Life After Lyme Disease

Homeopathy Supplements

Homeopathy can be used to treat a wide range of chronic conditions.  This holistic treatment has been shown to have positive effects on widespread infections including Lyme disease.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has warned that Lyme disease is the fastest growing vector-borne disease in North America.  The majority of Lyme disease cases are located in just 12 high risk areas which include Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania and Maine.  The only state that has not seen any reports of Lyme disease in North America is Montana.

Homeopathic Diagnosis

Homeopathic practitioners endeavor to create a full picture of a patient’s health.  This will encompass diet, lifestyle and general feelings of well being.  Both conventional and holistic healthcare advisors face a number of difficulties when diagnosing Lyme disease.  The symptoms can be vague and in many cases patients do not realize they may have been exposed to the ticks that carry the Lyme infection.  There are also no reliable scientific testing procedures in place for confirming Lyme disease. This can lead to many cases of incorrect diagnosis, both in terms of over and under diagnosis of Lyme disease.

The main benefit of the homeopathic treatment process is that it does not rely on the confirming the presence of Lyme disease absolutely.  Instead this method presents an initial diagnosis and then records how the condition has manifested in the individual patient.   By charting the history of illness the homeopathic practitioner can understand how the disease is affecting the body and how to tackle the symptoms appropriately.  Conventional medicine recommends only one treatment scheme (a short term course of antibiotics) to treat all Lyme patient sufferers, regardless of symptoms.  Homeopathic treatments however are highly personalized and can show some positive effects within just a few days.

Treatment

Unlike the conventional medical community Homeopathic practitioners remain united over the treatment of Lyme disease.  This unified front shows an inspiring faith in the healing system which cannot fail to impress patients. Once the individual manifestation of the condition has been identified then the practitioner will rely on accepted treatment methods to manage symptoms and work towards a cure.  Many of these treatments will work to support and boost the immune system and strengthen the patients own natural defenses against the Lyme infection.  Conventional medical experts are also beginning to see the benefits of assisting the immune system to fight widespread infections naturally.  Each homeopathic treatment will be slightly different but typically treatments used to combat this condition including Sepia, Sulphur, Tellurium, Syphilynum, Ledum, Carcinocin, Arnica, Rhus Tx, Arsenicum, Apis, Hypericum, Ruta and Silica.  There are also a wide number of other homeopathic treatments that can be used with success against Lyme disease.

Hypericum can be used to treat Lyme Disease

As well as homeopathic supplement treatments homeopathic practitioners can recommend a number of other treatments to work on overall health and well being.  These can include herbal supplements, diet, heat therapies (raising the body temperature to inhibit bacterial growth) and stress reduction techniques.

Homeopathic treatments work on overall health and well being.  They tackle not just the condition itself but also any weaknesses in the body’s system that could be contributing to ill health.  Many Lyme disease patients have responded well to homeopathic treatments and this could be worth investigating if you are not happy with conventional treatments.

The Marshall Protocol was first developed by the biomedical researcher Trevor Marshall, Ph.D. It can be used treat chronic inflammatory and autoimmune conditions such as Lyme disease. This has been described as a ‘curative’ treatment that aims to tackle the root cause of the infection, rather than just cover up the symptoms.

Benicar is used in the Marshall Protocol Treatment Plan

Challenges Facing Sufferers

The problem with Lyme disease is that it can go undetected for a long period of time. This is because many of the symptoms are generalised and difficult to diagnose. This allows the Lyme bacteria (Borrelia burgdorferi) to spread throughout the body causing widespread infection. This bacteria has also been shown to ‘disguise’ itself and can hide in the body and evade drugs used to eradicated this form of infection. This means that chronic Lyme disease can be very resistant to standard treatments. This includes short term antibiotics which are commonly prescribed for Lyme disease and many sufferers experience months and even years of pain and discomfort whilst they try to overcome the condition

