How We Chose The Best At
When evaluating the companies for the best at-home Lyme disease tests, we looked at several key factors in order to provide you with the best information. For one, accuracy was extremely important, so we looked at testing centers with the best reviews and certifications. Every test mentioned in this article has been evaluated and awarded for their laboratory accuracy when dealing with their at-home tests.
Since Lyme disease is so severe and a misdiagnosis can have awful repercussions, we also considered how others reviewed the at-home tests.
Move A Little Every Day
Yoga and Pilates are excellent but arent for everyone. The idea is to do something you enjoy. I also love taking walks and breathing in the fresh air and do this whenever I can get outside.
If youre stuck inside try some slow, gentle stretches or resistance training. And if you can do more and your doctor says its okay, then go for it!
Brain Fog And Cognitive Issues
Chronic Lyme disease knows no boundaries. This includes your blood-brain barrier. Borrelia burgdorferi can cross this protective border and create new problems. These may mimic other diseases.
Your body makes an enzyme called plasmin that dissolves the membrane of the bacteria. But the sneaky microbe can counteract this enzyme and protect itself. This gives it a free pass through your blood-brain barrier.
Lyme bacteria can also change their size and shape so they can migrate to other parts of your body. When they get into your brain, they inhabit glial cells and neurons. They cause these brain cells to become dysfunctional. This can lead to anxiety and depression.
The bacteria can also interfere with your neurotransmitters or nerve messengers. For example, they may disrupt your production and use of dopamine. The result can look like Parkinson’s disease.
Whats more, the microbe can increase a neurotransmitter called octopamine. When this accumulates in your brain, it can raise your blood pressure and cause headaches. You may incorrectly blame these headaches on environmental allergies, stress, or other factors.
When this insidious microorganism is killed, it sheds parts of itself as endotoxins. These may interfere with your brain chemistry. A buildup of toxins can give you intense brain fog and memory issues. %20%5B231%5D.” rel=”nofollow”> 31)
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When Should You See A Doctor If You Think You Have Lyme
The rash is a pretty good indication that you may have been bitten. Take a photo of the rash and see your doctor. At this stage, treatment with antibiotics will probably work.
If you don’t have the rash but have symptoms like fatigue, fever, and headache but no respiratory symptoms like a cough, you may want to talk to your doctor.
What Should You Do If You Get Bitten By A Blacklegged Tick
Ticks attach themselves to the skin. Most humans are infected through the bite of immature ticks called nymphs. Adult ticks can also transmit Lyme disease bacteria. Their bite is usually painless, so you may not know you’ve been bitten.
If you notice a tick has attached itself, remove it as soon as possible. Removing ticks within 24 to 36 hours usually prevents infection. Follow these steps to learn how to properly remove a tick.
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How To Deal With A Lyme Disease Diagnosis
If you have recently received a Lyme disease diagnosis, it is important not to allow yourself to begin thinking the worst. Here are some things to keep in mind about a Lyme disease diagnosis and what your next move should be.
First, people do not always get Lyme disease because they are careless. In fact, you could have been infected with Lyme disease for several reasons. The important thing is that you have received a Lyme disease diagnosis and that you will soon be undergoing treatments that will help to correct the situation. For this reason, do not dwell on what you could have done differently instead, focus on getting the treatment you need.
What Do You Do If There’s A Tick Under Your Skin
Use a pair of fine-tipped tweezers to remove it as soon as possible. Pull upward with steady pressure. If parts of the tick are still in your skin, try to get those with the tweezers, too. After everything is out, clean the bite area with rubbing alcohol or soap and water.
You probably wonât get infected if you remove the tick within 36 to 48 hours.
How do you throw away a tick?
Put it in soapy water or alcohol, stick it to a piece of tape, or flush it down the toilet.
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What’s The Best Way To Prevent A Tick Bite
Ticks can’t fly or jump. But they live in shrubs and bushes and can grab onto you when you pass by. To avoid getting bitten:
- Wear pants and socks in areas with lots of trees and when you touch fallen leaves.
- Wear a tick repellent on your skin and clothing that has DEET, lemon oil, or eucalyptus.
- For even more protection, use the chemical permethrin on clothing and camping gear.
- Shower within 2 hours after coming inside. Look for ticks on your skin, and wash ticks out of your hair.
- Put your clothing and any exposed gear into a hot dryer to kill whatever pests might be on them.
How do you know if you’ve been bitten?
Since ticks are so small, you’ve got to have pretty good eyes to see them.
If you have a small, red bump on your skin that looks like a mosquito bite, it could be a tick bite. If it goes away in a few days, itâs not a problem. Remember, a tick bite doesnât necessarily mean you have Lyme disease.
If you notice a rash in the shape of a bull’s-eye, you might have a tick bite. Talk to your doctor about treatment.
