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.

tick control Central MassThe 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.

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

Also read: What happens if you get bitten by a tick?

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

tick tubes
Tick tubes offer year-round tick control.

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.

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

Also read: What repels ticks naturally?

COVID-19 Long Haulers Shine a Light on Chronic Lyme

There have been parallels between COVID-19 and Lyme over the last year.  Could COVID-19 long haulers impact the future of treating chronic Lyme?

In June of last year, I wrote about comorbidity between these two illnesses.  A chronic Lyme sufferer, who is being treated with immunosuppressant drugs, could be more susceptible to contracting coronavirus.  Even though COVID-19 is a viral infection, whereas Lyme disease is bacterial, there are similarities in some of the symptoms.  Extreme fatigue, body pain, and fever are just three.  In recent months, we have heard about COVID-19 long haulers.  These are people, who contracted coronavirus and recovered – but cannot seem to fully recover.

covid-10 long haulers
A negative COVID test does not mean a full recovery.

What are long haulers experiencing?

The persistent symptoms left behind seem to be non-discriminating.  There are young and old sufferers.  There are patients, who had no co-morbid conditions.  There are long haulers, who didn’t experience serious COVID-19 symptoms.  Imagine contracting the virus, and feeling okay, only to later begin to feel very sick.  Chronic sufferers are experiencing symptoms, such as shortness of breath, extreme headaches, fatigue, and an increased heart rate many months after their original illness.  The U.S. does not report an average age of COVID-19 long haulers.  A hospital in Paris says the average age of their patients is only 40 years old.

covid long haulers impact lyme sufferers
New long-haulers could shine a light on chronic Lyme sufferers.

Shining a Light on Chronic Lyme Disease

fatigue in COVID long haulersAs experts scramble to unravel the mystery of persistent symptoms of coronavirus, the Global Lyme Alliance is reaching out to these new long haulers.  As with chronic Lyme disease, the common perception is that once you treat the illness, you are cured.  Chronic sufferers of COVID-19 will likely be met with some misunderstanding, but a light is being shone on their suffering.  If you search online or watch the news, you will see their stories.  There is a active push for awareness, and even more incentive for us to protect ourselves.  Doctors are working to treat long haulers, and one could assume that the overall awareness and acceptance of the phenomenon will offer hope to chronic Lyme disease patients, who seek acceptance and effective treatment.  The idea that a negative test does not mean that the infection did not leave lasting effects could eventually become a thing of the past.  Those suffering chronic Lyme could find new hope in no longer being dismissed by their families, friends, and even medical professionals.  There could be a time in the near future, when persistent Lyme symptoms are taken seriously, and this is great news if you suffer from these symptoms.

Hingham Tick Control for Lyme Prevention

tick control Central MassKnowing that Lyme disease can be just as life-altering as COVID-19, it is imperative that we keep ourselves protected from tick bites.  The best way to prevent Lyme infection is to eliminate ticks from your yard.  Reputable tick control companies offer ultimate protection with barrier tick sprays for your property.  These EPA-registered treatments can eliminate up to 95% of ticks from your yard for a couple of weeks at a time.  The best tick control companies offer year-long protection by adding tick tubes to your regimen in the late fall and winter.  Tick tubes can greatly impact the number of ticks that emerge on your property in the spring by killing them where they nest.

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

Also read: How long can you have Lyme disease without knowing it?

Can my dog catch Lyme disease from other dogs?

Many questions about tick-borne illnesses concern their human impact.  But what about our pets?

Pet owners are realizing more and more that proper tick protection is a must.  Even when a dog lives in a low-risk area, he might still encounter a tick bite in his lifetime.  This can happen when hiking, going to the beach, or just being outdoors, where there is grass and other vegetation.  We know that dogs can contract Lyme disease.  But can your dog catch Lyme disease from other dogs?

Can dogs catch Lyme disease from dogs?
Can my dog catch Lyme disease from other dogs?

Dogs only contract Lyme disease from ticks.