A New Approach to Treating Chronic Lyme Disease

The Marshall Protocol has been developed to tackle chronic, wide spread infections such as Lyme disease. Patients are given a type of medication known as olmesartan (also called Benicar), which boosts the immune system and increases the production of anti-microbial peptides. These peptides have been shown to be crucial in eradicating widespread pathogens and can tackle multi-infections at the same time. This is highly beneficial for Lyme disease sufferers as a large percentage have co-infections that can impede the healing process. Simultaneously to this treatment patients are also prescribed low-dose, pulsed antibiotics. This method of taking antibiotics is known to be much more effective at treating bacteria that can hide from standard treatments. These antibiotics work to weaken the bacteria by preventing them from producing the proteins they need to survive and also reproduce.

Once the bacteria start to die they release toxins into the bloodstream and this can result in a change in immunopathology, which is known as the ‘Herx’ reaction. This creates a number of symptoms in the body including a temporary hormonal imbalance and the stimulation of inflammatory cytokines. This means that the patient will see an escalation in the severity of symptoms for a few weeks or months, before their immune system can return to a more natural balance. Many patients find this increase in symptoms alarming, but the Herx reaction is very common and treatments can be adjusted to balance immunopathology. In severe cases of chronic Lyme disease it can take several years to complete the Marshall Protocol treatment. However patients will begin to see health improving gradually as the infection starts to lessen its hold on the body. In most cases a state of total remission can be achieved.

Blood sample ready for testing

Can the Marshall Protocol Work For You?

One of the easiest ways to find out if the Marshall Protocol could be used to treat your condition is to get a blood test. This will identify whether you to have an elevated level of D metabolites, which is an indicator of chronic infection. A therapeutic probe should also be carried out which will monitor the patients during the stages of treatment to see whether any changes in immunopathology result from taking the Marshall Protocol medicines.

Lyme disease is a complex bacterial infection which can spread throughout the body causing a number of different symptoms. It is transmitted by the bite of blacklegged ticks and is prevalent throughout Europe and parts of America.  The Borrelia bacteria which cause the  infection can trigger inflammation in many different parts of the body including vital systems, organs and tissues.  This is one of the reasons why Lyme disease can be such a debilitating condition with wide ranging symptoms.

Black legged tick

Dealing with widespread infection can be difficult and this is why Lyme disease can be a complex condition to manage.  At the heart of any Lyme disease treatment is the necessity to eradicate the Borrelia bacteria which is causing the infection and inflammation.  The recommended treatment is currently a three to four week course of an oral antibiotic such as doxycycline or amoxicillin (a penicillin based treatment).  Studies have shown that a minimum 10 day regime of one of these antibiotics was enough in most cases to successfully clear up the main infection.  However this is only effective on cases of initial Lyme disease infection.  Once the bacteria has had a chance to spread throughout the system it can be much more difficult to deliver the antibiotics to the infection sites.  Intravenous ceftriaxone may be prescribed if there are any signs of infection or inflammation in major systems such as the central nervous system or brain. 

Treating Inflammation

Even during the successful treatment of Lyme disease inflammation can persist for weeks and in some cases can get much worse before it gets better.  This is why it is important not just to treat the main cause of the infection but also the side effects.  Inflammation resulting from Lyme disease can be painful and can also cause debilitating problems such as Lyme arthritis.  This is when the bacteria invades the joints causing severe inflammation and swelling, particularly in the knees.  There are a number of ways in which you can manage the symptoms of inflammation in cases of Lyme disease.  Many patients suffering from Lyme disease inflammation can respond well to holistic treatments and a change in diet.

Diet

A low-carb, low sugar diet has been shown to be effective at reducing internal inflammation in a wide range of conditions.  This is because the high levels of sugar and starch found in most modern diets can actually promote inflammation as they encourage the growth of bacteria and yeast.  These microbes cause inflammation because they excrete acids and toxins when they feed on complex sugars.  By cutting down on sugar and starch in your diet you can help to ‘starve’ these microbes and reduce the amount of toxins they produce, therefore reducing swelling.

