by Rebecca Joy Durham, TargetingLyme.com
With more than 1,000 reported cases of Lyme disease per day, according to the CDC, this vector-borne disease has become a quite common occurrence in the country. Lyme disease and the often-accompanying co-infections can be effectively treated with antibiotics by a doctor if caught right away. Anytime you find an embedded tick, there is a risk of Lyme disease and calling a doctor should be the first thing you do. Do not wait for the tell-tale bullseye to appear, as approximately only 30% of infected sites develop a bullseye rash.
How do you get Lyme disease?
Often, a person contracts Lyme disease through a bite directly from a tick, but studies have shown that Lyme can also be transmitted through fleas, mites, placenta, breast milk and sex.
When you hear about Lyme disease, depending upon your familiarity with the condition, you may think instantly of ticks and feeling tired. You are right. What you may not know, however, is many people contract Lyme disease and do not have any idea they have it. Some people suffer for months and even years due to a misdiagnosis or even no diagnosis at all. Because Lyme Disease is so difficult to test accurately via a blood test, people often hear “it’s all in your head, there is nothing wrong with you.” If this sounds familiar to you and you experience any of the following symptoms, you may have Chronic Lyme disease or one of the many co-infections that accompany it. Although this is not a fully comprehensive list, it does list some of the more common symptoms.
• Chronic pain • Joint inflammation • Migrating joint pain (moving from one joint to another) • Balance loss • Sinus problems • Headache • Blurred vision • Unexplained low-grade fevers • Sweating profusely • Brain fog
• Dental pain • Swollen glands • Skin hypersensitivity
How do you remove a tick?
If you have a tick on your body, you will want to immediately remove it. Using fine-tipped tweezers, pull upwards as close to the top of its head and as close to your skin surface as possible. Use a steady pressure to remove the tick without twisting or jerking. Be careful to not remove the tick by its body. If you squeeze the body, you could be pushing the toxin out of the tick and into your body. Clean out the bitten area and wash your hands well with soap and warm to hot water, or with rubbing alcohol. You will want to remove the tick as soon as possible to reduce the possibility of getting an infection from the tick bite.
Can Lyme disease be serious?
Yes! Lyme symptoms can come on very quickly or they can gradually creep up over time. Often people attribute their fatigue, weakness, brain fog, or achy joints to just getting older. In most cases, getting older is not the reason. If untreated for too long, Lyme can morph into Alzheimer’s, arthritis, MS, or Parkinson’s just to name a few. Lyme disease needs to be taken very seriously.
Why are we so interested in Lyme disease?
Our family has been greatly affected by Lyme disease. My husband, Christopher, almost lost his ability to walk, talk and partake in any kind of quality of life after years of becoming progressively debilitated due to undiagnosed Lyme. Through the grace of God, we finally found out he had Lyme, how to shatter it and how to get back into the game of living.
Our compassion and desire to help others comes from personal pain. We cannot go back in time to get those lost years that were shrouded in sickness and isolation, but we don’t live there anymore! We go on joyfully embracing this new season of life that is filled with health, community, and the reminder that every day is a gift. We are thankful to be able to share the passion of living life now!
Rebecca Joy is the owner of Bullseye Alternative Health Solutions. To learn more please call 715-861-5708, email rebeccajoybahs@gmail.com, or Christopherbahs@gmail.com or simply visit www.TargetingLyme.com W