Just like humans, dogs and other animals can only contract Lyme disease from the bite of an infected tick.  So, if you have a pet that is diagnosed with Lyme disease, you should know three things.  First, Lyme disease can be cured in dogs if caught early.  It is estimated that 10% of dogs will actually contract Lyme from the bite of an infected tick.  Lyme disease cannot be passed to other dogs from your dog; nor can your dog catch Lyme disease from other dogs.

dogs cannot catch lyme from other dogs
Dogs cannot catch Lyme from other dogs.

How long does it take to become infected with Lyme?

dogs catch Lyme disease from tick bites only
A tick must be attached for about 48 hours in order to pass infection to your dog.

In order for Lyme bacteria to be passed to your dog, it must be attached for about 48 hours.  This is one reason that you should check your dog regularly for ticks.  This is especially true in the height of tick season.  Even a short trip outdoors can result in a tick attaching to your dog.

Is my cat susceptible to Lyme infection?

While cats can contract Lyme disease from the bite of an infected tick, it is rare.  That does not mean it is impossible, though.  Symptoms in cats include, fatigue, fever, and difficulty breathing.  Cats might also be infected, but show no symptoms.  If you find an engorged tick on your cat, safely remove it, and watch for symptoms of infection.

Can cats contract lyme?
Can your cat get Lyme?

How can you keep ticks away from your dog?

There are many products, which have been created specifically for protecting dogs from ticks.  From over-the-counter collars and ultrasonic devices, to prescription medications – you must weigh all your options.  All-natural remedies are also available.  As a pet owner, you must choose what you feel will best protect your dog.

See more tick and Lyme disease questions and answers:

At-home Gardner tick treatment is important for the health and safety of your whole family.

tick tubes
Tick tubes offer year-round tick control.

Central Massachusetts is a high-risk tick bite region.  With the surge in tick populations, professional tick treatment has never been more important.  Not only for the health of your human family, but also for your pets.  You can choose between EPA-registered tick yard sprays and all-natural repellents.  Each professional formula must be administered ever two to three weeks.  All-natural tick barrier spray will offer less protection for a shorter amount of time.  In the off-season, tick tubes are available.

Also read: Can you get Lyme disease from dog saliva?

These cotton-filled tubes were created to use from late fall through early spring.  The cotton is treated with insecticide, which when carried back to the nests of rodents, will eliminate any ticks therein.  Year-round is essential for ultimate tick control and protection for Lyme disease.

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

Also read: How can I protect my dog from Lyme disease?

 

Latest Recommendations for Managing Lyme Disease

Managing Lyme disease does not only pertain to treatment therapies.

In November 2020, a panel of experts published an evidence-based study for the Infectious Diseases Society of America, detailing the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of Lyme.  This study, led by Paul M Lantos, from the Duke University School of Medicine, is the latest benchmark for managing Lyme disease.

managing Lyme disease includes prevention, diagnosis, and treatment
Managing Lyme disease includes prevention, diagnosis, and treatment

Managing Lyme disease: Prevention

When it comes to management of Lyme, prevention is paramount.  The 2020 study advises that anyone at risk of exposure should be proactive in preventing tick bites.  There are high-risk areas, like Central Massachusetts, with large deer tick populations.  You should be protected from tick bites every time you are outdoors.  The study recommends using repellents.  On the list of effective repellents, are DEET, picaridin, and permethrin.  Oil of lemon eucalyptus is also on the list of recommended tick repellents.  If a tick is found, the study recommends removal with clean, fine-tipped tweezers – never using alternate means for removal, such as burning or applying essential oils.

tick control Andover MA
Barrier tick control spray for tick bite protection

Gardner tick treatment measures at home should be employed in high-risk areas, such as Central Mass.  While many areas have municipal sprays, they do not reach far enough to offer complete protection.  Professional EPA-registered and all-natural tick control sprays are available, and should be considered.