Dietary Supplements

There are several supplements available which have been shown to be effective at reducing inflammation.  These include:

• Methylsulfonylmenthane (MSM) – this supplement needs to be taken in quite high dosages to be effective, but it is one of the safer dietary supplements.  It is well known for reducing inflammation and can be used to treat Lyme disease symptoms.
  

  Cats Claw

• Green Tea – you can take green tea in supplement form or drink it as a herbal tea.  It has been used for hundreds of years to treat internal infections successfully and recent studies have shown it can inhibit the growth of bacteria and yeast in the body, reducing inflammation.
• Salmon Oil – salmon oil is very high in Omega-3 fatty acids.  In particular it contains the fatty acids EPA and DHA, which have been found to reduce inflammation.
• Cats Claw – this supplement has been shown to significantly inhibit bacteria growth and reduce inflammation.
• Vitamin C - this is a common supplement and recent studies have revealed the powerful effects this can have in supporting healing systems in overcoming system wide infections.

Lyme disease is a prevalent modern disease and is difficult to treat because the symptoms can be very generalised, which can lead to problems with misdiagnose. Lyme disease is caused by the Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria and this presents another set of difficulties when it comes to treatment as this is a spiral-shaped bacterium that can mutate and hide in the body, rendering traditional short-term antibiotic treatments ineffective.

Experts are continually looking into new forms of treatment for virulent infections diseases such as Lyme disease and a number of new anti-microbial therapies have been discovered which can have some beneficial effects.

Spiral-shaped Borrelia burgdorferi

Hyperthermia

Many types of bacteria such as Borrelia burgdorferi can only survive in certain temperatures. Perfect environments are provided by warm blooded mammals and this is one of the reasons why this bacterium thrives so well in the human body. Tests have revealed that using heat treatments can increase the effectiveness of short-term antibiotic treatments. Raising the body temperature using hot showers or baths for 20-30 minutes every day has been shown to weaken the Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria and make it more susceptible to eradication by antibiotics. An additional benefit of raising body temperature is that it causes the peripheral circulation to dilate and this increases the absorption of drugs such as antibiotics in the body, allowing it to penetrate deep tissue and ensure that drugs can reach all the infected areas. Hyperthermia treatments are thought to increase the effectiveness of antibiotic therapy against infectious diseases such as Lyme disease by as much as 16 times.

Rife Machine

Rife machines emit different frequencies of energy that can penetrate deep into the tissues of the body and cause the spiral-shaped Borrelia bacterium to resonate. This can be so disruptive to the Borrelia that it can actually damage the integrity of the cells and weaken the bacteria so that it cannot reproduce. Rife machines can also kill harmful microbes outright and this is an effective method for eradicating problem infections such as Lyme disease that can be resistant to antibiotic treatments. Rife machines do have a very similar effect to microwaves, although the energy levels emitted are not harmful. These machines have not yet been approved by the FDA and are also quite expensive (around $1,000 each) and this is the main reason why Rife machines are not more widespread for the treatment of Lyme disease.

Beck Electrification

This is another machine that is used to disrupt the integrity of harmful microbes such as Borrelia, causing them to weaken and die. This machine emits low voltage electricity waves and as well as eradicating microbes has also been shown to improve antibiotic absorption in the body increasing the effective of this treatment to eradiate Lyme disease.

Side Effects

Although anti-microbial treatments can be successful at eradicating Lyme disease they can cause a number of side effects including the Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction (herx) reaction. This occurs several days after treatment and causes symptoms to increase significantly. This can last for as long as two weeks into the treatment regime and has to be monitored carefully to avoid any unnecessary suffering for the patient.

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Supplements can be used to support healing and promote normal function in the body. Researchers have been extensively testing key supplements such as vitamin C and D in recent years to try and understand in what ways these natural healthcare options can affect our bodies and how they can be used to boost healing. The results of these findings have played an important part of formulating new treatment plans for chronic and difficult to manage conditions such as Lyme disease and other persistent bacterial infections.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C has been shown to help support natural health in the body and dosages of around 1000mg/day can help to ward off bacterial infections such as the common cold. Extensive research has been carried out on this supplement to identify the exact healing affects it can have on the body and scientists have discovered some very interesting results. For example a recent clinical trial showed that when a dosage of 120,000mg/day was delivered intravenously it accelerated the healing of burned skin dramatically.

