What are some common causes of Lyme disease flare-ups?

Sufferers of Chronic Lyme disease will tell you their symptoms come and go.

What causes Lyme disease flare-ups though? Is it diet, mental stress, other illnesses or infections? Like other chronic conditions, Lyme will rear its ugly head and wreak havoc when triggered. The key is finding out what your particular triggers are.

What are symptoms of a chronic Lyme flare-up?

A flare-up can include extreme fatigue, sleeplessness, brain fog, light and sound sensitivity, muscle pain and stiffness, and irritability. These are but a few known symptoms of chronic Lyme sufferers.

What causes Lyme disease flare-ups? — What are common causes of Lyme flare-ups?

Common Causes of Chronic Lyme Flares

One of the most common causes of Lyme flares is called the Jarisch Herxheimer reaction, or JHR. This is a reaction of a patient being treated for another infection with antibiotics. Those, who have Lyme bacteria, or spirochetes, will experience a symptoms flare-up within 24 hours of starting an antibiotic. The infection itself can also be a trigger for a Lyme disease flare-up.

If you have Chronic Lyme and experience a flare-up of unknown origins, here are some things that might be causing your relapse.

Diet

When you suffer with any chronic condition, it is very important to know what types of foods might have an effect – negative or otherwise – on your body. Chronic Lyme sufferers might experience a flare-up by eating processed sugars or drinking alcohol.

Physical and Emotional Stress

Physical injury or surgical procedures could also result in a Lyme disease flare-up. A relapse could also be caused by extreme emotional stress, be it from a traumatic event or everyday stressors, such as work, school, or family life.

Lack of Sleep

Since sleeplessness is one symptom of a Lyme disease flare-up this situation might seem like a chicken-or-egg scenario. Are you flaring because you are not sleeping or not sleeping because you are flaring? Changes in work or school schedule or even long-distance travel could put your body into a weakened or exhausted state that would set you up for a Chronic Lyme flare-up.

What can be done to prevent Lyme disease flare-ups?

The first key to living with Chronic Lyme disease is finding a doctor and treatment regimen that works for you. Treatment and methods of prevention through lifestyle are different for every patient. However, there are some general guidelines, which anyone with Chronic Lyme could follow to promote a healthier lifestyle – and thus, less flares.

Stay hydrated and practice a healthy lifestyle through diet and exercise.
Get enough rest. The body cannot heal itself without real rest.
Try to reduce the everyday stressors in your life. Perhaps practicing meditation would be beneficial.
Do not overdo it when you are feeling unwell. Pace yourself in your everyday activities. Listen to your body when it feels weakened or tired.
Seek dependable emotional support and/or a mental health provider to help you deal when traumatic events arise, or you begin to feel overwhelmed.

Dave Macchia, tick control enthusiast — Dave Macchia, Central Mass tick control enthusiast

Lyme disease is a sad fact of the world we live in. Chronic sufferers face a lifetime of health maintenance and treatment. Lyme disease flare-ups can really affect physical and emotional well-being.

Consider year-round tick control for the prevention of Lyme, and seek immediate medical attention if you believe you have been bitten by an infected tick.

Read: Can you catch Lyme disease from dog saliva?

Do ticks bite in the fall?

Can you get a tick bite in October? November?

Do ticks bite in the fall? As you might know, ticks are not yet ready to go into their cold-weather dormancy. You can be bitten by a tick in October and November. You can even get a tick bite beyond the fall season. Ticks can quest any time of year, weather permitting. Typically, adult ticks will retreat to their winter hideaways when temperatures are consistently below 45°F. However, it is not unheard of for a tick to be found out and about on a warm winter’s day. It is rare, but possible to receive a tick bite in the winter, even in Central Mass.

Which ticks bite in the fall?

Adult deer ticks are at peak activity in the fall. Larval ticks will molt during the fall and winter, and emerge as nymphs in the springtime. Nymph ticks will grow into adults over the winter, emerging to feed and mate in the spring. If you are spending time outdoors in October and November, you should still be performing tick checks.

You can control ticks in the fall and winter too.

fall and winter tick control There is no reason to stop your tick control efforts with the change of season. There are a lot of reasons that you should never halt tick control around your home and property. To name a few: Lyme disease, Babesiosis, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Powassan disease, Tularemia.

