Lyme Disease, ILADS

Analysis of Lyme: Attachment, Transmission, Stages, Challenges, and Treatment

In this analysis of the current literature and research on Lyme and tick borne illnesses by Dr. Ronald Stram and medical assistant, Ahn Vo. Starting with an overview of its history; tick attachment time and rate of transmission; stages of infection and related symptoms; challenges in Lyme and testing; and antibiotics versus combination therapy. This throughout analysis contains a wealth of information for those who want to expand their knowledge about Lyme and it's complexity. 

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Myth: A tick head needs to be removed completely if broken off in or under the skin.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics 2020 and the Tick Bite, Schmitt Pediatric Guidelines 2020, it is recommended NOT to dig out the head of a tick if the tick breaks upon removal.  It is felt that more trauma to the surrounding skin can lead to a higher risk of infection or cellulitis of the area. Leaving the tick head in does not increase the risk of contracting a tick borne illness. The body will shed skin layers and the tick debris as it heals

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Updates from the LymeBytes Conference

The Stram Center team recently had the opportunity to attend the Lyme Bytes Symposium in Mystic, CT to enhance our knowledge and network with other professionals. We found several presentations to be helpful, especially one on mold and mycotoxins, another on PANS and PANDAS addressing psychiatric symptoms in pediatric patients, and more. We built on our understanding of the impact that infections have on hormonal balance and what tools to use to facilitate healing those imbalances. We learned more about how each sex hormone and stress hormone plays a role in treating chronic illness including how lower testosterone can increase risk for infection due to impairing the body’s immune response....

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Lyme: Diet is a BIG Deal!

Lyme and tick-borne diseases affect the body in a myriad of ways. On a basic level, they trigger the immune system. When we get infected, the immune system is designed to kick in, causing an inflammatory response, and enlisting the body’s army of mighty cells to target the invaders, killing the bacteria and restoring the body to homeostasis. When we talk about diet and nutrition, we can see that with this simple immune response, diet plays a major role.

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Supporting Lyme by Calming the Mind

One of the basic concepts of integrative, naturopathic, and Chinese medicine is that given the right conditions and support, the body has an inherent ability to regulate and heal.  This can take a long time when something as noxious as Lyme disease and its co-infections have set in, but healing is possible and we are here to support you.  Chinese medicine works with the body’s life force, not against it.  When the body and mind feel fragile, hypersensitive, and exhausted, acupuncture can help relieve physical and emotional discomfort by toning down pain and heightened anxiety, and nourishing the depletion of chronic disease to not only relieve fatigue but build stamina and reserves

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Lyme Testing: What Should You Know?

Testing for a Lyme infection can be challenging. The primary test used is an antibody test; the presence of antibodies is an immune system response and therefore confirms exposure to the bacteria. However, the test is not great at determining the date of the exposure. We can only know the date of exposure if there was a known tick bite and symptoms develop. Direct methods of testing for Lyme, such as PCR testing, exist but are not very sensitive. A negative PCR test does not mean that an infection does not exist…

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How to Recognize and Prevent Lyme Disease

This month is Lyme disease awareness month. As the number of cases continue to increase year after year, one must be knowledgeable about how to recognize and prevent this elusive and challenging disease. Lyme disease is a spirochetal bacterial infection transmitted by deer ticks. In the late 1970s in Lyme, Connecticut, a group of children started having symptoms that included rashes, fevers, and swollen joints. In 1982 a scientist by the name of Wilhelm “Willy” Burgdorfer, found spiral shaped bacteria while investigating deer ticks on Long Island. He then looked at deer ticks in CT and found the same spiral bacteria that are now known as Borrelia Burgdorferi

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COVID-19 Long haulers Syndrome: Treatment, Symptoms and the Relation to Chronic Lyme Disease.

 Researchers estimate about 10% of COVID-19 patients become long haulers, according to a recent article from The Journal of the American Medical Association, and research presented by scientists based in the United Kingdom. Whether you are older or younger, healthy or battling other health conditions, or if you had mild or severe COVID-19 symptoms, these conditions could affect anyone. The term “long hauler” is broadly used to characterize individuals whose symptoms persist or develop outside the initial viral infection; the duration and pathogenesis are still unknown, however there are theories. King’s College researchers reviewed their data from the COVID Symptom Study and identified patterns that suggested long-term COVID symptoms were twice as common in women than in men and the median age was 45. 

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