LYME Disease (1 of 2)

Lyme disease is endemic in certain parts of Sonoma County, meaning that it exists at a certain level in the population. Named after Old Lyme, Connecticut, where the malady was first identified in the mid-‘70s, the disease is also found in Eurasia and parts of Australia, and has been around since at least the 19th Century, possibly longer. It affects humans and dogs and has been found in cattle and horses.

The cause of Lyme disease is a corkscrew-shaped bacteria named Borrelia burgdorferi. It lives in the blood system and is carried by ticks of the genus Ixodes. Ixodes are slow feeders and may require 2-3 days to complete a blood meal before disattaching. Nymphal stages measure about the size of a pinhead and are easily overlooked; while adults are larger and more likely to be seen and removed. Infected ticks usually do not transmit the Lyme organism during the first 24 hours, and the risk of infection increases the longer the tick remains attached. The problem is that ticks anesthetize the skin and people often don’t remember the bite.

The heaviest area of infected ticks in California is in the coastal hills of Mendocino and Sonoma County. Wayne Anderson, a local expert says that Mendocino county had 40 percent Lyme infested ticks in 2001. It is important to note that only one species of tick in California may carry Lyme disease. The Ixodes pacifica (deer tick) is able to transmit the disease any time of the year.

Wearing lightly colored, tightly woven clothes, long pants tucked into your socks and long-sleeved shirts will make it difficult for the tick to attach itself to you. Since the tick waits on grasses or bushes, staying on wide paths away from overhanging bushes and grass will also decrease the chance of being bitten. Lastly, a careful inspection of all skin surfaces and creases after spending time in hillsides or woodlands to remove ticks early in their feeding process will decrease the chance of transmission.

Use a pair of fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick, gripping as close to the skin as possible. Angle the tweezers at the same degree of angle of entry as the tick, grasp firmly and pull out smoothly and continually in order to remove the tick completely. Do not twist. Do not squeeze. Wash your hands and the area with soap and water before and after application. Record the date, the body location, and where you think you contacted the tick. Preserve the tick on a moistened piece of cotton in an airtight container. You can take it to the Sonoma County Health Department for evaluation to see if it carries Lyme.

It is important to remember that laboratory tests for Lyme disease are not the final word in the diagnosis. Clinical symptoms must also be evaluated. The best treatment is adequate prevention. With the steps outlined above, you should be able to enjoy our beautiful coast hillsides without worrying about the possibility of developing Lyme disease.

LYME Disease (2 of 2)

In my last column I wrote about the causes and distribution of Lyme disease. This week, let’s talk about symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment.

Lyme disease often begins with fatigue, chills and fever, headache, muscle and joint pain, and a characteristic rash on the skin. These symptoms help establish a diagnosis, since lab tests are not reliable and it is impossible to culture the bacteria in order to establish a diagnosis. Forty percent of people with early stage Lyme disease do not develop the characteristic rash. The other symptoms can be so mild as to be confused with the flu.

In the early stages it is easily treated with antibiotics. The course of treatment is 20 days. Although the FDA recently approved a three-shot vaccine for Lyme disease, the vaccine is not perfect. It is not recommended in this area.

Left untreated, Lyme disease can cause crippling arthritis and joint pain, severe heart disease, red skin lesions called erythema migrans, and major neurological problems including palsies, depression, and memory loss. At this stage diagnosis is even more difficult since the lab tests are over 80 percent inaccurate.

Because the symptoms are somewhat subtle each case is unique. Often the symptoms vary so much with individuals that it is difficult to tell. The most common phenomenon is pain that wanders throughout the body and gets progressively worse over time. This, in association with some form of neurological damage, such as problems thinking, anxiety, depression, or behavior problems will usually be a tip-off that it is Lyme-related. It is recommended that the lab tests be done in spite of their inaccuracy because if they are positive, you can be sure of the diagnosis.

For chronic Lyme disease antibiotics are commonly used for months. A recent study published by the New England Journal of Medicine had patients on antibiotics for 90 days without relief. Many people still feel that antibiotics are the only effective method of eliminating the spirochete from the body and that they should be used for many months.

Alternative medicine can be very helpful in chronic Lyme disease to help strengthen the immune system and weaken the bacteria. Medicinal mushrooms often used in cancer therapy can strengthen the immune system, detoxify the body and help rebuild tissues. I am very excited about one formula made by New Chapter called “Mental Clarity,” which has a blend of mushrooms that help regenerate the nervous system. Enzymes strengthen the digestive system and break down inflammation in the tissues. All the usual things like healthy diet, good multivitamins and essential fatty acids can help the body be stronger. Evaluation of adrenal and thyroid hormone levels – and treatment if they are low – can help support the body in its healing.

As with many chronic diseases of today, while the problem appears to be overwhelming, an integrated approach to healing can help a person achieve a maximum of healthy function.