Reputable tick control companies offer year-round tick control via tick tubes. Tick tubes are unlikely heroes in the fight against rising tick populations. By treating your property for ticks through the fall and winter, you are essentially interrupting the entire tick life cycle. Treated cotton that originates in the tick tubes will be carried by ground rodents to their nests, where ticks can come in contact with it. This tick treatment will eliminate any tick species in any phase of its life – ensuring that the number of ticks that emerge around your home in the springtime are less than they would otherwise have been.

There is no reason to avoid going outdoors in the beautiful fall weather. Be sure that your yard is protected from the threat of ticks all year long, and do not skip the tick check process when you come back inside.

Why should you continue tick control through the winter?

You should not halt your tick control, even if you are a snowbird.

Winters are cold here in the Northeast. However, they are not as cold as they used to be. This type of climate change has resulted in an explosion in tick populations in our area. Many of our residents, who are retired or are digital nomads, head to Florida or Arizona in the winter. If you go in search of a warmer climate for a few months each year, you will probably cancel cable and Internet services. You will have your mail forwarded to your sunny locale. You will hit pause on your newspaper deliveries. However…

Litchfield tick control for winter — Even snowbirds need tick control in the winter

Litchfield tick control is an essential winter non-activity.

The great thing about professional Litchfield tick control in the winter, is you needn’t lift a finger. You don’t even have to be at home. You see, unlike warm weather tick control, the winter variety is set in motion in the fall, and continues working through the cold season – and no one’s the wiser, especially not ticks.

Fly the coop from November through April, knowing that your property is protected. Ticks do not seek warmth by traveling to a more temperate locale. They simply bed down right at home – on you property. Beneath leaf litter and even beneath the snow, these ticks will patiently wait for springtime to take their next blood meal or to lay their fertilized eggs.

How does wintertime tick protection work?

Tick tubes are the answer to springtime tick emergence. Ticks live among grout mammals, like mice. By having professional tick tubes placed in potential tick hot spots around your property in the fall, those mice will do the work. Biodegradable tick tubes are filled with warm and cozy treated cotton, which mice love to carry back to their nests. In doing so, the tick treatment solution gets onto their skin and fur. Don’t fret – it will not harm these woodland critters. It is lethal for ticks, though. Not only will ticks potentially come in contact with the mice, but also their cozy lairs. Their winter hideaways become tick elimination dens. This process is essential in controlling the number of ticks that come up for warm air in the spring. This means that when you are arriving home in the spring, you will encounter fewer ticks around your home. In April, you can begin your regular barrier protection sprays again.

Year-round Litchfield tick control is essential even if you are not year-round residents. Ticks not only carry harmful human diseases, but they can make our pets sick too. Lyme disease can be spread to both humans and dogs, and other illnesses, like Babesiosis can cause our dog become severely anemic.

Also read: Why should your dentist know about Lyme disease symptoms?

Is Lyme antibody the answer to our lack of a vaccine?

We are hearing much about vaccines and antibodies in the COVID era. Could a Lyme antibody treatment be our new hope in the fight against the disease?

A Lyme disease vaccine was introduced in 1998, but was fraught with controversy. Though some folks, who received the FDA-approved Lyme vaccine, reported arthritis post-shot, evidence was not strong enough for the vaccine to be pulled from the market. But eventually, makers of the vaccine discontinued the shot due to lack of sales. Experts have weighed in over the years since, noting a few reasons for the vaccine’s demise. First, the public lost faith in the safety of the shot. There is also the fact that Lyme has a low morbidity rate, which resulted in the public not deeming the infection a true threat. Today, the CDC estimates that there are as many as 300,000 cases of Lyme disease in the United States each year. Though, only about 30,000 are confirmed. Now that chronic Lyme disease is more widely-accepted by the medical community, efforts to prevent infection are expanding.