Lyme Management: Diagnosis & Treatment

3 stages of Lyme disease
The black-legged tick is a vector of Lyme disease

The study also recommends submitting a tick for identification after removal, to determine if it is a known vector of Lyme.  It suggests that testing the tick for infection does not reliably determine whether a person will contract Lyme disease.  Therefore, testing for Lyme bacteria would not be helpful.

Prophylactic antibiotic treatment is recommended only if these three criteria are met:

  1. The tick is identified as a Lyme vector species
  2. The person lives in an endemic area
  3. The tick is attached for more than 36 hours

If these criteria apply, the study recommends a single prophylactic dose of doxycycline up to 72 hours after removal of the tick.  The dosage should be 200mg for adults and up to 200mg for children, based on weight.  If these criteria are not met, the recommendation is to wait and watch for symptoms.

Lyme disease bullseye rash
Bullseye rash after tick bite

If a rash appears after a tick bite, a clinical diagnosis is recommended, rather than laboratory testing.  Patients with the bullseye rash should begin a 10-day course of doxycycline, or a 14-day course of amoxicillin or cefuroxime axetil.  If patients cannot tolerate those antibiotics, a 7-day course of azithromycin is recommended for treatment.  If a patient has Lyme-related facial paralysis, the study makes no additional treatment recommendations over antibiotics.  For patients with Lyme-related arthritis, a 28-day antibiotic regimen is recommended.  If the arthritis is severe, and does not respond to this regimen, an additional 2 to 4-week treatment of IV antibiotics is recommended.  If severe symptoms of arthritis persist after IV treatment, the patient should be referred to a rheumatology specialist.

Lyme disease can manifest in neurological complications, specifically of the central nervous system.  If a patient shows these symptoms, spinal fluid should be tested.  A serum test should also be performed.  These cases of Lyme disease should be treated with IV ceftriaxone, cefotaxime, penicillin G, or oral doxycycline.  Intravenous treatment can be switched to oral treatment, with a recommended treatment duration of 10 to 14 days.

More About This Study

There are extensive recommendations for managing many other facets of Lyme-related illnesses, like carditis, dermatitis, cognitive impairment, and lymphocytoma.  Additionally, there are recommendations for co-infection diagnosis and treatment.  Read the complete publication here.

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

Also read: What happens if you get bitten by a tick?

Does Lyme disease cause Bell’s palsy?

I have written in the past about how Lyme disease can seem like other illnesses.  Can Bell’s palsy be an indicator of Lyme infection?

Most recently, I wrote about how Lyme can be misdiagnosed as Alzheimer’s.  Bell’s palsy is a relatively rare condition.  There are about 200,000 known cases per year in the United States.  Some cases are not as serious as others.  Bell’s palsy results in muscle weakness in half of the face.  Those suffering from the condition, might notice pain in their ear.  Vision can also be affected.  More often, Bell’s palsy results in the inability to open or close the eyelids, or control facial expressions on one side of the face.  There is usually noticeable facial drooping.  Bell’s palsy can also result in sensitivity to taste and smell.  It is treated with anti-viral medication and steroids, but often resolves on its own within a few months.  Bell’s palsy is said to rarely occur more than one time.  But what if it does?

Can Lyme disease cause Bell's palsy?
Can Lyme disease cause Bell’s palsy?

Can Lyme disease cause Bell’s Palsy?

If you have been diagnosed with Bell’s Palsy, it could be a sign of chronic Lyme disease.  Chronic Lyme disease can attack the facial nerves.  Recurring cases of Bell’s palsy might be a sign of stage three of Lyme disease.  Seek medical attention for recurring Bell’s palsy.  Your physician might recommend Lyme testing.  You can have Lyme disease for years without knowing it.  If your doctor does not recommend Lyme testing, ask them about it.  You might also seek help from a Lyme-specialized physician for proper diagnosis.

Can Bell's palsy from Lyme go away?
Infected deer ticks transmit Lyme, which can result in Bell’s palsy in the latter stages.