Vitamin C Tablets

In terms of treating conditions such as Lyme disease results from several key trials have indicated that combining vitamin C with antibiotics can show some considerable benefits. Antibiotics are recommended for Lyme disease sufferers to help eradicate the infection of the persistent bacteria (Borrelia burgdorferi) which causes the condition. In one set of controlled trials carried out on dairy cows results showed that vitamin C had synergistic effects when combined with antibiotic treatments. These trials were carried out on cows with infected udders and one group was treated just with antibiotics, the other group with a combined treatment of antibiotics and an equivalent dosage of 10,000mg/day of vitamin C (injected). Results showed that the second group with the additional vitamin C treatment recovered much more quickly from the infection, in as much as half the time as those cows receiving just the antibiotic treatment.

Vitamin D

There have been a number of other trials that have revealed that supplements can have synergistic effects when combined with antibiotics.
Vitamin D for example has been shown to be an important vitamin in the body for regulating the immune system result. A lack of vitamin D can result in slow immune responses and difficulty recovering from persistent infections even when receiving antibiotic treatments. One time dosages of 5,000 IU of vitamin D have been shown to be effective at treating the onset of serious bacterial infections such as Lyme disease. Experts recommend that patients receiving high levels of vitamin D are tested regularly to ensure levels remain safe.

Managing Lyme Disease with Supplements and Antibiotics

Results from studies around the world have shown that physicians managing Lyme disease and other persistent bacterial infections can maximize healing and recovery by combining supplements with antibiotics. A number of supplements have been found to be effective at supporting healing during treatment for Lyme disease including olive leaf extract, cats claw and niacin, which can reduce inflammation and has been shown to support healing in the brain. Vitamin C is also a key supplement for treating infections and can be taken in oral supplements of between 2,000 and 10,000mg/day.

For serious Lyme disease infections physicians can use injections to deliver much high level doses of vitamin C, niacin and vitamin D directly to infected sites. These supplements when combined with antibiotics have been shown to accelerate healing and help patients to recover from persistent bacterial infections.

References: ‘Antibiotics and Vitamins Work Together‘  – Orthomolecular Medicine News Service(www.orthomolecular.org)

Early spring is a high risk time for Lyme disease as the ticks that transmit this condition start feeding voraciously in preparation for their breeding season. If you are traveling through tick habitats then you will need to take extra precautions against tick bites, as Lyme disease is an unpleasant condition that can have a number of long lasting symptoms.

Adult Male Deer Tick

Co-Infections

As well as the bacteria that causes Lyme disease ticks can also carry a number of other nasty pathogens. This means that a high number of Lyme disease sufferers could also be infected with additional pathogens. These can complicate treatment and result in much more serious symptoms. The main co-infections that can be transmitted alongside Lyme disease include the parasitic infection Babesiosis and the bacterial infections of Ehrlichiosis (HME or HGE) and Bartonellosis. Experts believe that as many as two thirds of all patients with Lyme disease may have these additional infections as well, many of which will remain undiagnosed.

Dr. Harriet Kotsoris, Medical Director at the Lyme disease research group ‘Time For Lyme’ warns both patients and healthcare advisors about these co-infections:

“Patients infected with Lyme disease are at risk of developing one or more co-infections, tick-borne illnesses that can worsen the severity and/or the duration of Lyme symptoms”

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reported that Lyme disease cases rose in 2008 by as much as 28% to over 35,000 reported cases and cases of co-infection are also on the rise.

Adult Female Deer Tick

Treating Co-infections

Many co-infections cannot be treated with the standard antibiotics that are used to treat Lyme disease. Co-infections such as Babesiosis require completely different medications and protocols than Lyme disease and so they must be independently diagnosed and treated separately.