Enter, Phase 1 Clinical Trials for a New Lyme Antibody Treatment

Some scientists spend most of their careers researching and developing inoculations against many types of diseases. One that has been at the forefront over the last decade, is Lyme disease. One group of scientists has gotten the green light from the FDA to begin phase one clinical trials on a Lyme antibody treatment. Their animal trials resulted in an efficacy rate of 100%. The antibody, known as Lyme PrEP, deploys, “a single human antibody, or blood protein, to kill the bacteria in the tick’s gut while the tick drinks its victim’s blood, before the bacteria can get into the human host.” The use of a single antibody reduces the likelihood of unwanted side effects, unlike a vaccine, which triggers the development of many antibodies. Developers of Lyme PrEP note that protection will come from a recurring yearly shot. The goal is to maintain protection against Lyme disease for a full nine-month period. Early trials indicate that this goal will be met, though this will be confirmed by later studies. They hope to have concluded those studies in 2022, and bring the antibody treatment to market in 2023 or 2024.

We must stay the course with current methods of Lyme prevention.

tick control Massachusetts Until we have a safe and surefire method of Lyme infection prevention, we must employ the tools we have available. The best way to prevent Lyme disease is to lower our risk of encountering ticks. We must wear protective clothing while hiking and camping. Massachusetts residents should choose professional tick control around their property from April through October – and even extend those efforts with tick tubes in the winter. We must perform a tick check on ourselves, our children, and our pets after spending time outdoors. And if you are feeling ill after a known tick bite, seek immediate medical attention.

Morgellons, Chronic Condition Associated with Lyme Infection

Through the years, we have heard from chronic Lyme sufferers and conditions associated with their illness.

Can previous Lyme infection really be the cause of Morgellons disease? What is Morgellons? Over the last couple of decades, this mysterious illness has become a point of contention among the medical community. From dermatologists to psychiatrists, Morgellons is a hot-button topic. Patients present skin ulcers, which some dismiss as self-inflicted abrasions due to a psychological condition known as Excoriation disorder, associated with obsessive-compulsive tendencies. Many dermatologists and family practitioners saw patients with these lesions and referred them to psychiatrists for treatment. In 2002, the first case was documented with one difference – fibers were present in the lesions. This led to the eventual connection with previous Lyme infection.

What is the link between Lyme infection and Morgellons disease?

What were the fibers?

The fibers were originally thought to be from patients’ clothing, bedding, or towels. Upon further investigation of the make-up of the fibers in Morgellons patients, it was determined that the fibers were being produced by their bodies. They are made of keratin and collagen, two naturally-occurring proteins. This is where the connection to Lyme infection was made. Research over the last few years is said to show that the keratin and collagen fibers result from an over-production process that began with spirochetal infection. The species of the spirochetes is Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacteria that cause Lyme disease. Even still, many medical professionals declare that Morgellons is 100% psychological, claiming that the fibers are from clothing or linens. Genetic, immunology, and hormonal studies are recommended as we continue to learn more about Morgellons. Current treatments may include antibiotics that are used in early Lyme diagnoses, with some patients reporting remission. Others are still being treated with drugs that control tics and psychosis.

What are other chronic conditions related to previous Lyme infection?

When a person has asymptomatic early stage Lyme disease or are misdiagnosed in the early stages of Lyme, they could develop chronic Lyme disease. Chronic Lyme can cause joint pain, fatigue, and even cognitive disorders that mimic Alzheimer’s. While patients cannot be cured, many seek the help of Rheumatologists, Lyme specialized physicians, or natural medicine practitioners. Morgellons is just one more anomaly that is said to be the result of a bite from an infected tick.

Charlton tick control for tick bite prevention.

tick control Massachusetts Due to the seriousness of tick-born diseases, such as Lyme disease, and now Morgellons disease, it is imperative that we protect our families from the threat of tick bites. There is no 100% guaranteed method of tick elimination, but year-round control solutions are available in Central Massachusetts. Professional tick control begins in the springtime with barrier yard spray – either EPA-registered or all-natural yard treatment. In the late fall, it continues with tick tubes, which help break the tick life cycle and reduce the number of emerging ticks in the spring.

What is tick-borne relapsing fever and should we be worried in MA?

It would be no surprise if you have never heard of tick-borne relapsing fever.

