic protocols incorporate many of natures most potent antibiotic plants. Two of the most popular herbal antibiotic protocols for Lyme disease include the Buhner and the Cowden protocols. A few notable herbs in these protocols include Japanese Knotweed , which, in addition to being antibacterial, contains phytochemicals that alleviate Lyme-induced inflammation, and Cryptolepis sanguinolenta, a bitter botanical with potent anti-Borrelia activity.

Several non-antibiotic drugs are also used in Lyme disease treatment, including artemisinin, an antimalarial drug, and low-dose naltrexone , an immune system-modulating drug. You can read more about the applications of LDN for Lyme disease in my article, Low Dose Naltrexone for Lyme Disease Treatment.

Some Chronic Lyme Disease Symptoms

Supplements For Lyme Disease Treatment

As mentioned, chronic Lyme disease consists of a broad cluster of physical, cognitive, and psychiatric symptoms. Some of these symptoms are much more common, while others almost never occur, but can be deadly. But even the less severe symptoms, such as chronic fatigue and pain, can lead to drastic changes in quality of life for chronic Lyme patients.

Chronic Lyme survivors have reported experiencing the following symptoms for months to years after infection:

  • Intermittent fevers, chills, and sweats
  • Chronic inflammation
  • Numbness and tingling in the limbs
  • Dizziness and shortness of breath
  • Heart palpitations and irregular heartbeat
  • Anxiety and paranoia
  • Multiple-chemical sensitivities

Chronic Lyme disease can be linked to deadly symptoms, such as Lyme carditis .

According to Lymedisease.org, studies consistently show that chronic Lyme disease patients have poorer quality of life than those with other chronic diseases. One of their own studies showed that 75% of surveyed patients reported at least one symptom as severe or very severe.

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Investigation Of Suspected Neurological Lyme Disease

The diagnosis of neurological Lyme disease can only be confirmed by examination of the CSF and a paired serum sample. A definite diagnosis is based on the presence of a pleocytosis in the CSF, demonstration of intrathecal synthesis of specific antibodies to Borrelia species in CSF by comparison to serum and the presence of neurological symptoms. It is not possible to confirm intrathecal synthesis and hence definite neurological Lyme disease without a paired serum .

In 2018 RIPL introduced a service for the detection of intrathecal synthesis of Borrelia-specific antibodies which is summarised in this flow diagram. An accessible text version of this flowchart is available below.

Clinicians may ask for guidance on laboratory testing of CSF from RIPL if required.

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Infrared Heat Therapy And Lyme Disease

Lyme Disease is probably the most mis-understood diseases of the 21st century. What makes matters worse is Lyme travels with a host of other Co-Infections that any one by themselves can cause havoc to our bodys health, but collectively is a living nightmare. Modern medicine and science has progressed in their understanding of Lyme disease but as quick as research, new applications and protocols are being developed, the Lyme disease is advancing at exponential growth rates. Many Lyme literate health professions are suggesting that Lyme has infected most of the regions of US, has spread outside the United States borders, and is at a pandemic proportion currently. So what is to be done and how can the natural healing energies from the sun play a key role to curtail and possibly eradicate this insidious disease?

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How To Prevent Lyme

Although its difficult, the best way to prevent Lyme disease is to avoid ticks and blood-sucking insects. An environmentally friendly farm with good manure handling can help keep biting insects away. Guinea hens love to eat ticks, and chickens can also do a fair job. If you live in the woods, these birds may be the only way to keep the tick population down.

No Lyme vaccines have been approved for horses and many veterinarians, including myself, see many problems in horses after using the dog vaccine. It does not seem to work, and horses who have been vaccinated often seem to become chronically sick with Lyme, especially if they were infected before receiving the vaccine.

In the end, a healthy immune system is the most important way you can protect your horse from Lyme disease.

What Happens At Your Appointment

Home remedies for lyme disease | Ticks Bite| HealthCare.

The GP will ask about your symptoms and consider any rash or recent tick bites you know about.

Lyme disease can be difficult to diagnose. It has similar symptoms to other conditions and theres not always an obvious rash.

2 types of blood test are available to help confirm or rule out Lyme disease. But these tests are not always accurate in the early stages of the disease.

You may need to be retested if you still have Lyme disease symptoms after a negative result.

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Oxygen And Reactive Oxygen Species

Oxygen therapy was marketed to patients for treatment of Lyme disease primarily in 3 forms: hyperbaric oxygen, ozone, and hydrogen peroxide. Hyperbaric oxygen is administered using hyperbaric oxygen chambers and was promoted as having salutary effects on the immune response to B. burgdorferi infection . Alternatively, some practices promoted using chemically reactive oxygen species, including ozone therapy and/or intravenous infusion of hydrogen peroxide. Ozone can be generated from atmospheric oxygen and administered in several forms. These include intravenous administration of an ozonated solution, ingestion of ozonated water, ozonation and reinfusion of blood, administration of ozonated oils, and rectal or vaginal insufflation with gaseous ozone .

Four Tips To Treat Lyme Disease At Home

When you think youve been bitten by a tick, its important to immediately schedule an appointment at Kotsanis Institute of Functional Medicine in Grapevine, TX. When left untreated, Lyme disease can cause inflammation around your heart, memory loss, nerve damage, the onset of autoimmune diseases, and other serious health problems. Thankfully, Lyme disease is treatable, especially when it is caught early. Dr. Constantine Kotsanis helps his patients treat their symptoms with different Lyme disease treatments that help to remove the infection from their bodies quickly.

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Related Resources For Lyme Disease

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This article is not medical advice. It is intended for general informational purposes and is not meant to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. If you think you may have a medical emergency, immediately call your physician or dial 911.

Review Of The Medical Literature

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Scientific studies supporting the efficacy of any of the treatments discussed above could not be found on review of the medical literature. Most of the cited treatments were never evaluated with any scientific study, although we did find that a few treatments were evaluated in studies that either were poorly designed or had unclear relevance to human disease.

Two studies are worth mentioning in more detail. A study of combination therapy with cholestyramine-atovaquone enrolled 25 patients with persistent symptoms after being diagnosed with and treated for babesiosis-Lyme disease coinfection . In this study, however, all patients received cholestyramine for the entirety of the trial, so no inferences could be made about its therapeutic efficacy.

The effect of hyperbaric oxygen on strains of B. burgdorferi was assessed both in vitro and in experimentally infected mice in one study . The investigators found that growth of the organism in vitro was inhibited by hyperbaric oxygen in 14 of 17 cultures. In addition, the organism was cultivable from the bladders of only 20% of mice treated with hyperbaric oxygen, compared with 90% of untreated mice. No study of this therapy in humans with Lyme disease has ever been published.

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