Decreasing inflammation is a critical part of treatment
Inflammatory compounds, such as cytokines (IL-1, IL-6, TNF-a, IFN-y), are released from immune cells in areas of injury. The load of these inflammatory compounds can create sickness syndrome, fatigue, muscle aches, joint pain, mood disorders, and neuropsychi- atric disorders. These inflammatory compounds create free radicals that perpetuate the inflammatory process and lead to additional damage. Decreasing inflammation involves removing offending agents, repairing injured cells and introducing compounds that help put out the inflammatory “fire” such as curcumin, antioxidants, fish oil, glutathione and its precursors, proteolytic enzymes, CoQ10, B-vitamins, amino-acids and minerals. Sleep is essential to the healing process. When sleep is dis- turbed, as it is in many chronic Lyme patients, the body is unable to heal and this deprivation fuels the inflammatory cycle. Recommen- dations that support sleep include meditation, supplementation (e.g. melatonin, 5-HTP, phosphatidylserine) and herbal teas or remedies.
Providing symptomatic relief
This is essential to healing and often requires multiple modali- ties. Medications, herbs, nutrients or manual therapies such as chiropractic, acupuncture, meditation, or massage therapy may all improve symptoms. Symptom based care is very myopic, but can provide some temporary relief. However, it is important to be able to address the underlying cause to have longstanding symptomatic relief.
Support the body’s natural processes
When dealing with any chronic condition, including ongoing infection, supporting the body’s natural processes is essential to achieve the best treatment outcomes. The body must be addressed in a holistic manner, recognizing that each system of the body is interconnected and in constant communication.
Functional medicine examines the many different systems
of the body with the understanding that they function in unison. Functional medicine supports the body’s natural processes through specific examinations and specialized tests that determine the health status of the gastrointestinal tract, nutrient levels, oxidative stress, toxicity or chemical burden, immune responses to food or the environment, hormone levels and genetic predispositions. These tests provide the practitioner and patient with valuable information regarding the underlying causes of symptoms and help determine how to restore and support the natural processes of the body. These evaluations are essential for individuals who have an excessive number of symptoms. Though the treatment of chronic Lyme continues to be stud- ied, the best options currently available address and treat the body as a whole. Implementing functional medicine testing, modalities and treatments help restore body systems, including the immune, hormonal, digestive, and detoxification systems. Optimizing these systems allows for maximal effectiveness of antimicrobial agents, minimizes treatment side effects, provides adequate symptom con- trol, and hastens recovery from chronic Lyme disease. My journey with Lyme continues as I approach the one-year
anniversary of my diagnosis. Through my own knowledge and the help from other physicians I have been able to restore my body’s metabolic norms. I will continue to fight the battle against this elu- sive and often troubling bacterium by first determining if the cause of any new ailments I’m experiencing could be related to Lyme and then implementing appropriate treatments and modalities. Unfortunately Lyme disease is continuing to affect more and more people throughout the United States every year. I hope that those of you who were able to read all three parts are able to walk away with answers to these questions:
• How to perform tick checks? • What the steps are of proper removal? • What is the role of antibiotics in my treatment? • What is the best testing available? • What treatment options are available?
Your Health Detective, Dr Rudy Mueller, DC, IFMCP. See ad on page 9.
16 Essential Living Maine ~ September 2014
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