According to the CDC, there were only 504 cases of confirmed tick-borne relapsing fever between 1990 and 2011. Aside from the rarity of the illness, Central Mass residents will be happy to know that it is not in Massachusetts. Though 15 western states account for most cases, California, Washington, and Colorado are the most prominent states, where infection occurs. Tick-borne relapsing fever occurs mostly in the summer, but winter infection is possible. The ticks responsible for passing this illness thrive in coniferous forests at elevations of 1,500 to 8,000 feet. If you are considering a rustic cabin rental in a western state, you should know about this rare illness. You should wear tick protection and protective clothing. You should ask the rental company for proof that the cabin has been treated for ticks.

What tick is responsible for the illness?

O. hermsi ticks often feed on the blood of chipmunks.

The O. hermsi tick is responsible for most cases of this infection. This soft tick lives mostly at higher elevations, and can live up to a decade. During its life, the O. hermsi will take multiple blood meals, their main food source being chipmunks and squirrels.

Borrelia hermsii are the bacteria that cause the illness. Not so closely related to Lyme disease bacteria, Borrelia burgdorferi, these bacteria can cause symptoms akin to Lyme infection. They include a high fever, muscle aches, and joint pain. The interesting thing is, the high fever will come and go in cycles. Three days of high fever will be followed by seven days of no fever. Then, three more days of fever will occur. If left untreated, this will repeat multiple times.

Can tick-borne relapsing fever be treated?

Patients, who receive a positive diagnosis will be prescribed antibiotics for 10 to 14 days. About half of patients experience an adverse reaction within the first four hours of treatment. Known as Jarisch-Herxheimer, the reaction includes low blood pressure, high fever, and rigors. This too, must be treated. Patients must be monitored when they start treatment for tick-borne relapsing fever.

Deploy Cambridge tick control at home and personal protection away from home.

tick tubes — Tick tubes offer year-round tick control.

While the illness can be treated and cured, protection is key. Folks, who love the outdoors, must practice personal tick protection. Whether you are at home or away from home, avoiding a tick bite is better than being treated for a tick-borne disease like relapsing fever or Lyme disease. Central Mass residents should be vigilant with their at home tick control by employing a professional Cambridge tick control company. Professional tick treatment is available all year long. Barrier protection spray will protect your yard from spring through fall, and tick tubes will further tick control efforts through the winter.

Dave Macchia mosquito conrol and tick control enthusiast — Dave Macchia
Central Mass tick enthusiast

How fast do ticks move?

Perhaps you know that ticks do not jump or fly. Ticks quest. They lie in wait for their host, legs outstretched, ready to latch.

But how fast do ticks move? Do they move at a slow pace due to their “lazy” questing nature? Do they run in search of cover or a host, or when they are on your body? The truth is, ticks are faster than you might think!

Can ticks move as fast as ants?

Perhaps they do move as quickly as some insects, like ants, but they certainly do not move as fast as the fastest ant. Back in 2019, the Saharan silver, was clocked at the equivalent of 360mph! Ticks are no slowpokes, though. When you see a tick out in the open or moving around your body, you will note that it does not move at a snail’s pace. Ticks will scurry in search of a fine place, where they can become attached to have their blood meal.

See this brown dog tick on the move!

Where do ticks like to move on your body?

Ticks inherently see the protection of warmth and darkness. In nature, they will lie on the forest floor, out of direct sunlight. When they are on a person, they will move to places like the armpit, groin, or scalp. They will often move to our pets’ ears. For this reason, a thorough tick check will include hidden areas on ourselves and our pets.

ticks move inside dogs' ears — Ticks move inside dogs’ ears.

Reduce your odds of encountering a tick with Sudbury tick control.

If you are looking for effective Sudbury tick control, consider your professional options, like Mosquito Squad. They offer an EPA-registered tick control spray, as well as an all-natural formula. Once tick barrier protection is applied to your property, your family can enjoy time outdoors with a lot less stress. Their traditional tick control spray works for about 21 days, and the all-natural spray works for about 14 days. The best part is, the same solution works to control mosquitoes around your home too!

Why Your Dentist Should Know About Lyme Disease Symptoms

Lyme disease, often referred to as the great imitator, can have an array of symptoms.

Lyme Disease rash — Bulls-eye rash is the clearest indicator of Lyme infection.