However not much is really about understood about co-infections and there are many disagreements in the health profession on how to best approach this issue. Some healthcare providers believe the antibiotics used to treat the primary Lyme disease infection will also clear up any co-infections that may exist. However many experts advise that because of the different natures of the co-infections a wider scope of antibiotic treatment should be prescribed following an independent diagnosis of each infection.

Diagnosing Co-Infections

It can be difficult diagnosing Lyme disease and co-infections. Traditional methods such as PCRs and serologies can only test for certain species of pathogens (many tick-borne pathogens still remain unidentified). Standard blood analysis is successful only in the first two weeks of the infection and most patients do not actually seek medical help until several weeks after the initial infection. To diagnose Lyme disease and co-infections a series of tests needs to be carried out over a period of time, as it can take as up to four months for infections such as Bartonellosis to manifest and as long as eight months for Babesiosis to appear.

Successful diagnosis of Lyme disease and co-infections must also be based on the history and symptoms of the patient, as the testing is not always reliable.

If left unchecked the bacteria which causes Lyme disease can spread to the nervous system and cause a number of problems, including some severe conditions such as dysautonomia.  Dysautonomia is a dysfunction that can occur in the automatic nervous system (ANS).  This can have serious implications on the body as it can affect involuntary processes that regulate key functions such as heart rate, breathing, blood pressure and more.

Chronic Lyme disease has been shown to interrupt ANS functions causing dysautonomia and this can lead to a whole host of serious conditions including postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), mitral valve prolaspe and diabetes.  Dysautonomia also affects the body in a number of minor ways such as causing tiredness, faintness, nausea and memory loss.  Although these symptoms are not life threatening they can have a significant affect on quality of life and may even prevent the sufferer from carrying out normal everyday functions such as working full time or driving.

Snapshot of the Central Nervous System

Treating Dysautonomia

It is important to treat the root cause of dysautonomia, which in the case of Lyme disease sufferers is the widespread infection of the Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria.  This can be done with antibiotics, and it may take from a few weeks to a few months of continuous treatment until the bacteria is eradicated, and in some cases even years if the infection has been left untreated for a long period of time.  It can take a lot longer for the ANS problems to settle down and regain more natural functions, but there are some ways in which you can help to alleviate symptoms:

• Avoid Caffeine – stimulatants such as caffeine can aggravate the symptoms of dysautonomia, so it is best to cut down on coffee, tea and soft drinks  which contain this ingredient.
• Small Meals – dysautonomia can cause problems with bowel regulation so try to avoid eating big meals and sugary or fatty foods that are hard to digest.  Eating more fibre and fresh fruit and vegetables can help to keep the bowels moving.

• Prolonged Activity – standing up or engaging in heavy physical work or exercise for long periods of time can also worsen the symptoms for dysautonomia sufferers.  Make sure you take the regular breaks and follow a moderate to light exercise program.
• Prolonged Inactivity – laying or sitting down for long periods of time can also be a problem for dysautonomia sufferers.  Try and get up and move around regularly if you can, even if it is just to make a drink or do some light household chores.  If you are bedridden due to Lyme disease or another medical condition then you can ease dysautonomia symptoms if you sit slightly propped up as much as possible, and ask your care provider if they can help you move into a chair or onto the sofa for part of the day.
• Relax – stress can aggravate dysautonomia symptoms so if you are under a lot of pressure try and find ways to relax and take time out, whether this is just going for a walk at the end of the day or doing some yoga or meditation.
• Medications – some medications such as over-the-counter cold medications and sleep enhancers can upset bodily rhythms and worsen symptoms of dysautonomia, so try to avoid these whenever possible.

Erythema migrans rash

It is widely recognized that there are three stages of Lyme disease, and a good basic understanding of the symptoms that present in these stages can help you to identity the presence of this condition so that you can seek treatment as soon as possible.   If you have been exposed to ticks by traveling in high risk areas such as woodland edges and grasslands then you should monitor your health for a few weeks following this exposure and note down any symptoms you may experience for your physician.

