Lyme Disease: The Great Imitator By Jaquel Patterson, ND


known as the “great imitator.” When diag- nosed and treated early, Lyme is easy to fix, however, if not treated, it can lead to a mul- titude of symptoms including joint and body pain, fatigue, headaches, cognitive issues, neurological and sleep disturbances. Unfor- tunately, these are common symptoms I see in my practice daily and clinical judgement is needed to decide on timely treatment.


I


Diagnosis Lyme disease diagnosis continues to


grow annually. There are about 3,000 cases of Lyme disease in CT annually. The CDC has estimated that about 10 times more people are diagnosed with Lyme disease than reported making that estimate closer to 30,000 diagnosed each year in CT. Though first found in Connecticut, Lyme disease has affected individuals throughout the country and abroad. Both children and adults are affected with the greatest frequency in ages 5-14 and 45-64 years of age. The summer months from June through August, are peak times, however, cases are reported in each month of the year. Lyme disease is trans-


t is common for many individuals to see over 5 doctors before being diagnosed with a Lyme infection and is why it is


mitted by members of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato complex; black-legged ticks often transmit other tick-borne infections such as Babesia, Bartonella, Ehrlichia, and Anaplas- ma. Ticks usually find themselves in warm, moist areas of the body like armpits, hair or groin area making it difficult to detect; they can be as small as a poppy seed.


Diagnosis of Lyme is tricky; it is both a clinical decision based on symptoms and relevant bloodwork. The current blood test only detects antibodies. It is an effective assessment for later stages of Lyme dis- ease, but doesn’t always pick up on early infections since antibodies will not show positive until after 4-6 weeks of infection. Some of the classic signs are a circular rash (or bull’s eye), flu-like symptoms, or arthritis with severe joint pain and swell- ing, particularly knees.


Treatments


Common initial treatments in conven- tional medicine are antibiotics if diagnosed; one of the first lines of antibiotics con- sidered are Doxycycline and Amoxicillin for children under 8 years of age for 3-4 weeks. If symptoms aren’t resolved, further antibiotic usage may be recommended.


Retreatment with antibiotics have failed to consistently resolve symptoms for patients. Botanical medicine is an alternative treat- ment to antibiotics or in conjunction with antibiotics and has been rated as the most effective alternative treatment.


Here are some common herbs that


have been researched to be effective for Lyme disease:


Artemesinin: Artemesia annua, also


known as wormwood, has been demon- strated to be anti-parasitic and anti-malar- ial. It has been shown effective in combi- nation with drug therapy and effective for co-infections, most specifically Babesia. It has shown to be powerfully effective against parasite species and has strong anti-viral properties.


Andrographis: Andrographis has shown


to be effective against a wide range of parasitical organisms. Its function includes anti-spirochetal effect, modulates autoim- munity, protects the body from damage from spirochetes, ameliorates some of the symptoms of Lyme and is anti-inflammatory in nature. Andorgraphis has been shown to cross the blood brain barrier treating bacte- rial infections (including Lyme). Typical dosages for herbs are 300-400mg 1-3x per day; side effects may include symptoms like dizziness and should be monitored by doc- tor’s recommendations.


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Curcumin: Curcumin helps to sup- port some of the protocols used for Lyme. It helps to increase diversity of the gut microbiome, improve intestinal barrier function, support immune system, and de- crease overall inflammation. It is effective in reducing pain, often associated with Lyme, and decreases some of the herxheimer die- off reaction.


Essential Oils: Oregano, Garlic, Myrrh:


Lyme produces biofilm which makes it difficult for treatment to work as effectively.


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