Healing Ways
Identifying and Treating Lyme Disease
An Integrative and Functional Medicine Approach by Jill Valerius, M.D., ABoIM, IFMCP, ATC
of cases and may disappear quickly. Early signs and symptoms such as fever, chills, muscle pain, headache, joint pain, fatigue and swollen lymph nodes are easily mistaken for other illnesses. The utility of early lab testing is
limited because the process takes several weeks and can lead to false negatives. This leaves physicians to rely on observable symptoms and rule out other possible causes. A doctor will also ask if a patient has been out in the woods or grassy areas where they might have been exposed to black- legged ticks. Tom Moorcroſt, DO, the founder of
L 24
yme disease, a complex and oſten misdiagnosed illness, affects approximately 476,000 people
annually in the United States. Found in all 50 states and every continent but Antarctica, it is transmitted primarily by the Ixodes tick, more commonly known as the deer tick or black-legged tick. If not promptly addressed, the ailment can lead to long-term health complications. Tanks to advancements in medicine, the identification and treatment of Lyme disease continues to evolve and improve.
Historical Context
Te story of Lyme disease began in the 1970s with a community outbreak
Central Florida
www.NACFL.com
of facial palsy and arthritis in Lyme, Connecticut. An explanation for this mysterious illness did not surface until the early 1980s, when Willy Burgdorfer, an investigator for the National Institutes of Health, discovered a bacterium in ticks from the area (Borrelia Burgdorferi), laying the foundation for modern testing and diagnostic methods.
Diagnosing a Complex Disease
Tere are several complicating factors that make a Lyme disease diagnosis difficult. Te characteristic bullseye- shaped rash is present in less than half
Origins of Health and an investigator of medical mysteries, refers to Lyme disease as “the new great imitator and instigator,” describing its ability to mimic various other diseases, oſten at the same time. For people experiencing persistent symptoms, comprehensive lab testing may be needed to distinguish between Lyme and other tick-borne and non-tick-borne diseases.
Treatment Options
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), untreated Lyme disease can produce a wide range of symptoms, including fever, rash, facial paralysis and arthritis. While conventional antibiotics remain a cornerstone for early-stage treatment, emerging research increasingly recognizes and supports the role of natural and botanical medicine.
Erik Karits from pixabay/CanvaPro
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32
