Summertime entices us to extend our outdoor activities which can make us more likely to be on the receiving end of a tick bite. There are several tick-borne infectious diseases that can dramatically affect your health if you do not receive medical treatment immediately. Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, ehrlichiosis, tularemia and Lyme disease are bacterial infections transmitted by ticks. The most common tick-borne illness in the U.S. is Lyme disease. Although it has been around since the turn of the century, it derived its name in 1975 when multiple children in Old Lyme, Connecticut were affected by the Borrelia Burgdorferi bacteria found in deer ticks.
Lyme disease can be prevented if early detection and antibiotics are given immediately. Don’t allow a physician to tell you that it is not possible for you to have Lyme disease in your geographic area. Lyme disease has been documented in every U.S. state.
Unfortunately, many people may not know that they received a tick bite to initiate a diagnosis and the treatment process. Furthermore, since Lyme disease is known as ‘the great imitator’ its symptoms mimic other chronic illnesses such as arthritis, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, heart problems, and neurological disorders like Bell’s Palsy, depression, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Lyme bacteria bores into tissue, joints and the central nervous system. It migrates and affects many systems in your body so discomfort will spread beyond the original tick bite location. Symptoms are cyclical so approximately every 4 weeks you may experience symptoms when the bacteria replicates. To add to the confusion of diagnosis, Lyme disease can also be asymptomatic so that no noticeable symptoms may appear.
To further complicate the diagnosis and treatment process, ticks can carry more than one disease so a bite can cause co-infections. Antibiotics for one infection may not be effective for another infection.
Unfortunately, testing for Lyme disease is not always accurate. The most common forms of testing identify antibodies in your system. Antibodies are proteins that your body produces when it detects an antigen, a foreign substance (ie. bacteria) in your system. The ELISA test (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) is frequently used even though it misses 30% of the positives. If an ELISA test is performed, it is best to confirm its results with a Western blot test. However, both of these tests look for antibodies produced by your immune system. If your system has not produced antibodies it does not necessarily mean you do not have the antigen. Antibodies will not develop the first 4 weeks upon receiving the bite. In addition, if you wait several years to get tested, your immune system will not produce antibodies. An antigen capture test is becoming a more reliable diagnostic test for Lyme disease. It checks for the presence of the Lyme bacteria with or without the antibodies being present.
What type of doctor should be involved in your diagnosis and treatment? Ideally, a Lyme Literate Doctor or a Rheumatologist will provide a timely, accurate diagnosis and treatment. Other physicians may not be aware of the inaccuracies of the common diagnostic tests and they tend to be more conservative with the antibiotics prescribed to effectively eradicate the bacteria. 2-3 weeks of antibiotics is not enough to kill the bacteria before it replicates. Since some insurance companies may not pay for treatment if a positive test has not been received it is critical for your health and your bank account to avoid being misdiagnosed.
For more information about Lyme disease, My Lyme Guide is an excellent resource book and organizing tool to help you manage your illness. http://www.mylymeguide.com