Early Stages

There are two main stages after the initial Lyme disease infection, and these are known as ‘early localized’ and ‘early disseminated’.  These first two stages present different symptoms such as:

• Early localized – one of the key characteristics of Lyme disease is the skin rash known as Erythema migrans (EM). This occurs in two thirds of patients between 3 to 30 days after the initial infection and manifests as a red mark on the skin (at the site of the tick bite).  This mark gradually expands in a circular fashion, rather like a bull’s eye and can be hot and sore to touch and multiple lesions can form in other areas of the body. Typically EM rashes fade after around four weeks, but this does not mean the infection is gone, but instead that it has moved onto the next stage.
• Early disseminated – once the Lyme bacteria begins to spread through the body (via blood and lymph systems) then other symptoms can begin to manifest. This typically includes a flu-like state, with symptoms such as fatigue, chills, fever, stiff joints, and a general feeling of being unwell, which can last for weeks.  The generic symptoms can be difficult to diagnose when they manifest without the characteristics EM rash, and many patients are incorrectly diagnosed.  At this stage some patients may experiences fibromyalgia, which cause symptoms such as muscle pain and joint stiffness and this can develop into Lyme arthritis if left untreated.  Neurologic abnormalities have been known to develop in around 10-15% of patients during the early disseminated stage of Lyme disease and this can result in conditions such as cranial neuritis (typically Bell’s palsy), and an inflammation of the brain known as meningoencephalitis (which resembles meningitis).

Late Stage

The late stage of Lyme disease occurs when the infection is left to spread throughout the system unchecked.  This stage can begin months or years after the initial infection and one of the most common symptoms is Lyme arthritis, which develops in around 60% of patients.  Lyme arthritis can be a painful and debilitating condition, and although it can be cleared up with antibiotics, long term exposure can lead to permanent damage to the lining of joints, and in particular the knees.  Chronic fatigue can also characterize the late stages of Lyme disease infections, and further neurologic abnormalities can develop including a variety of brain problems which can seriously affect mood, memory and sleep.

Treating Lyme Disease

Oral antibiotics such as doxycycline, amoxicillin and cefuroxime axetil can be effective at treating Lyme disease in the early stages, but once the condition has progressed then intensive intravenous antibiotic treatment may be required to target the widespread bacteria.  Most patients respond well to antibiotic treatment, although some may find that symptoms can persist for months or even years before they are fully recovered.

The recommended treatment for Lyme disease is a short course of antibiotics, and it is widely recognized that the sooner after the initial infection you get this treatment the more effective it will be.  Therefore if you discover you have been bitten by a tick, or you have symptoms follow a trip to a high risk tick area (such as woodlands and grasslands), then you should consult your healthcare advisor as soon as possible.

General Treatment

Oral antibiotics including doxycycline, amoxicillin and cefuroxime axetil are typically prescribed for Lyme disease, and should be taken for two to three weeks to eradicate the infection.  Doxycycline is also effective for a number of other tick-borne diseases as well, but it not used to treat young children or pregnant/breast feeding women as it can cause potential harmful side effects.  In these cases amoxicillin, cefuroxime axetil, or penicillin will be prescribed. Effective treatment with antibiotics can help to prevent any further symptoms such as arthritis and neurological problems, however Lyme disease can be difficult to diagnose so you may have already progressed to the next stages of the condition before you seek treatment.  In these cases different antibiotics will be prescribed to treat specific symptoms.

Oral antibiotics including doxycycline are prescribed for Lyme Disease

Lyme Arthritis

If you are diagnosed with Lyme arthritis then oral antibiotics will be prescribed for mild symptoms, but severe cases may be treated with a more intensive intravenous (through a vein) ceftriaxone or penicillin treatment.  Alongside antibiotics other drugs may be prescribed to ease the discomfort of the Lyme arthritis condition and this can include anti-inflammatory drugs.  In severe cases fluid may also be drawn from the affected joints to ease swelling, or the inflamed lining may be surgically removed.

