Lyme Disease Can Be Difficult To Diagnose
Unlike a simple illness like strep throat where your doctor can obtain a swab and grow out the bacteria on a plate to make the diagnosis, Lyme disease diagnosis currently relies on tests of your bodys antibodies to the Lyme organism. See below for additional information about challenges in diagnosing Lyme disease.
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Lyme Disease is a very common bacterial infection caused by ticks here in New England.The infection is cause by a bit from a deer tick that has been attached to you for about 24 hours. The common signs of Lyme are flu symptoms and the bulls eye rash.
However, there are people who dont not show those classic signs of the infection. And those are the people who will go months or even years without having treatment. That causes long term damage to your body. When treatment can be a long hard road of super anti-biotics that are very ruff on a person digestion system. My personal opinion is when Lyme has gone this long without getting treatment it never really goes away. It finds a way to hide in your tissues beyond the reach of the antibiotics. The only real way to treat is with massive dose of antibiotics, but that is really no way to live!
Lyme Disease And Other Tick
Lyme disease was first discovered in Lyme, Connecticut in the mid-1970s. It was found to be the cause of a sudden epidemic of arthritis in children. It is caused by a spirochete . Transmitted by tick bites, Lyme disease can make you very sick. It can even be deadly. In this article, were covering Lyme disease natural treatment options, other tick-borne infections, symptoms, diagnosis, and more.
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How Stomach Massage For Gastroparesis Can Get Things Moving Again
Ive had stomach issues my whole life, but after I became chronically ill with tick-borne diseases, things became much worse. For years, I had lots of daily stomach pain, nausea, reflux, and eventually I developed food allergies with mast cell activation syndrome too. That forced me to get serious about changing my diet.
On top of all of that, at my worst I developed gastroparesis. With this condition, the stomach cannot empty itself of food in a normal fashion. In severe cases, the stomach and intestines essentially become paralyzed.
What Is Lyme Disease
Lyme disease is an illness caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi. This bacteria is carried by the black-legged tick, also known as the deer tick. When an infected tick bites you, it can transfer bacteria under the skin, leading to infection. If diagnosed and treated early, many patients recover. However, if not diagnosed or treated early, Lyme disease can develop into a chronic illness that leads to long-term, serious health problems and reduced quality of life. In rare cases, Lyme disease can result in death.
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Lyme Disease Natural Treatment Options
Treating Lyme Disease can also be quite challenging and must be personalized. The ability of the organism to evade the immune system sometimes requires a prolonged treatment course.
Compounding health issues are common with Lyme disease patients, and so we have a number of treatments that help reduce inflammation, support detoxification, and strengthen the immune system, these include:
- Infrared sauna Think of infrared saunas like a hyper-detox chamber. Infrared saunas are excellent for those with Lyme disease because they reduce inflammation and open up detoxification pathways.
- Lymphatic drainage massage Our lymphatic drainage massage helps get the lymphatic system flowing, which promotes better detoxification an essential process for anyone with Lyme disease.
- IV therapy We have a number of IV therapies available for our Lyme disease patients. IV therapies have proven to be very effective in people with Lyme disease.
- Ozone therapy Medical grade ozone promotes natural healing processes within the body, and is an excellent therapy for those with Lyme disease.
- BioMat therapy BioMat therapy creates negative ions within the body, which helps fight inflammation. We use our BioMat with every massage, which promotes better detoxification.
What Made You Try Alternative Medicine To Treat Your Disease What Types Of Alternative Therapies Did You Use That Led To Improvement
I understand the mind-body connection. Through my work as a licensed massage therapist and wellness coach for the last 20 years, I have seen firsthand how alternative therapies transform peoples lives. I needed to find the right combination to start healing my Lyme Disease, so I continued to persevere. I researched extensively and experimented with different supplements and gentle modalities while under strict supervision by a medical doctor. These are the alternatives that I used and continue to use to manage symptoms:
All the above worked. However, once I learned to incorporate mindfulness practices into my life, I started to see more definitive results.
Mindfulness practice is developing an emotional intelligence. It is about creating strategies to readjust expectations of oneself and of others. It is also about managing daily stress by slowing down the body and truly listening to what it needs to feel empoweredeven through challenging times. Also, as a massage therapist, I have learned that emotional stressors are stored in the body as well as in the mind. My holistic practice helps people move through stuck pain, whether physical or mental, that is held in the muscles, nervous system and the rest of the body.
I offer clients massage therapy and teach them meditation and qigong . I help clients release pain that is held in their bodies, making room for them to truly heal.
