Lyme Disease Doctors In Virginia

Potential Barriers To Accepting A Lyme Disease Vaccine

Welcome to another Inside Lyme Podcast with your host Dr. Daniel Cameron. In this episode, Dr. Cameron discusses the potential barriers to the public’s acceptance and utilization of a Lyme disease vaccine. By Dr. Daniel Cameron The study, Understanding consumer and clinician perceptions of a potential Lyme disease vaccine, was published by Devchand and colleagues in the journal Health Education Research.¹ It has been two decades since the LYMErix vaccine

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.

What Are The Symptoms Of Lyme Disease

Symptoms are wide-ranging and can occur from three to 30 days after a bite. Not all ticks are infected with Lyme disease, so getting a tick bite is not a guarantee that you will develop it. If you did get bitten or spent time outside and you have any of following early Lyme disease symptoms, you should call the Infectious Diseases Tropical Medicine and Travel Clinic for an appointment:

• Rash

• Inflammation of the brain or spinal cord

Read Also: Can Lyme Disease Make Your Liver Enzymes Off

Lyme Arthritis In Children Can Present Throughout The Year

The studys objective was to evaluate the seasonality of pediatric Lyme disease in three endemic regions in the United States, writes Sundheim. Participants had been treated at 8 different medical centers throughout the Northeast and UpperMidwest. Of the 690 children with Lyme disease, 77 had a single EM lesion, 247 had early disseminated disease, and 366 had arthritis, wrote the authors. Children with early and early-disseminated Lyme disease

Faces Of Loudoun: Meet Jaclyn

Ten years ago, I was proud to be following in my fathers footsteps. I had a degree from JMU and a dream job at a local winery, where I was by all measures a top performer. My hard work and studiesmy determination and work ethicwere paying off as promised.

But then, I started feeling off.

At first, it just seemed like a bad flu. But the symptoms persisted, and they got worsemore frequent and more severe. I was walking around foggy most of the time. I lost my ability to focus tasks that would previously take 10 minutes now took an hour. And I was in excruciating paineven though I was taking 16 ibuprofen pills a day. I could hardly walk. Washing my hair was torture. Work was almost impossible. My mouth was so swollen, I could only eat yogurt with a knife.

No one in Loudoun should have to face a life of pain and fear alone.

The Next Chapter

A year and a half after experiencing the first symptoms, I started to see a Lyme-literate physician who was able to finally give me a diagnosis. I had never found a tick on my body, nor had I ever seen the bulls-eye rash. Nonetheless, I was suffering from a severe case of Lyme disease, an autoimmune disease afflicting at least 320,000 Americans each year.

My doctor put me on an 18-month journey to health. An aggressive regime of medications, a tightly controlled diet, and a commitment to reducing stress were the keys to managing and ultimately eradicating my symptoms.

Wont you help me End the Need in Loudoun?

Read Also: How Long Does It Take To Get Lyme Disease

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?

Words From Our Patients

• “Dr. Choudhary is the best infection disease doctor in VA, He carefully listens all the concerns of his patients…”

  Attiya Z.

• “Office environment is very cozy. This doctor is amazing and very helpful and treated me nicely. Best doctor ever.”

  Verified Patient

• “Such a wonderful Doctor, he put me at ease and diagnosed my condition and treated me very professionally.”

  Verified Patient

• “Dr. Choudhary was awesome. I had Lyme disease for nearly 18 months. I was desperate. He told me exactly what to do and it worked.”

  Verified Patient

• “I went in for a severe respiratory infection. He explained and treated the condition very well. Definitely recommend best doctor in Leesburg area.”

  Shani N.

• “Great doctor with a lot of experience. Very kind and patient as well. One of the best doctors I’ve been to.”

  Andy B.

• “He listens to all my concerns and he gives his honest and open opinion. This makes me extremely comfortable to be his patient.”

  Omirah N.

• “My wife developed severe cellulitis with sepsis. With his knowledge and professionalism over a period of 2 weeks, he saved my wife’s leg. Superb treatment.”

  Verified Patient

• “Dr. Choudhary saved my life! I had a resistant infection and was in blinding pain. Dr. Choudhary gave me a different antibiotic and I immediately got well.”