It can take from a few weeks through to a few months for antibiotics to begin to show beneficial effects for Lyme disease, although in some severe cases it can take years for the condition to be treated successfully, and the patient could be left with some permanent damage to the affected joints.

Neurological Problems

If left untreated the Lyme disease infection can spread to the central nervous system and this can cause neurological problems.  This can be treated with antibiotics such as ceftriaxone, which is typically given intravenously every day for around two to four weeks to tackle the infection quickly before it spreads any further.  This has a good success rate and most people recover completely from neurological related Lyme disease problems.

Heart Problems

Long term exposure to Lyme disease can result in heart problems, and the treatment is similar to that of neurological problems and daily intravenous antibiotics such as ceftriaxone are typically prescribed for two to four weeks.  People normally recover well from Lyme disease heart problems and rarely suffer from any long term damage to the heart.

Once you have received treatment for Lyme disease symptoms you may feel very tired for a few weeks, and suffer from headaches and muscle aches.  You may also experience some neurological problems such as lack of concentration, memory problems and slight speech problems (such as muddling up words).  This should pass after a few weeks, but if the symptoms persist you should seek further advice from your physicians.

Lyme disease is not a new condition, and it is thought that the bacterium which causes this disease has actually been around since the Ice Age. However the first recorded reference to a condition similar to Lyme disease was back in 1883 in Breslau, Germany. A physician at the time, Alfred Buchwald, recorded some medical notes relating to a skin disorder, and the description was very similar to those skin rashes now associated with modern Lyme disease cases. Also a presentation made to the Swedish Society of Dermatology in 1909 by the physician Arvid Afzelius reported a skin condition that presented circular expanding lesions, which is now known as erythema migrans, a key characteristic of Lyme disease. Afzelius researched this condition extensively and when he published his work some years later he concluded that the condition was linked to the bite of ticks.

Sign post warning of key tick area

Records of symptoms that relate closely to Lyme disease are prevalent throughout the early 20th century, and these included joint problems, and links between the classic erythema migrans rash and neurological and psychiatric problems. By the middle of the century physicians began using antibiotics to treat these Lyme disease related symptoms successfully.

Why is it called Lyme Disease?

Many people mistakenly believe Lyme disease did not appear until the 1970’s, and this is because this was the first time that the symptoms that had been prevalent for many years (such as the erythema migrans rash) were conclusively linked to the bites of ticks. The actual term ‘Lyme disease’ was not used until 1975, and this resulted from an investigation carried out in Lyme, Connecticut. Researchers were looking into an unusually high number of arthritis cases in children and discovered that the majority of them lived and played in wooded areas which were key tick habitats. They also discovered that the children had suffered from skin rashes prior to developing the arthritis and that many of them also recalled being bitten by ticks. This conclusive link to ticks and certain common symptoms led to the condition being name after the area as ‘Lyme disease’.

Although the link between tick bites and Lyme disease was proved in the 1970’s, the presence of the bacteria named Borrelia burgdorferi was not discovered until a few years later, when an entomologist called Willy Burgdorfer, MD, Ph.D (National Institutes of Health) was conducting tests on tick species which included the genus Ixodes. Burgdorfer discovered a spirochetes (a type of thin, spiral shaped bacteria) present in the tick’s body, which was later found to be the cause of Lyme disease and was named Borrelia burgdorferi after him.

Further Research

Research into Lyme disease is still ongoing, and a large body of evidence has been collated since the discovery on the Borrelia burgdorferi spirochetes, which provides more information on how this bacterium infects the host system. Currently Lyme disease is treated with short term antibiotics, but there is compelling evidence to show that Borrelia burgdorferi can disguise itself and literally ‘hide’ from antibiotics, and so can remain in the body long after treatment has finished. Although chronic Lyme disease is not recognized by leading health authorities such as the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA), there is a large body of evidence from real life cases which shows that this can affect patients with long term symptoms, despite the recommended antibiotic treatments.