Lyme Disease Information & Natural Treatments

Lyme Disease & Fibromyalgia - Part 3 (final)

2007-01-11T23:34:00.000-08:00

It could be that previous studies attempting to discover the true cause of fibromyalgia or studies attempting to correlate fibromyalgia with Lyme disease simply used the accepted tests which have now been proven to be less than effective in discovering the spirochetes responsible for Lyme disease. Despite this, one such study discovered that over 20 percent of fibromyalgia patients in this particular study tested positive for Lyme disease. This statistic makes me wonder what the percentage of Lyme disease positive patients would have been if a more sensitive or accurate testing procedure had been used.

Lyme Disease & Fibromyalgia - Part 2

2007-01-11T23:33:00.000-08:00

Dr. Joanne Whitaker has developed what appears to be the most reliable test ever for Lyme disease. Her lab actually tests for the presence of the bug itself, not just the antibodies. Her methods also detect the cell wall deficient (CWD) form. Her test is called Q-RIBb for quantitative rapid identification of Bb (the abbreviation of Lyme disease's scientific name). The test simply uses an antibody to Lyme derived from animals which is then modified to carry a fluorescent molecule, easy to see under the microscope. The antibodies will attach to both the spirochete form and the CWD form and, under the right color, will light up under a microscope. With this test, Dr. Whitaker not only can detect Lyme directly, but she can do it in only 20 minutes and she can tell you how bad the infection is by the number of bugs present.
Dr. Whitaker's lab can be reached on the internet at www.bowen.org or at 727-937-9077.

Lyme Disease & Fibromyalgia - Part 1

2007-01-11T23:28:00.000-08:00

New research suggests that Fibromyalgia may in some cases - and potentially many cases - be caused by the same bacteria that cause Lyme disease. Dr. David Williams reports that spirochetes of Lyme disease are now in fleas, mites, and mosquitoes. Live spirochetes have been found in blood, urine, tears, semen, breast milk, and vaginal secretions. It has contaminated blood transfusions, and has been found in dairy cattle. It mimics over 350 chronic conditions especially arthritic or conditions that have as one of the major symptoms joint or muscular pain. This sounds like fibromyalgia to me.
The real issue may be the unreliability of present tests used to diagnose Lyme disease. Western blot and Elisa tests are normally used to test for antibodies in suspected Lyme disease cases.

Cat's Claw for Lyme Disease

2006-07-24T19:20:00.000-07:00

Cat's-claw as a natural treatment for Lyme Disease

Extract of TOA free (tetracyclic oxindole alkaloids) cat's claw (Uncaria tomentosa) brand name Samento has been researched by many reputable scientists and medical doctors over the last few years. Almost universally, it has been effective in eradicating Lyme disease and its many symptoms.

The typical dose used is up to 5 drops 3 or 4 times per day in water. It is suggested that you start slowly at 1 drop 2 times per day in water and work up to the full dose in order to reduce the appearance of healing reactions also known as a Herxheimer reaction.

Natural treatments and protocols for Lyme Disease

2006-07-22T19:19:00.000-07:00

Natural treatments and protocols

Two protocols that have come to the forefront of Lyme disease care and treatment approach this condition from very different viewpoints but apparently are both equally as effective.

The first one includes the use of vitamin C and salt in large amounts.

The optimum dose is 12 grams of Vit. C and 12 grams of salt per day used in doses of 1 gram each over the course of the day. Try to find 1 gram salt tablets, found in drug stores and commonly used for dehydration as they are easy to use in the correct dose.

Start the protocol slowly to avoid or reduce Herxheimer reaction; 1 gram each per day to start, working up to the full dose of 12 grams each over time.

Anecdotal evidence has reported almost immediate changes in symptoms and relief from pain, often within days.

Depending on the individual and the length of time they have had Lyme disease and the severity of their symptoms, healing reactions are sometimes severe. In these cases it is best to work up to full dosage over a period of time.

It has been theorized that the salt changes the intracellular osmotic pressure while making the cellular fluid less habitable by the spirochete. The vitamin C then destroys the infectious agent.

It is interesting to note that up until the turn of the century, the average person consumed upwards of 20 grams of salt per day. In fact, the Roman soldiers pay was paid partly in salt as they ate upwards of 25 grams per day and is the root for the word salary.

With the change in modern diet and the increasingly unsubstantiated fear of the effects of sodium in the diet with the resulting reduction in consumption of salt, it may be that we have unwittingly left the door open to this infectious agent.

Signs and symptoms of Lyme Disease

2006-07-21T19:18:00.000-07:00

Signs and symptoms of Lyme Disease

Symptoms of Lyme disease change over time and can mimic many other conditions but the first signs usually include flu like symptoms. One of the first symptoms is a painless red rash that occurs in the area where the original bite occurred. It looks like a red circular patch and is called erythema migrans. Other symptoms include headaches, muscle or joint pain, chills and fever, extreme fatigue and swollen lymph glands.

If the initial infection is not dealt with immediately, other complications will set in over a period of time including Bell's palsy, heart palpitations, shooting pains throughout the body, arthritis, and intense headaches or stiffness due to meningitis. Typically speaking the longer this condition is present in the body, the more deep rooted the symptoms will become and the longer the period of time it takes for treatment. Long-term cases of Lyme disease can have symptoms that last years.

New research suggests that there may be up to 20 million people in the United States that are affected by Lyme disease and are being treated for other conditions as Lyme disease imitates over 100 different chronic conditions including Parkinson’s, ALS and Alzheimer’s.
Research from the American Lyme Disease Association suggests that over 90% of patients suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome also have Lyme disease.

More worryingly, the CDC has now admitted what researchers found years ago, that Bb bacteria survive the purification process of donated blood and could be passed through blood transfusions.

Lyme Disease Information

2006-07-20T19:17:00.000-07:00

About Lyme Disease

Lyme disease was first studied in 1975 by Dr. Allen Steere, following a mysterious outbreak in Lyme, Connecticut of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. The relationship between rheumatoid arthritis and a disease of another name may not at first be apparent but, as discussed more fully below, Lyme disease has the ability to mimic many other diseases, making diagnosis extremely difficult.

Lyme disease is unique in that it has different forms with symptoms that are widespread and varied. Borrelia burgdorferi is a bacterial spirochete which can invade all parts of the body including the skin, joints, nervous system, muscles, cardiovascular system, the eyes, the lungs and gastrointestinal tract. It was once thought that it was only transmitted by ticks that carry bacteria which then infects any warm blooded animal it bites after, including people.

That may have been true 20 years ago, but not today. Spirochetes of Lyme disease are now in fleas, mites, and mosquitoes. Live spirochetes have been found in blood, urine, tears, semen, breast milk, and vaginal secretions. It has contaminated blood transfusions, and has been found in dairy cattle and sheep. In fact, it is theorized that person to person infection may be happening now.

No matter how the infection is transmitted, once inside the body this bacterium undergoes different transformations, changing its shape as it goes through its life cycle which makes it extremely hard to eradicate even using modern antibiotics.

Lyme disease has traditionally been thought to only be a major problem in the northeastern parts of the United States and Canada typically in areas with larger deer populations. New research has suggested that this condition is also prevalent throughout Europe and Asia as well as every state. Ninety percent of all infections have been found in Northern California, the Eastern seaboard of the United States and the North Central states such as Wisconsin.