Lyme Literate Doctors In Georgia

Is Lyme Disease In Georgia

***UPDATE: This entire article has been updated.***

We are dealing with a huge epidemic of Lyme Disease throughout our country and the world, and we are experiencing it here in GA.While I have presented prevention tips and tricks here, I feel an understanding from a historical perspective is important from what we have seen develop over the last many years

We cannot ignore this presence and we must act proactively to protect our family, friends and loved ones.

I have submitted this article about the presence of Lyme Disease and other TIck Borne Infections that are present in GA, as most recently discussed by the newest report from the CDC, to the Atlanta Journal Constitution. I am currently awaiting their response.

Five Things That Stand Out About A Lyme Literate Practitioner

If patients are looking for a Lyme literate practitioner, they should talk to the provider and the staff to determine whether the medical professional meets the following criteria.

• Experience in treating Lyme disease. Provider experience with Lyme disease helps patients because these medical providers recognize the many ways that Lyme disease presents itself. Our expert practitioners treat thousands of cases of Lyme disease a year.
• Knowledge and training. Most people in the traditional medical community dont have extensive knowledge of Lyme disease. At our functional medicine clinic near Milwaukee, our Lyme literate practitioners specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of Lyme disease. Constantly striving to learn more about the latest research from ILADS and treatment innovations helps our clinic to provide patients with the most up-to-date care.

Our medical professionals trained with nationally recognized Lyme disease experts. Debra Muth ND trained with Richard I. Horowitz MD, a medical doctor renowned for his expertise. Greg Brown MD trained with Daniel Cameron MD, another nationally known leader in the field of Lyme disease.

Best Lyme Disease And Bannwarth Syndrome Doctors Inatlanta Ga

We found 2614doctors who treat Lyme Disease in Atlanta.

Doctors who treat Lyme Disease in this region have an average rating of 4 stars. Below are some of the best options around Atlanta. The providers below have at least 4 or more past patient ratings, so you can be confident that these providers have the experience that you are looking for.

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My Journey With Lyme Disease

I was diagnosed with Lyme disease in April 2009, after the appearance of a bull’s eye rash on my left side just below the waist on April 18 and two physical symptoms, extreme fatigue and headaches that began on April 23. I ignored the rash at first, treating it as I do frequent skin rashes. I went online and researched pictures of insect bites when the rash did not go away after using my prescribed skin cream for a few days. The picture identified the rash as “Lyme Disease.” I had only heard of the disease and proceeded to read briefly. Since I had none of the symptoms, I ignored it until I started having the fatigue and headaches a few days later. I made an appointment with my primary care physician, who has been trained by an expert in Lyme disease. He immediately diagnosed me. I developed a secondary rash 2 weeks later prompting more aggressive treatment than doxycycline and started Rocephin shots.

If there is a bull’s eye rash, it usually appears 3-30 days after being infected by the tick, I tracked my physical locations in the last 30 days: 3 days before I spent the night in Cocoa, FL and ate at a local restaurant that required walking through an unpaved parking lot with low bushes and trees 28 days before, I spent 3 days in Birmingham, AL and went to the Botanical Gardens all other days were based from my home on 6 acres of wooded land in a rural area of northwest Georgia where there is an abundant population of deer.

International Lyme And Associated Diseases Society

The International Lyme and Associated Disease Society is a nonprofit, multi-disciplinary, international medical society aimed at advancing the treatment, research, and education efforts of Lyme and associated diseases. ILADS provides training to physicians who want to enhance their skill set to evaluate and treat Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses. Physicians who successfully complete the training requirements established by ILADS are known as Lyme-literate medical doctors, or LLMDs.

To locate Lyme-literate doctors, use the Provider Search function on the ILADS website to receive a list of doctors in your area. Please note: ILADS states they dont make referrals to specific doctors. Its up to you to decide which practitioner is the right fit for your needs.

Also Check: How To Protect Yourself From Lyme Disease

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:

• What is Lyme Disease Website and Support Groups by State

State And Local Lyme Organizations And Nonprofits

If youre unable to find an LLMD through a national organization, consider doing a web search for a state or local Lyme organization or nonprofit. Some keywords that may generate helpful, search results for you include:

• The name of your state
• Lyme disease
• Nonprofit

For example, typing in Minnesota Lyme disease nonprofit yields the Minnesota Lyme Association , where you can then browse their website for ways to locate a physician or fill out the contact form for more help. These days, most states have some sort of site to distribute information to inquiring patients.