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Lyme Disease Pain Relief Through Massage Therapy
It is estimated that around 300,000 people contract Lyme Disease in the United States each year! Lyme disease plagues victims with a wide range of unpleasant symptoms such as fever, chills, fatigue, body aches, headache, neck stiffness, and swollen lymph nodes that can accompany the rash. Its a chronic illness caused by a bacterium carried by black-legged ticks and transmitted by their bite. Those spending a lot of time in the outdoors are highest at risk. Fortunately for those in the Austin area, tick bites are rare. However, Autunites traveling to places with higher rates of transmission, such as the Mid-West and North-East regions of the country, have contracted the disease.
Most sufferers use conventional medications, such as antibiotics, diet, and supplements to manage the disease. Often times, this just isnt enough. Lyme disease patients find themselves in need of relief from the symptoms that exist while on the path to recovery.
Can massage possibly help with pain relief?
In a case study conducted by the University of Wisconsin and published in the International Journal of Massage Bodywork, the effects of massage therapy on Lyme disease proved helpful in providing relief from pain. The patient studied found improvement in their overall well-being and decreased pain after receiving the massage.
If your suffering from Lyme disease, it may be beneficial to try massage therapy to manage your symptoms.
Diagnostic Tests/lab Tests/lab Values
Lyme disease is diagnosed based on symptoms, physical findings , and the possibility of exposure to infected ticks. Laboratory testing is helpful in the later stages of disease.
Diagnosis of any infectious disease requires a combination of clinical experience and assessment by the doctor and understanding of the lab tests and their limitations. Laboratory tests are rarely definitive and all tests have a proportion of results which are false-positive and false negative . When tests are done in places where the disease is rare or absent , many positive tests will be falsely positive.
The tests to diagnose Lyme disease are technically complex and require specialist expertise. It is important for people who want to be tested to make sure the laboratory that performs the test is reliable.
Lyme disease is most commonly diagnosed by a screening test called ELISA and this is then confirmed using a western blot test. Both of these tests detect antibodies that are produced by the immune system of someone with Lyme disease.
Lyme disease can also be diagnosed by testing a sample of the skin lesion by nucleic acid testing or culture.
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Finding A Doctor Who Specializes In Lyme Disease
Lyme disease is a condition that may get worse with time. So, if you think youve been exposed to the Lyme disease pathogen, you should make an appointment with a specialist immediately. Remember, this is a complex and misunderstood disease make sure you make an appointment with a Functional Medicine doctor who is experienced in Lyme disease and other tick-borne infections.
The process of diagnosing Lyme disease and developing an individualized treatment plan can be a long and arduous process. However, if you complete this journey with an experienced, certified Functional Medicine doctor who can guide you along the way, it can be not only manageable but empowering. This is why we always recommend you find a Physician you trust and respect when treating your Lyme disease and tick-borne infections. You can look for Lyme disease doctors by checking the International Lyme and Associated Disease Society website.
If you are in Carmel, Indiana or the Indianapolis area and are looking for a certified Functional Medicine Physician, You can book an appointment by clicking here. We are also happy to speak with you at , Monday-Thursday, from 8AM 5PM Eastern time.
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Here Is Another Option
Essential oils are a great natural form of antibiotics. Essential oil are a super concentrated liquid form of plants. And on drop goes a long way. The great thing about using essential oils for treating Lyme Disease is your body never becomes immune to the oils. And the oils are also going to help with the muscle and joint pain. Along with the brain fog that happens as well.
One of the most effective treatment for the symptoms of Lyme is the AromaTouch Technique. This is a clinical application of essential oils. And there are 8 different oils that are used in this treatment.
- Balance
- Wild Orange
- Peppermint
This treatment effects every major system in the body bring it back into balance and strength, so that you can have the ability to heal.
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Leslie Dematteo Lmt Ms
Leslie L. DeMatteo, LMT, MS, has been an active massage therapist since 1998, after graduating from the Sarasota School of Massage Therapy in Sarasota, FL. There she completed the massage therapy program along with a certificate program in Nuad-Bo-Rarn: Traditional Massage of Thailand. Since then, she has completed continuing education in cranial-sacral fundamentals, cancer and mastectomy massage, reflexology, trigger point therapy and prenatal massage. She is also certified by the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork and is a Professional Level member of Associated Bodywork and Massage Professionals . Her work in massage therapy continuing education and teaching in a massage school ignited a passion for adult training and education, which led her to pursue her Bachelor’s Degree in Adult Learning: Vocational Instruction, followed by her a Master’s Degree in Adult Learning.
Other Integrative And Restorative Therapies
Modalities to help improve strength, mobility, and flexibility can help to relieve pain temporarily. Over time, improved function may help reduce the underlying cause of the pain. I am a big fan of hands-on treatment by a trained professional.
