CHRONIC LYME DISEASE: The Great Imitator
This tick-borne illness has been dubbed “The Great Imitator” because symptoms resemble other conditions like chronic fatigue, rheumatoid arthritis, ALS, MS, fibromyalgia and autoimmune disorders. On top of that, many people do not remember getting a tick bite and only about 50% experience the hallmark bullseye rash. This means that for many, chronic Lyme can go undiagnosed, or misdiagnosed for years, only to find out later that Lyme was the cause of their health issues.
Like Mycotoxin illness (mold sickness), Epstein-Barr virus, Chlamydia, Cytomegalovirus and Herpes viruses, Lyme is considered a stealth infection, These chronic or persistent infections remain hidden or "under the radar" of the immune system, evading detection for extended periods, leading to ongoing health issues that are difficult to diagnose.
Because stealth infections can hide and mimic other illnesses, it’s important to find a practitioner that can connect the dots of your symptom history and that you undergo the right testing. Getting to the root cause is imperative in overcoming chronic symptoms.
Lyme disease is a tick-borne illness that can cause chronic symptoms if left untreated. The bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi is transmitted to humans through the bite of infected black-legged ticks. Borrelia has been found in North America, Europe, Asia and Australia, and cases have been reported in other countries as climate change and globalization increases the habitat for this stealth microbe.
It is important to know that not everyone with chronic Lyme remembers a tick bite, or experiences any acute Lyme symptoms. This is one of the reason that this stealth infection can remain under the radar of patients and practitioners alike.
But the fun doesn’t stop there! Ticks can carry and pass on more than one infection at a time. These microbes can cause co-infections, and include Bartonella, Babesia, Human ehrlichiosis, Rickettsia (Queensland tick typhus, Flinders Island spotted fever, Australian spotted fever) and Coxiella burnetii (Q Fever).
Dealing with chronic Lyme disease and co-infections can be a bear, but don’t lose hope—there is a path forward!
Natural treatments, including herbal antimicrobials and microbe-specific protocols are effective against all the tick-borne infections. The functional approach to Lyme focuses on not only eradicating the infection but also restoring healthy function to processes and tissues that have been damaged by microbe caused inflammation. This means all those disparate symptoms can be resolved.
As research continues to highlight the limitations of antibiotics in treating chronic Lyme, holistic practitioners are increasingly equipped with the tools and knowledge to successfully help Lyme patients achieve lasting recovery, naturally.
Many people with Lyme disease struggle with unexplained fatigue, joint pain, neurological issues, or chronic inflammation, often without realizing these symptoms may be tied to untreated or late-stage Lyme. Recalling the timing of symptom onset and relating them to the stages of Lyme below can help clarify whether Lyme should be investigated as your root cause.
STAGE 1: Early localized Lyme: (Within days to +/- 1 month of tick bite) Note that some people may experience all symptoms, others only a few, and some none at all.
Erythema migrans (bull’s eye rash) occurs from within 2 days to 4 weeks (occurs in about 50% of people)
Flu-like illness (swollen lymph nodes, body aches, fatigue)
Headache, brain fog, memory issues
Muscle pain and cramping
STAGE 2: Early disseminated Lyme: (These symptoms can appear 1 month to 1 year after the tick bite) Note that more severe symptoms tend to make themselves known by 3-6 months, but it is different for everyone.
Neurological symptoms, such as burning and shooting pains
Poor memory, trouble concentrating
Psychological effects
Heart palpitations and chest pain
Migratory arthralgias and myalgias (pain, inflammation and swelling that moves around the body, commonly in joints and specifically knees)
STAGE 3. Late disseminated infection (after 1 year) This is what practitioners refer to as chronic Lyme
Wide ranging physical and neurological symptoms that can be constant or manifest cyclically. Borrelia tends to flare on a monthly basis.
The most common common coinfections are Babesia and Bartonella, which I touch on briefly below. Note that the list of symptoms are not exhaustive, and every patient experiences a unique combination of symptoms, depending on genetics, lifestyle and health history. An experienced holistic practitioner can tease out which co-infections you are likely to have, and recommend appropriate testing if necessary.
Bartonella infection, aka bartonellosis, is sometimes called cat scratch fever (due to it’s red, scratch-like lesions) caused by Bartonella henselae or trench fever caused by Bartonella quintana. Many symptoms are similar to mold illness symptoms including highly sensitive patients with compromised immune response, low mood and a growing list of unusual physical sensations, including increased sensitivity to foods, light, touch and inner sensations, headaches, muscle and joint pain, anxiety, depression, insomnia, GI issues and more.