  Verified Patient

• “He is awesome! My wife got Lyme Disease and none of the other doctors could diagnose/cure her and he did.”

  John C.

Also Check: Antibiotics Used For Lyme Disease

What Are The Fundamentals You Should Know About Lyme Disease

Lyme disease is a bacterial infection that can be found worldwide, which develops as the result of a borrelia burgdorferi infection. Early stages of the disease often have symptoms of a rash , and flu-like symptoms such as joint pain and fevers. Later stages may have symptoms of fatigue, joint and muscle pain, and cognitive difficulties among other symptoms. Lyme disease is acquired by a tick bite, usually by an infected blacklegged tick, and symptoms may take up to 6 weeks to develop. The infected ticks frequently carry co-infections such as Babesia, Bartonella, Erhlichia, and other pathogens.

Left untreated, patients can experience long-term extreme fatigue, joint and muscle pain, nerve pain, mental fog, psychiatric problems such as depression and anxiety, and many other symptoms. These symptoms can be misdiagnosed as other conditions including, but not limited to, Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Lupus, and psychiatric disorders.

Can Lyme Disease Be Prevented

Not all cases of Lyme disease can be prevented. But you can help protect your family from tick bites. If you go into an area where ticks live, be sure to:

• Stay in the middle of the trail, instead of going through high grass or the woods.
• Wear closed shoes or boots, long-sleeved shirts, and long pants. Tuck pant legs into shoes or boots to prevent ticks from crawling up legs.
• Use an insect repellent.
• Consider treating clothing and gear with permethrin to repel ticks. When used properly, permethrin is safe for all ages. But don’t use it on clothing or other material a child may suck on or chew.
• Wear light-colored clothing to help you see ticks more easily.
• Shower and wash hair after being outside to remove ticks before they attach.

Read Also: Tick And Lyme Disease Facts

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.

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

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Tick Bites Can Cause Meat Allergies Too

Thomas Platts-Mills, MD, who leads UVAs Division of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, researches the connection between lone star tick bites and red meat allergies. His team found that in some people, a lone star tick bite triggered the body to produce antibodies that binded to alpha-gal, a sugar in red meat. These people then developed hives or anaphylaxis, but not until several hours after eating the meat.

Nearby Virginia Beach Va Hospitals

Note: Clicking on a hospital will take you to Google Maps.

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You are prohibited from using, downloading, republishing, selling, duplicating, or “scraping” for commercial or any other purpose whatsoever, the Provider Directory or any of the data listings or other information contained therein, in whole or in part, in any medium whatsoever.

The Provider Directory is provided on an “AS-IS” basis. WebMD disclaims all warranties, either express or implied, including but not limited to the implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for particular purpose. Without limiting the foregoing, WebMD does not warrant or represent that the Provider Directory or any part thereof is accurate or complete. You assume full responsibility for the communications with any Provider you contact through the Provider Directory. WebMD shall in no event be liable to you or to anyone for any decision made or action taken by you in the reliance on information provided in the Provider Directory.

Also Check: Can Lyme Disease Cause Rheumatoid Arthritis

Infectious Disease Physician & Travel Clinic Services Located In Lansdowne Va

Early signs of Lyme disease include fever, chills, fatigue and muscle aches. If youre experiencing any of these symptoms and youve been in an area known to have deer ticks, you should call the Infectious Diseases Tropical Medicine and Travel Clinic in Lansdowne, Virginia, for an appointment with specialist Sarfraz Choudhary, MD, FACS, right away. Its important to treat Lyme disease early because later symptoms can be more severe. Dr. Choudhary has extensive experience diagnosing and treating Lyme disease, which is often difficult to diagnose. Call or make an appointment online.

The Two Approaches To Lyme Disease

There are two organizations, the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society and the Infectious Disease Society of America that take different approaches to diagnosing and treating Lyme disease. Each one has developed and published their own evidence-based treatment guidelines. The IDSA recommends short-term treatment and expresses concerns about over-treatment. Alternatively, ILADS recommends that treatment decisions be based on the individual patient which can include long-term treatment. Dr. Robin Ridinger is a member of ILADS and follows their guidelines to diagnosing and treating Chronic Lyme Disease in addition to implementing a holistic approach to support overall healing and optimal wellness.

