Combating Lyme Disease with Integrative Medicine

Lyme disease is a serious and potentially deadly infection that is transmitted by ticks. Lyme disease can cause a wide range of symptoms, including fever, headache, fatigue, and a distinctive bulls-eye rash.

If the disease is not diagnosed and treated early, it can spread to other parts of the body and cause serious health problems.

In recent years, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of cases of Lyme disease. This is due to a number of factors, including the expansion of the tick population and the increased awareness of the disease.

The Basics of Lyme Disease

Lyme disease, also known as Lyme borreliosis, is an infectious disease caused by Borrelia bacteria, which are spread through the bite of certain types of infected ticks.

How The Infection Is Spread

The Lyme disease bacteria are primarily spread by the bite of blacklegged ticks, also known as deer ticks. These ticks usually feed on the blood of deer or rodents, and they can transmit the bacteria through their saliva during the bite. Tick bites are usually painless and may go unnoticed.

Symptoms of Lyme Disease

The most common symptom of Lyme disease is a rash called erythema migrans, which appears in the shape of a bull’s-eye on the skin. Other symptoms may include fever, headache, fatigue, and joint and muscle pain.

Diagnosis of Lyme Disease

If you think you may have Lyme disease, it’s important to seek medical help as soon as possible. Your provider will likely perform a physical examination and have in-depth blood tests performed to diagnose the infection.

The Dangers Of Lyme Disease

Lyme disease is a danger that can’t be ignored. Although it is treatable, the longer you wait to seek medical help, the more serious the consequences can be.

Left untreated, Lyme disease can cause serious complications in the musculoskeletal, neurological, and cardiovascular systems, as well as in the eyes. It can even lead to permanent neurological damage, such as memory problems, difficulty with concentration, and sleep disturbances.

The complications from Lyme disease can be severe and long-lasting, potentially leading to an inability to work, long-term disability, and a loss of quality of life. That’s why diagnosing and treating Lyme disease early is so important.

You can reduce your risk of developing Lyme disease by taking precautions when outdoors by using bug repellent and wearing protective clothing. It’s also important to check yourself for ticks after spending time outdoors. Early detection is the key to avoiding serious complications.

Traditional Vs. Integrative Approach to Lyme Disease Treatment

Lyme disease has become increasingly problematic in recent years for traditional medicine to keep up with. The disease is difficult to diagnose and treat, and the correct diagnosis and treatment may vary depending on the stage of the disease and the particular symptoms of the patient.

Patients with Lyme disease often resort to consulting with multiple healthcare providers in search of an accurate diagnosis, since Lyme disease is often misdiagnosed as other conditions.

Integrative medicine takes a holistic approach to treating Lyme Disease, recognizing that the disease is not just caused by a single bacteria, but also by other factors such as the immune system, gut health, and environmental factors.

The main goal of the integrative medicine treatment for Lyme Disease is to support the body’s natural healing processes while addressing the underlying causes of the disease.

Integrative treatment for Lyme disease typically includes a combination of conventional and alternative therapies, such as antibiotics, herbal supplements, dietary changes, and lifestyle modifications to treat Lyme Disease. These recommendations aim to support the body’s detoxification processes and boost the immune system.

Traditional medicine struggles to keep up with the ever-changing research surrounding Lyme disease treatment. But the innovations within the integrative community pushes towards new and effective treatments for patients with Lyme disease.

These Lyme disease treatments include Ozone therapy, EBOO therapy, Photodynamic Laser Therapy, and SAFE therapy.

The willingness of integrative providers to explore and try new holistic treatments means more Lyme patients have access to effective options and newfound hope.

Mainstream medicine offers limited options and aged protocols to patients but overlook the complexities of this often misunderstood and underdiagnosed condition.

The integrative medicine approach recognizes that there is no one-size-fits-all solution to treating Lyme Disease, and treatment plans are tailored to the individual needs and preferences of each patient.

Through a collaborative and comprehensive approach, integrative medicine aims to address the root causes of Lyme Disease and support the body’s natural healing processes to help patients achieve optimal health.

Providing Safe Treatment Options For An Array Of Tick Borne Illnesses

Lyme disease is often accompanied with other tick borne conditions such as Alpha-gal. Alpha-gal syndrome (AGS) is a type of allergy to mammalian meat. Mammalian meat includes beef, bison, pork, lamb, wild game, rabbit, and exotic meats from other mammals, such as kangaroos. Integrative medicine offers effective treatment options for these conditions by maneuvering around triggers.

Ozone is incredibly effective in treating Lyme disease and relieving Alpha-gal symptoms. By expanding ozone modalities, we are able to offer patients safer treatment options such as Ozonated Saline, which contains no mammalian products (omitting any heparin use) compared to Major-Autohemotherapy (MAH) which requires heparin.

There Is Hope Following A Lyme Disease Diagnosis

Lyme disease is a serious condition that is often misunderstood and underdiagnosed. It is a complex condition to diagnose and treat, and the mainstream healthcare industry is struggling to keep up. The added expense and burden on medical and patient resources due to the difficulty of diagnosing Lyme disease is a major concern.

Integrative medicine offers hope and help to those with Lyme disease who are experiencing symptoms and those who are taking a more proactive approach to their diagnosis.

Education, awareness, and effective treatment options are key to combating the epidemic of Lyme disease and providing better care and outcomes for those affected.

If you’d like more information about the integrative Lyme disease treatment options available at Kare Health & Wellness, please connect with our team.

Keri Sutton - RN, MSN, ANP-C, AGPCNP-BC

Keri is a Nurse Practitioner and founder at Kare Health & Wellness. Keri's pursuit of personal answers to her own health issues landed her in the top of Functional Medicine. As she utilized functional Medicine to get her own health and life back, she made it her life's work to bring this empowering form of healthcare to as many people as she can.

About Us

Our mission is to create a safe environment for our patients to share their story and be empowered to take control of their health.  We constantly challenge patients to think differently about their health. We never find contentment in simply being disease free. We want to help patients optimize their vitality of life so that they can strive for things that they thought were unattainable.

Scroll to Top