What Causes Lyme Disease?
Lyme Disease is caused by a spiral-shaped bacteria (spirochete) called Borrelia Burgdorferi, which is transferred through the bite of a Black Legged tick. This bacteria attacks the central nervous system, can cause infection of multiple organs and produce a wide range of symptoms.
• Lyme disease is transmitted through a bite from an infected deer tick. • Lyme disease is growing at epidemic proportions in the U.S.
Why Is It Called Lyme Disease?
In the early 1970s, a mysterious group of rheumatoid arthritis cases occurred among children in Lyme, Connecticut, and two neighboring towns. The bacteria was identified by a doctor there.
How Is It Treated? If caught promptly, antibiotic treatment can eradicate the infection in 6-8 weeks. If left untreated, the Lyme spirochete can embed into any area of the body, making treatment long term. This condition is called Chronic Lyme Disease. Chronic Lyme Disease can be immobilizing and even fatal. When it’s chronic, the antibiotic treatment is often given through an IV and takes months, a year or longer.
What Are The Common Symptoms? The symptoms include: fatigue, neck stiffness or pain, jaw discomfort, muscle pain, joint aches like arthritis- typically in the knees, swollen glands, memory loss, cognitive confusion, vision problems, digestive issues, headaches and fainting. I had most of them.
Is There A Test That Can Find Lyme Disease? This testing protocol is not sensitive enough to pick up the bacteria 100% of the time and in many cases this produces a "false negative." These days you will find most physicians using the Western Blot blood test which is more sensitive.
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