Babesia is a malaria-like illness caused by an intracellular parasite known as a piroplasm, which resides in red blood cells rather than being a bacterium. This distinction is important because many antibiotic treatments are ineffective against Babesia. Symptoms are wide ranging and not limited to: muscle pain, night sweats, chills, fatigue, anemia, and can flare every 4-6 days.
Complications of Lyme include damage and long-term effects from rampant inflammation, including joint issues and neurological conditions. Lyme patients also frequently test positive for additional pathogens, due to immune system dysfunction caused by Lyme disease. For example, individuals with Lyme commonly harbor Gut parasites, mycotoxin illness, Candida, Chlamydia pneumoniae, Cytomegalovirus, Epstein-Barr virus, or other herpes viruses.
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Image courtesy of Invisible International
Diagnosing Lyme can be incredibly complicated, even when you get the right test at the right time.
Testing limitations include: 1) Timing: some antibodies are only present within a specific early stage time window. 2) Level of health: Patients with compromised immune systems will not produce the antibodies. 3) Cost: The most accurate tests are typically not covered by insurance and can cost hundreds of dollars. 4) Microbes hide: During dormant stages or in response to antibiotics, these stealth pathogens can go into a dormant stage which is not identified by many tests. 5) Test availability: Depending on where you live and where you contracted the infection, the right test might not be available to you.
With that in mind, there are still instances where testing is appropriate and helpful. Here are the preferred tests I use with patients:
Tick Borne Disease Panel This panel can help identify if you have been infected with Lyme disease or other tick-borne diseases. It looks for the presence of antibodies and the DNA of microorganisms that can be passed on to humans and animals by ticks.
FISH tests for Bartonella, Babesia(Fluorescent In Situ Hybridization test has the highest specificity and sensitivity of all the Lyme tests on the market) Detects the presence of Bartonella bacteria in your blood. Bartonella is a type of bacteria that can cause various illnesses in humans, including cat scratch disease and trench fever.
Bartonella ImmunoBlot IgG + IgM Detects antibodies to B. burgdorferi strains and species. IgM antibodies may be present as early as 1 week after a tick bite and will usually remain present for six to eight weeks after initial exposure. IgG antibodies are typically present a few months following initial infection.
Other non- Lyme specific tests I use to assess immune health and presence of stealth infections include: ANA, CBC, CRP-hs, RF, TPO, Celiac antibodies, Immunoglobins, C3, C4, EBV, ESR, Iron panel, GI360 microbiome test, and the MycoTox profile.
If you are wondering how to recover from chronic Lyme, keep in mind that effective Lyme treatment options are different for each individual, depending on the specific microbial infection, and the stage of Lyme disease.
So, what are the best natural treatments for Lyme disease? The most effective herbal remedies include antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory medicinal herbs, including houttuynia, cat’s claw, baical skullcap and others. It is important to include inflammation-reduction herbs as well as nutrients that support a normal immune response in lyme protocols to overcome Lyme and coinfections naturally.
Another important aspect of holistic Lyme support is minimizing the die-off effect (aka Herxheimer reaction) that can happen when detoxing from lyme and coinfections. Qualified practitioners will also address any additional infections and symptoms like insomnia, joint and muscle pain, digestive issues and neurological symptoms associated with Lyme.
If you suspect you might have chronic Lyme, consult with a Lyme-literate practitioner for a full range of testing and treatment options. Chronic Lyme can affect all the body systems and benefits from a holistic, individualized, whole body approach.
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The views and nutrition, naturopathic and herbal recommendations expressed by Camille Hoffman and in Hoffman Natural Health’s programs, website, publications and newsletters, do not constitute a practitioner-patient relationship, are not intended to be a substitute for conventional medical service and are for informational purposes only. The statements and content found in these programs, website, publications and newsletters have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The treatments described may have known and unknown side effects and health hazards. Each user is solely responsible for their own healthcare choices and decisions. Camille Hoffman advises the website user to discuss these ideas with a healthcare professional or physician before trying them. Camille Hoffman does not accept any responsibility for any positive or adverse effects a person claims to experience, directly or indirectly, from the ideas and contents of this website.