If you have an allergic reaction to ticks, you’ll notice a bite right away.
Questions To Ask Your Doctor
- I found a tick embedded in my skin, but I cant get it out. What should I do?
- Ive been bitten by a tick. Do I need to be seen?
- Do I need a blood test to confirm Lyme disease?
- Which antibiotic is best for me?
- How long will I have to take the antibiotic?
- What tick or insect repellent should I use for me or my child?
- How long will the symptoms last?
- What should I do if I still dont feel well a long time after I was bitten?
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What Is Lyme Disease And How Is It Contracted
Lyme disease is an infectious disease that is caused by species of bacteria. Lyme disease is contracted when an infected tick bites you. The most common species of tick is a black-legged, or a deer tick. This tick bites you, and the bacteria that causes Lyme disease enters the bloodstream. You are most likely to be infected if you spend large amounts of time in grassy or weeded areas. It takes around 36 48 hours of the tick being attached to contract Lyme disease. The first symptoms can include many things, like a rash, fever, chills, fatigue, body aches, headache, neck stiffness, and swollen lymph nodes. If left untreated, Lyme disease can progress and include more severe symptoms, such as a rash that travels to other areas of your body, severe joint pain, and even neurological problems. If you experience a tick bite and start to notice symptoms, you should see a doctor. You can contact Health and Wellness of Carmel in Carmel, IN to learn more about how we can help you today.
How Ticks Infect People
Once a tick feeds on a Borrelia-infected host, it carries the bacteria in its belly . When the tick starts to feed, the bacteria migrate from the midgut to the salivary glands, where they can be injected into the new hosts bloodstream. Hence, the longer a tick feeds on you without detection, the higher the risk of contracting Lyme disease.
As shown in Illustration 2, a tick can become infected with Borrelia in two ways:
It is frequently stated that one is more likely to acquire the bacterium from an infected nymph than from an infected larva or adult. But this is due merely to circumstance rather than relative infectivity. The nymph is very small and hard to detect on even open skin let alone hard to see areas.
Feeding ticks secrete a local anaesthetic from their salivary glands, so that a host is less likely to notice that it has been bitten. This is why a thorough visual search for ticks at the end of a walk in the woods is so important.
Illustration 2: How Lyme Spreads
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Can You Get Lyme From Your Pets
Theres no evidence of direct transmission of Lyme from pets to humans. But dogs and other domestic animals can bring Lyme-carrying ticks into your home. These ticks could attach to you and cause infection.
Its a good practice to check your pets for ticks after theyve been in tall grass, underbrush, or wooded areas where ticks are common.
How Is Lyme Disease Spread
The most well known method is by ticks.
Various warm blooded mammals play host to the tick. Ticks feed by biting the skin and sucking blood from these animals such as mice, deer and more. In this way, some ticks get infected with the bacterium that causes Lyme disease before they attach themselves to humans who might be walking in long grass.
The bacterium is usually harmless to the animals but not to humans.
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A Full Guide On Lyme Disease And Why It Causes Fatigue And Insomnia
When you ask people, Whats the biggest threat when spending outdoors? not many will think of tick bites. However, the truth is that tick bites are more dangerous than you may think. They can carry the Borrelia bacterium causing you to contract Lyme disease.
Lyme disease has become more prevalent in many parts of North America and Europe. Ticks can now be found in all 50 US states. Many areas are considered high-risk because up to 60% of ticks in these regions carry infection.
My first contact with Lyme disease was through my sister, who contracted Lyme twice. Fortunately, in both cases, she recovered quite fast with the standard antibiotics treatment. However, I remember while she was sick, she was very tired but also had a lot of trouble sleeping a double burden which is very common among people with Lyme disease.
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As the incidence of Lyme disease seems to increase a little with each passing year, it has become important to understand how Lyme disease is spread and what you can do to prevent contracting it. Also, in case you have been diagnosed with Lyme, you may find my tips on how to improve your sleep helpful. Enough restful sleep is vital to your recovery process.
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Is Lyme Disease Treatable
If you start to experience symptoms after a tick bite, you should get western blot testing done around six weeks after your bite. If your test comes back positive, Dr. Fetters recommends a combination of antibiotics for at least one month but maybe more as needed. There are two types of antibiotics used to treat this disease.
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Oral antibiotics: This is the standard treatment for Lyme disease still in the early stages. The three oral antibiotics used are doxycycline, amoxicillin, or cefuroxime. A course of treatment is usually around 14 21 days.
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Intravenous antibiotics: This treatment is normally used when the disease involves the nervous system. This method is effective in treating the disease, but you may be recovering for a little more time. Treatment usually involves IV antibiotics for 14 28 days. This method can cause some side effects, including a low white blood cell count and diarrhea.