In past blogs, I have talked about how Lyme disease symptoms present differently from one person to the next. Children’s Lyme symptoms can be extremely tricky. Some children never show visible symptoms. One study of 15,000 children with confirmed Lyme disease, had about 10% of patients presenting the telltale bulls-eye rash. Both children and adults can have cognitive symptoms, which often result in a mis-diagnosis. Due to the varied symptoms of Lyme infection, many family doctors and specialists now know to have extensive testing performed on patients, whose symptoms are ambiguous. But why dentists?

Lyme disease symptoms can mimic dental pain.

The dreaded toothache. Even if you are one of the 36% of people, who is frightened of the dentist, a terrible toothache will override the fear. What if you have pain that seems to originate in or around your teeth? Pain that affects the mouth, jaw, and neck are often credited to an infected tooth. This is because tooth pain is often focused in one area, but also travels to other regions. Toothaches are caused by infected nerves, which are responsible for the traveling painful sensations we feel around our face, temple, neck, and jaw. This type of nerve pain is called neuropathy.

dentists should consider Lyme disease — Tell your dentist if you could have been exposed to a tick bite.

According to a paper on The National Library of Medicine, one patient visited her dentist and orthodontist, only to find she had no dental issues. The patient had jaw, neck, and head pain, as well as tingling sensations around and inside her mouth. She was also experiencing chills and night sweats. Her symptoms were so severe, that she eventually went to the ER, where a stroke was ruled out. The next day, upon visiting her family physician, a bulls-eye rash was found. What she believed was a toothache turned out to be Lyme disease.

What should you do if you have a toothache and neuropathy?

a toothache can be Lyme symptoms — Your toothache and facial pain could be Lyme symptoms.

If you have what you believe to be a toothache, schedule a visit with your dentist ASAP. If you believe that you might have been exposed to a tick bite in recent days or weeks, tell your dentist. If you have been doing yard work, gone camping or hiking, or even visited the beach – these are all times that you could have encountered a tick.

This is not to say that every time your tooth hurts, you should be afraid you have Lyme disease, but don’t rule it out. Especially if you live in a high-risk area, like Central Mass.

Tick control is key to Lyme prevention.

The best way to prevent Lyme symptoms that mimic dental issues is to protect yourself outdoors. Use tick protection on your skin and clothing when you go hiking or camping. Practice the 6 T’s of tick control at home, and call on a professional Cohasset tick control company to protect your yard all year long. Reputable tick control companies offer seasonal full protection barrier yard sprays, as well as tick tubes that are used in the fall and winter.

Will a snowy winter mean less ticks this spring?

Snow is beautiful to some, a pain to others. How does snow affect ticks?

I have written before about how ticks lie dormant in wintertime temperatures below 45°F. When we see a large snowfall, we tend to rejoice that it could result in fewer ticks and mosquitoes in the springtime. We equate snowfall with harsh winter conditions, but snow will not kill ticks.

snow will not kill ticks — Snow will not kill ticks.

Extremely cold temperatures kill ticks.

Consider this. We know that ticks become inactive in sustained temperatures below 45°F, but do not die. The atmospheric temperature must only be below freezing in order for snow to fall. That’s 32°F, as we all know. This is not what would be considered extreme cold. What’s more, if snow has fallen atop dormant ticks, it will provide a measure of insulation. According to JCLonline.com, one foot of snow offers the same protection as a 2″ x 4″ insulated wall. The reason this happens is because the heat absorbed from sunlight before a snowfall, dissipates much slower than air temperatures. Therefore, any heat stored in the earth will be further protected by a blanket of snow – it is called a blanket after all.

exremely cold temperatures kill ticks — Snow will blanket ticks, providing insulation.

The temperature required to begin killing ticks is about 10°F. The catch is, there must be sustained temperatures at or below 10°F for many days. With warmer winters everywhere, this is not as common as you might think in today’s times.

Protect yourself this spring, because ticks will emerge.