The following is a partial list of therapies you might consider.:
- Acupuncture
- Medications
- Neuromuscular electrical stimulation
- Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation
- Ultrasound therapy
- Vagus nerve stimulation
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Lyme Disease And Massage Therapy
Hello, and welcome back to our blog. In our recent post, we looked at the benefits of chiropractic care and acupuncture treatments for treating the common symptoms that accompany Lyme disease. While there are many conventional methods for treating Lyme disease, these prescription-based treatments rely on antibiotics and other methods that treat the condition, but do not necessarily address the symptoms. Both chiropractic and acupuncture may reduce the pain, ache, and overall discomfort attributed to Lyme disease, which, if left untreated, can negatively affect a persons ability to function at an optimal level. Along with these treatments, other natural, non-invasive treatments like massage therapy provide drug-free pain relief while also improving the bodys ability to function properly. Lets look at the benefits of massage therapy for Lyme disease and how it may reduce the symptoms connected to this condition.
The Use Of Massage For Lyme Disease
As I mentioned earlier, we are here today to talk about the use of some more alternative techniques in the treatment of Lyme disease. One of the most popular ones is massage therapy for Lyme disease. There are many benefits of massage for Lyme disease such as:
- Improved blood flow
- Improved quality of sleep
- Shorter recovery time, etc.
But with so many massage techniques, which one should you choose? To take away some of the stress in this situation, here are my favorite massage techniques for Lyme disease.
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Symptoms Of Lyme Disease
In 70-80% of cases, one of the earliest noticeable symptoms of Lyme disease is a circular rash at the site of the tick bite. The rash is called erythema migrans and expands over time. Flu-like symptoms have also been reported at this stage, which includes but isnt limited to: fever, chills, headaches, fatigue, swollen lymph nodes, joint pain, and muscle aches.
If not caught right away, after a few weeks, the disease will spread to more areas of the body including the joints, heart, and nervous system. Even more rashes may flare up and there may be periods of pain and fatigue in the limbs and rapid heartbeat. As it spreads to the brain, Bells palsy , headaches, and poor memory may ensue.
Unfortunately, if left untreated or treatment thus far is unsuccessful, the disease gets much worse. This is when sufferers feel arthritic especially in the knees which may become chronic. On top of that, since the nervous system is affected, those infected can develop abnormal sensations and confusion. Lastly, while not evident in most patients, heart muscle inflammation and irregular heartbeat may occur on top of the rapid beating.
Click here for a symptom slideshow and more information.
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Safe And Gentle Massage Techniques
Light to moderate work is best when working on clients with Lyme disease. The following modalities work well:
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Misdiagnosis Of Lyme Disease
Lyme disease is considered to be the best example of how the medical industry misdiagnoses disease still to this day. One of the most referred medical books is Mendels Infections disease textbook, which tells doctors that if the blood tests come back negative for Lyme disease, they should look for another diagnosis. These immune system tests are very sensitive and in fact, the tests miss over 50% of cases because of false negatives.
On the flip side, there are times when patients test positive for Lyme disease when they actually have a different bacterial illness. Or they test positive because they were once infected with the tick-borne disease at another time during their lives, but the infection is no longer active or causes disturbances in the body.
On top of false negatives and positives, many patients are told that their medical conditions are solely in their heads. Their symptoms are all in line with hypochondriac symptoms and therefore not taken as seriously. Or the symptoms align with another disease and misdiagnosed that way. For example, Chronic Lyme disease has symptoms very similar to other chronic illnesses such as fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, multiple sclerosis, and arthritis. This is another reason that so many suffering from Lyme disease arent given the correct diagnosis and more importantly, left untreated.
Click here for a larger sample list of Lyme disease misdiagnosis.
When Clients Present With Joint Pain
Despite seeming to be a simple, straightforward complaint, joint pain can have several different origins. Bodyworkers who are familiar with the five most common causes of joint pain and their respective implications on massage therapy can be especially useful to joint pain riddled clients.
Want to earn continuing education credit for this article? Learn more.
Technically described as the junction between two bones, joints typically endure great amounts of pressure. Their responsibility of carrying weight and transmitting force while facilitating movement makes them especially prone to painful conditions. As professionals who are increasingly recruited to field a variety of painful conditions, massage therapists are particularly likely to work with clients complaining of joint pain. In order to provide the most effective treatment possible, massage therapists should be able to differentiate between the most common types of joint pain.
Five of the most common reasons for joint pain, include:
Earn continuing education credit for this article contained in our Arthritic Conditions & Massage series.
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