Lyme disease occurs from the bite of an infected deer tick.  A tick must be attached for about 36 to 48 hours before transmitting the bacteria that cause Lyme.  Lyme disease is both the most prolific and under-diagnosed tick-borne illness at the same time.  The CDC believes that the 30,000 known cases of Lyme each year could actually be ten times higher.  This is because many cases are not properly diagnosed.

Does Bell’s palsy from Lyme go away?

About 5% of Lyme sufferers experience facial palsy.  It can occur within a few weeks of a bite from an infected tick.  This might look like Bell’s palsy, but it is not the same.  Facial paralysis caused by Lyme infection should not be treated the same as Bell’s palsy.  The bacterial infection of Lyme disease is treated with antibiotics.  Facial paralysis caused by early onset Lyme can go away with quick diagnosis and treatment.  It might take a few weeks or a few months to fully recover from facial palsy, even after treatment of Lyme is complete.

Other Causes of Bell’s Palsy

Bell’s palsy is a known result of a viral infection.  There is evidence to show that recurring viral infections can inflame facial nerves, and result in Bell’s palsy.  Some of these infections include herpes simplex, chickenpox, shingles, and infectious mononucleosis.  If you experience signs of Bell’s palsy, seek medical assistance immediately.  Facial paralysis can also be caused by stroke.

See more tick and Lyme disease questions and answers:

Avoid Lyme disease with effective tick control.

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

The adage, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” aptly applies to prevention of Lyme disease.  The less chance you have of encountering an infected tick, the better.  This means at-home professional tick control, and personal tick protection when you are outdoors away from home.  Barrier tick spray can eliminate up to 95% of ticks around your home.  The best fight against Lyme and other tick-borne illnesses is by proven tick bite prevention.

Also read: What happens if you get bitten by a tick?

How long can you have Lyme disease without knowing it?

If you have been bitten by a Lyme infected tick, you might not even know.  Can you have Lyme disease without knowing it?

There are three distinct stages of Lyme disease.  When a person is bitten by an infected deer tick, they are up against time for treating their infection.  How long can you have Lyme disease without knowing it?

Can you have Lyme disease without knowing it?
Can you have Lyme disease without knowing it?

Lyme Disease Infection Timeline

Infection time: 24 to 36 Hours
In order to be infected by a tick bite, a tick must be attached for at least 24 hours.  If you think that’s a long time to not even know you have a tick on you, think again.  Nymph ticks are so tiny, they often go unnoticed.  That’s why they are the biggest spreaders of Lyme infection.  It’s easy for a person or a pet to have a tick attached for 24 to 36 hours unnoticed.  Some people never know they had a tick attached at all!

Early symptoms begin to show: Within 30 Days
If a person shows early symptoms of Lyme, it usually occurs within 30 days after infection.  The problem is, many never show symptoms, or overlook their symptoms.  People, who work outdoors, or spend lots of recreational time outdoors, should be mindful of potential early onset Lyme disease symptoms.  Fever, fatigue, and body aches are among the most common symptoms, as well as a bull’s eye rash around the tick bite.  If symptoms do not occur within 30 days, they can be more severe.  Early Lyme disease can be cured with doxycycline.  The length of treatment will depend on whether the infection is localized or has begun to spread through the body.

Late symptoms occur: 6 Months to 3 Years – or Longer
Can you have Lyme disease without knowing it?  Lyme disease infection can go unnoticed for three years or longer.  Symptoms are so varied, that many people never know they have it until it begins to make them very sick.  Yes, you can have Lyme disease for years without knowing it!  Late disseminated Lyme disease cannot be cured.  This late stage of Lyme can show symptoms relating to other diseases, like dementia or Rheumatoid arthritis.  Some with chronic Lyme can receive successful symptom treatment.  Others spend years trying to get their symptoms under control.  Some seek conventional medicine.  Others will try holistic treatments.