We will likely not have a harsh winter, which will help reduce the ticks that emerge this spring. That is not to say all is lost. There are simple methods of protection that will help keep ticks at bay. If you love being outdoors, hiking or camping, be sure to use personal tick protection, such as DEET or Picaridin. For added protection, wear long sleeves and choose pants over shorts – even in summertime temperatures. Adding a barrier between blood-thirsty ticks and yourself is highly recommended. Perhaps most importantly, perform a thorough tick check each time you return from outdoor adventures.

ticks will emerge in spring — Tick protection will remain essential this spring.

At-home tick control.

Central Mass tick control — Professional tick control in Central Mass is essential.

Tick protection at home is also essential. You can choose from multiple methods of professional protection formulas, including all-natural Cohasset tick control and EPA-registered barrier sprays. All-natural formulas are applied like barrier sprays, covering your property, applied to all vegetation thereon. For about two weeks, all natural formulas will repel about 85% of the ticks from your yard. EPA-registered insecticides will not only eliminate ticks on the spot, but will work longer and better – eliminating about 95% of the ticks in your yard for up to three weeks. Reputable Central Mass tick control companies also offer special event sprays for outdoor weddings, family reunions, or other gatherings. Special even tick control will be applied a day or so in advance, and will help protect your loved ones from the threat of potentially dangerous ticks.

For the best protection available, choose year-round tick control with the use of tick tubes. Tick tubes are placed around your property in the late fall. They have an insecticide-treated cotton filling, which mice carry to their nests, where many ticks live. This added method of protection can literally break the 2-year tick life cycle, resulting in fewer ticks emerging in the spring.

Why is Lyme disease more prevalent in the Northeastern US?

Black-legged tick populations are plentiful in the South. Why are there fewer cases of Lyme disease?

Lyme disease is the most common tick-borne illness in the United States. There are an estimated 300K cases each year. Though, according to the CDC, the vast majority of those cases are not confirmed. The line of infection versus non-infection is quite blurred. What is clear, is the imbalance of confirmed Lyme disease cases in the Northeastern and Southeastern United States – even though deer ticks are rampant in both regions. Scientists believe they have found clear answers to this quandary! Clarification begins with mice and lizards.

The white-footed mouse is a massive Lyme bacteria spreader in the Northeast.

In our area, ticks often seek their blood meals from small rodents, like the white-footed mouse. This little, furry creature is a common carrier of Borrelia bacteria, which are responsible for Lyme infection in humans and animals. More importantly, they are a very virile transmitters of these harmful bacteria. After passing them to a black-legged tick, the tick might then seek its next blood meal from a human. If the tick is attached 36 to 48 hours, they are apt to pass those bacteria, which can result in Lyme infection.

mice spread Lyme disease bacteria to ticks — Mice are great transmitters of Lyme-causing bacteria.

Lizards transmit Lyme causing bacteria in the Southeastern US.

Though lizards are some of the main carries of Borrelia bacteria south of the Virginia-North Carolina border, there is one catch. They are not strong transmitters of the bacteria. Though ticks often feed on these smooth-scaled skinks, they are less likely to receive a strong does of the pathogens when taking their blood meal. A recent two-year study found that areas, where black-legged ticks feed on the blood of these lizards, are less likely to have reports of Lyme infection than areas, where they feed on rodents, like the white-footed mouse. There were far less infected black-legged ticks in the Southeast than in the Northeast.

lizards do not transmit Lyme pathogens well — Lizards are less likely to pass Lyme causing pathogens to ticks.

Another reason southern ticks pass less Lyme pathogens to humans.

The hotter, sunnier climate in southern states means that the questing habits of ticks are different than in northern states. To avoid dehydration, ticks in the South will quest under vegetation, remaining close to the forest floor. This means that they take less human blood meals. Ticks in Massachusetts, quest farther from the ground. They crawl on higher vegetation, where they often encounter humans and pets to obtain their blood meal.

southern ticks stay on the forest — Southern ticks lie closer to the forest floor to avoid dehydration.

See more tick and Lyme disease questions and answers:

Hingham Tick Control: Essential Lyme Infection Prevention

Even though we have snow on the ground, it’s never too early to plan for tick control in Central Mass. Professional tick control companies offer season-long and year-round protection options. Reputable companies will also offer special event sprays, all-natural formulas, and even year-round tick protection with tick tubes. With tick populations and Lyme infections on the rise, professional tick control is a necessary part of your family’s health and well-being.