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What Is A Lyme Literate Practitioner

Lyme literate practitioner are trained from International Lyme Disease Association. Practitioners are trained by some of the leading experts in the field of Lyme disease. Practitioners at our functional medicine clinic near Milwaukee gain their knowledge of the disease through training with Dr. Horowitz and Dr. Cameron. Our practitioners have been treating Lyme disease for over 15 years. The Lyme Literate practitioners are not all MDs they can be Nurse Practitioners, Naturopaths, and Herbalists to name just a few who help patients cope with Lyme disease.

What Do You Call It

The CDC, an Atlanta-based federal public agency, doesnt currently use the term chronic Lyme disease, saying it often has been used to describe symptoms in people who have no evidence of a current or past infection.

The Infectious Diseases Society of America doesnt believe in chronic Lyme disease, says Dr. Jose Vazquez, chief of the Medical College of Georgias Division of Infectious Diseases. We recognize Post-Treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome, and so does the CDC.

The Infectious Diseases Society and the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society agree that antibiotics such as doxycycline are appropriate after the rash appears. But the two associations disagree on how long treatment should last, and what can happen afterward, the Associated Press reported in an article last year.

The Infectious Diseases Society says more research is needed on chronic Lyme, but doesnt recommend long-term antibiotics to treat the condition. ILADS, however, argues on its website that the harm of a continuing Lyme infection outweighs the risks of long-term antibiotic use.

A recent rally at the CDC sought to raise awareness of Lyme sufferers. Geraldina attended the rally, as did Mirenda Campirano, a Texas nurse who says she has been suffering from chronic Lyme for 15 years. She runs an online group called the Lyme Army, a platform for sufferers to speak up, reach out and help others.

Very few of them have indications of the disease, Lyon says.

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Options For Chronic Lyme Disease Treatment

Antibiotics are not a cure-all solution for Lyme disease rather, a whole body approach to healing is necessary in both acute and chronic Lyme disease cases. Since chronic Lyme disease triggers a severe inflammatory response in your body, controlling inflammation is one of the first steps before your body can heal. Restoring your immune system so that it can best fight the disease at its root level is the central goal for your integrative medicine healthcare provider. Getting enough sleep, managing stress, balancing hormones and reducing exposure to mold, parasites and toxic chemicals are all important considerations.

Dietary changes are key, including the consumption of anti-inflammatory and gut-healing foods . Immune boosting foods like fresh fruits and vegetables are high in antioxidants and nutrients. Fermented probiotic-rich foods like kefir, amasai, raw goat’s milk yogurt, unpasteurized sauerkraut or beet kvass have been shown to reduce the progression of infectious disease.

Addressing the chronic pain which is common to sufferers of chronic Lyme diseasewhile the disease is being combattedcan also involve alternatives to toxic, addictive pain medications. Some chronic pain treatments range from the use of frankincense essential oil, which contains the anti-inflammatory boswellia, to turmeric supplements and balms.

Lyme Disease: A Complex Medical Challenge

Article updated August 1 at 5:40 p.m.

In a quiet neighborhood in the Atlanta suburbs, a woman sits at her kitchen table, describing what its like to suffer from partial facial paralysis, neck pain, hair loss and cardiac symptoms.

I would take a shower and almost feel like I would pass out, says Geraldina.

After chasing diagnoses for several months, Geraldina, 38, finally received a test from a doctor and was diagnosed last year with Lyme disease, a tick-borne disease.

Before she tested positive for Lyme, Geraldina was told that she might have fibromyalgia and was also told on occasion that it was all in her head.

With some patients, including Geraldina, the standard antibiotic treatment doesnt work. Disagreements about treatment are part of a wide-ranging controversy over Lyme disease, which extends to the issues of testing, diagnosis, nomenclature and even the type of tick thats transmitting the infection.

One thing is certain: Researchers are increasing their estimates of the prevalence of Lyme disease in the United States.

The disease is transmitted by the blacklegged tick, also known as the deer tick because its a frequent parasite on deer, and the infection is found especially in the northeastern, mid-Atlantic and north-central states. Its also found on the West Coast.

Typical symptoms include fever, headache, fatigue and a characteristic skin rash. If left untreated, infection can spread to joints, the heart and the nervous system.

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How Can I Make A Same

On average, patients who use Zocdoc can search for a Neurologist in Atlanta, GA, 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 Atlanta, GA who accept your insurance and make an appointment online.

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.

Read Also: What Is The Test For Lyme Disease Called

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 Atlanta, GA 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.