While these treatments are effective, it is easier to use preventive measures than to treat Lyme disease later. You should use insect repellent on your body and clothes when you go into any grassy or wooded areas. Contact our office to receive treatment in the most natural way.
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What Tests Are Available For Lyme Disease
When a person becomes infected, the body creates antibodies to protect itself from the bacteria. Certain blood tests are available to measure these antibodies. However, sometimes a “false negative” test can result if there are not enough antibodies in the blood for the tests to detect accurately. A doctor should also do a complete medical examination and gather information about your recent outdoor activities in order to make a clinical diagnosis for Lyme disease.
A Vicious Cycle Of An Illness That Causes Fatigue And Insomnia
But here is the problem: Although being exhausted, most people with Lyme disease also complain about sleep problems. They have problems falling asleep but also staying asleep.
It seems a paradox, but you feel tired, and the only thing you want to do is sleep, but you cant. Lyme disease can lead to severe insomnia and prevent you from getting the rest you so desperately need to get well. So you end up in a vicious cycle of an illness that causes fatigue on one end and prevents you from restful sleep at the other.
Most likely, this is related to the fact that Lyme disease can cause different levels or neuronal inflammation. And any inflammation of the brain can affect your sleep.
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What Are The Treatments For Lyme Disease
Lyme disease is treated with antibiotics. The earlier you are treated, the better it gives you the best chance of fully recovering quickly.
After treatment, some patients may still have pain, fatigue, or difficulty thinking that lasts more than 6 months. This is called post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome . Researchers don’t know why some people have PTLDS. There is no proven treatment for PTLDS long-term antibiotics have not been shown to help. However, there are ways to help with the symptoms of PTLDS. If you have been treated for Lyme disease and still feel unwell, contact your health care provider about how to manage your symptoms. Most people do get better with time. But it can take several months before you feel all better.
Symptoms Of Post Treatment Lyme Disease
- Include severe fatigue, musculoskeletal pain, & cognitive problems
- Can significantly impact patients health and quality of life
- Can be debilitating and prolonged
Our research indicates the chronic symptom burden related to PTLD is significant. Although often invisible to others, the negative impact on quality of life and daily functioning is substantial for PTLD sufferers.
The chronic symptom burden related to Lyme disease is considerable, as shown on the left side of the graph above, and statistically significantly greater than the aches and pains of daily living experienced by the control group, on the right.
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Whats The Most Common Way To Get Lyme
Blacklegged deer ticks infected with Borrelia burgdorferi transmit the Lyme bacteria when they bite. The ticks, Ixodes scapularis , can also transmit other disease-causing bacteria, viruses, and parasites. These are called coinfections.
A tick requires a blood meal at each stage of its life as larvae, nymphs, and adults. Ticks normally feed on animals, ground-feeding birds, or reptiles. Humans are a secondary blood source.
Most bites to humans are from tick nymphs, which are the size of poppy seeds. Its hard to spot them, even on open skin. The prime seasons for human tick bites are late spring and summer.
As an infected tick feeds on you, it injects spirochetes into your blood. has shown that the severity of infection varies, depending on whether the spirochetes are from the ticks salivary glands or the ticks midgut. In this animal research, infection required 14 times more midgut spirochetes than saliva spirochetes.
Depending on the ticks bacterial virulence, you could be infected with Lyme within
Lyme bacteria may be found in bodily fluids, such as:
- saliva
- urine
- breast milk
But theres no hard evidence that Lyme spreads from person to person via contact with bodily fluids. So dont worry about kissing someone with Lyme.
Who Gets Lyme Disease
Anyone bitten by an infected deer tick can get Lyme disease. Most U.S. cases of Lyme disease happen in Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, and Wisconsin. But Lyme disease is found in other parts of the world, too.
Besides living in one of these areas, other things that might increase your risk include:
- spending a lot of time outdoors in tall grass, brush, shrubs, or wooded areas
- having pets that may carry ticks indoors
- activities such as yardwork, hiking, camping, fishing, or hunting in tick-infested areas
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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.
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What To Do If You Get A Tick Bite
If you have a tick bite, remove the tick from your body as soon as possible. Use a pair of tweezers and remove the entire tick from your skin without crushing it. Once the tick is out, wash the site with soap and water.
Keep an eye on the area for a rash that slowly expands, leaving a target-shaped mark. Also, watch for fevers, chills, headaches, or muscle pains, which are all early signs of Lyme disease. If you experience any of these symptoms within 30 days of the bite, you should contact a doctor.
There are still some mysteries about Lyme disease, but fortunately, most cases can be treated with a two- to four-week course of oral antibiotics. If youre worried about contracting Lyme disease, take precautions to avoid ticks in the first place:
- Wear fully covering clothing when going outside .
- Walk in the middle of trails instead of on the sides near trees and brush.
- Avoid tall grass or areas with shrubs.
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