Read Also: What Antibiotics Cure Lyme Disease

Other Related Lyme Disease Articles

• In case of Emergency, call 911

* Provider Directory Terms of Use:

The WebMD ‘Provider Directory’ is provided by WebMD for use by the general public as a quick reference of information about Providers. The Provider Directory is not intended as a tool for verifying the credentials, qualifications, or abilities of any Provider contained therein. Inclusion in the Provider Directory does not imply recommendation or endorsement nor does omission in the Provider Directory imply WebMD disapproval.

You are prohibited from using, downloading, republishing, selling, duplicating, or “scraping” for commercial or any other purpose whatsoever, the Provider Directory or any of the data listings or other information contained therein, in whole or in part, in any medium whatsoever.

The Provider Directory is provided on an “AS-IS” basis. WebMD disclaims all warranties, either express or implied, including but not limited to the implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for particular purpose. Without limiting the foregoing, WebMD does not warrant or represent that the Provider Directory or any part thereof is accurate or complete. You assume full responsibility for the communications with any Provider you contact through the Provider Directory. WebMD shall in no event be liable to you or to anyone for any decision made or action taken by you in the reliance on information provided in the Provider Directory.

Here Comes Tick Season

The most common months to diagnose Lyme disease are from May through August, peaking in June and July.The infection can, but not always, cause a bulls eye rash, fever, flu like symptoms and joint pain. The infection can cause: Flu-like symptomsJoint painSeveral kinds of ticks carry the bacteria. Woodlands and tall grass are their habitat.Tick bites are usually found on the body in hard to see placesremove the tick as soon as possibleIf you find a tickMonitor the person after a tick bite for several weeks and up to 30 daysThe best way to prevent Lyme disease is to avoid contact with ticks from April to Septembersocksgrasslands Thank you to Medscape References for information about Lyme Disease. By Linda Bueno, South Wales Resident, Retired RN, MEd and Volunteer at the Fauquier Free Clinic.

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Brandon Jutras Receives Emerging Leader Award To Advance Research For The Diagnosis And Treatment Of Lyme Disease

9Jul2021

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The Bay Area Lyme Foundation, the leading not-for-profit sponsor of Lyme disease research in the United States, recently announced its three recipients of the 2021 Emerging Leader Awards, including Brandon Jutras, an assistant professor of biochemistry in the Virginia Tech College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and an expert in Lyme disease pathogenesis.

The awards are designed to support established and up-and-coming scientists who have identified new and defined approaches to improve diagnostics or therapeutics for Lyme disease.

Jutras and his lab are in the midst of developing a new direct-detection diagnostic for Lyme disease.

I was thrilled and honored to receive the Emerging Leader Award from the Bay Area Lyme Foundation,” Jutras said. The organization has a long-standing tradition of funding impactful research with the goal of improving Lyme disease diagnostics and treatment options. Our studies align with their mission, and were fortunate to embark on this fantastic partnership together.

Over the past two decades, the United States has experienced a dramatic increase in both the number of reported cases and the geographic distribution of Lyme disease. In the state of Virginia, the disease is transmitted by the bite of blacklegged ticks, which are infected with the Lyme disease-causing bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi.

For his new direct diagnostic, Jutras will be using peptidoglycan as a biomarker for acute Lyme disease.

A Holistic And Integrative Treatment Of Lyme Disease

Lyme disease is a multi-system infection that can be difficult to diagnose with currently available laboratory testing. It may develop into chronic infection that can affect a persons sleep, adrenal glands, sex hormones, gut health, thyroid, immune system, heart, and brain.

At Premier Health and Holistic Medicine, Dr. Robin Ridinger takes a holistic and integrative approach to Lyme disease, and assesses all affected systems to establish the best treatment plan for her patients. This treatment plan may include diet and supplements to strengthen and support the detoxification pathways, bioidentical hormones, thyroid hormone replacement, and adrenal support to improve hormone balance, enzymes to disrupt biofilms, herbal therapies or, if necessary, traditional treatments such as antibiotics and antifungals to treat infection.

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