Lyme Disease: A Historical Perspective

I moved to GA in the fall of 2015. In the late winter/early spring of 2016 my son- in-law came down with the flu. He was treated and seemingly recovered, only to have a recurrence again. After the 2nd bout of swollen glands, sore throat, severe fatigue and headaches, I suggested that he might consider testing for Lyme Disease. Thank goodness he got tested!

Rare as the case may be, my son-in-laws testing came back CDC positive for IGM and IGG Lyme through Quest Laboratories. This is just not seen. . He promptly began treatment for Lyme and fortunately he came through like a champ. When we chatted about this after the fact, he said to me, Thank goodness you were here in Atlanta. I would have never been diagnosed with Lyme Disease. As his physician here had some concerns, he was referred to a Cardiologist and an Infectious Disease Doctor. The Infectious Disease Doctor asserted that there is no Lyme Disease here in GA! It does not exist. So, this is the climate we are dealing with here in GA.

Let me give you another example. I read an article that appeared in Community Voices: Lyme Disease exists in Gwinnett. It was from a mother of a young girl who had been sick for years and struggled to find an answer. According to one Infectious Disease doctor referenced in this article, Lyme Disease is very prevalent in GA, but highly undiagnosed.

Read Also: If You Have Lyme Disease Does It Go Away

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• University of Cincinnati, Master’s in Family Nursing
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• University of Cincinnati, Master’s in Family Nursing
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My Lyme Disease Treatment ~ Dr Myriah Hinchey’s Story

My personal struggle with Lyme Disease and how it led to the creation of Lymecore Botanicals.

Dr. Hinchey, Medical Director of Tao Vitality, is also the owner and a co-founder of Lymecore Botanicals.

From their very first product, Foundation Formula , their products follow Stephen Buhners core wild crafted herbal protocols.

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Case Report: Treatment For Relapsing Babesia

A 36-year-old man was hospitalized in 2019 due to unexplained fevers he had been having for two weeks. He was later diagnosed with Babesia with 8.5% of his blood showing the parasite. He had been diagnosed with granulomatosis with polyangiitis in 2001 and was considered immunocompromised related to treatment 2 years earlier with rituximab, a monoclonal antibody used for immunotherapy. The man had also been treated with methotrexate, cyclophosphamide and

Ethics Of Propaganda And Persuasion

In 2005, representatives of the LDA in New Jersey, USA, and CALDA in California, USA, wrote to the Director of the CDC, criticising the information about Lyme disease on the organisations website and its warning about improper diagnostic tests.42 In December, 2006, a New Jersey congressman complained that it was inappropriate for CDC to highlight IDSAs findingsto the exclusion of others.53 Lost in these political discussions was the absence of scientific merit in the arguments raised by activists. ILADS leaders claim their practice guidelines are evidence-based and peer-reviewed, but they were not subjected to an external peer-review process by the journal in which they were published as a supplement.54 Moreover, the support they cite for their guidelines, consisting mainly of anecdotes, studies of animal systems of questionable relevance to human disease, and uncontrolled studies of long-term antibiotic treatment, does not meet accepted criteria for evidence-based medicine.3,12,48,5557 The ILADS guidelines were funded by two activist organisations, the LDA in New Jersey and the Turn The Corner Foundation.48

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Our Staff Is Lyme Literate And Ilads Trained

A little tic bite can cause so much damage to your body and there are easy and natural things you can do to help free yourself of Lyme Disease symptoms. YES, you CAN get your life and body acting normal again.

The owner of Nutritionally Yours, Alane. got bit by a Lyme-infected tick back in 1983. This little tic bite totally rocked her world and changed the path of her life. She has tried all the traditional Lyme Disease, Atlanta Ga treatment options plus natural remedies. She will be happy to share her Lyme Disease story with you and what it took to get her life and body back from the disease that tried to take over her body. She had a lot of trouble walking for 10 long years, stayed in bed often and then one day said Enough! I need to get educated on how to get my life and health back! And she did!

Lyme Disease Facts: The first thing someone may or may not notice is a skin rash in the shape of a bulls-eye. The second is flu-like symptoms that may last for days or even a few weeks. Then later on they may feel joint pain, upset stomach, fatigue, headaches, brain fog, and overall weakness. Lyme Disease comes from a bite of an infected tick. The tick can be from an animal, the woods, trees, anything can have an infected tick on it.

Testing:We can run some testing via insurance for Lyme and other needs. We also run Comprehensive Lyme testing that is self-pay for ALL of the co-infections and viruses. We can discuss options during your initial appt.

TESTIMONIES