See more tick and Lyme disease questions and answers:

Lyme Prevention is Possible

There is no Lyme disease vaccine, but there are methods of prevention.  Wearing long sleeves and pants when hiking, camping, or working will offer personal tick protection.  Wearing clothes treated with permethrin can also help keep ticks away.

tick control Acton MAAt home Lyme prevention is available through reputable tick control companies.  Professional Central Mass tick control companies will offer a choice between repellents and insecticides.  Repellents will keep ticks away from your yard.  EPA-registered pesticides will eliminate ticks.  Repellents and insecticides are available in time-released formulas.  Time released tick control will give you about two or three weeks of protection at home.

Don’t forget to protect your home year-round.  Tick tubes offer extended tick control through the fall and winter.  Employing this kind of tick control will result in less ticks on your property in the springtime.

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

Also read: 3 Stages of Lyme Disease

Lyme Disease in Dogs

Dogs can contract a number of human illnesses.  They can get a cold or flu.  According to the CDC, they can even get COVID-19.  What about Lyme?

Lyme disease in dogs is much like the human infection.  Dogs get Lyme infection from the black legged tick, also known as the deer tick.  It takes 36 to 48 hours of tick attachment for the Lyme bacteria to be passed to dogs.  An anecdotal survey suggests that 10% to 60% of dogs are infected with Lyme disease in high-transmission areas.  Whether you are a dog owner, or plan to adopt a dog this holiday season, here are a few things you should know about Lyme disease in dogs.

Lyme disease in dogs
Could your dog have Lyme disease?

Does Lyme disease in dogs result in symptoms?

Dogs, who become infected, can show symptoms.  They can present joint pain and swelling, lethargy, and fever – just like humans.  However, it is believed that most dogs do not show immediate Lyme symptoms.  Your dog could become ill long after contracting Lyme disease.  Veterinarians can test your beloved friend for Lyme, but be prepared to wait.  It can take two months or longer to diagnose Lyme disease in dogs.

dogs might show lyme disease symptoms
Many dogs do not show signs of infection.

Can it be cured in dogs?

Yes.  Another similarity to human infection is that with quick diagnosis, Lyme disease can be cured in dogs.  A round of doxycycline can nip Lyme in the bud in as little as three days!  The great news is, Lyme disease can also be prevented in dogs.  A Lyme vaccine is available, though like many human vaccines, it is highly debated.

Also read: How close are we to a Lyme vaccine?

Lyme disease can be cured in dogs
Lyme is curable and preventable in dogs.

Can Lyme disease shorten your dog’s life?

Unfortunately, if a proper diagnosis is not made early after infection, your dog could become very ill down the road.  Dogs, who go untreated can go into eventual kidney failure.  Signs of kidney failure might be loss of appetite and weight loss, lethargy, pale gums, and an increase or decrease in drinking.  Blood and urine tests will show if your dog is in kidney failure.  Chronic kidney disease can be treated with special diets, prescription medication, and all-natural remedies.  However, advanced kidney disease can result in a loss of quality of life, and shorten your dog’s life.

dogs get Lyme disease like humans
Keep your dog’s health in good check to improve quality of life.

Protect your dogs with the best tick protection.

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

The best protection is professional tick control, along with veterinarian recommended treatment for your dog.  Professional tick control efforts around your home will greatly decrease your dog’s chances of a tick encounter, which could result in Lyme disease or Anaplasmosis.  Reputable Central Mass tick control is available for the health and happiness of your pet.  Be sure to employ year-round tick control, including tick tubes in the fall and winter.  Also practice the 6 C’s of tick control!

Also read: Can you get Lyme disease from dog saliva?

Can we eliminate Lyme disease by 2030?

Non-profit, Center for Lyme Action, issues a call-to-action with Lyme Moonshot strategy.

In a world, where Lyme disease is so prevalent, can we hope to eradicate the disease by 2030?  Center for Lyme Action co-founder, Bonnie Crater believes we can.  Likening the focus required to that of President Kennedy’s declaration that we would land on the moon within a decade, Crater notes, “With the right focus, the country can meet that challenge.”

eliminate Lyme disease by 2030
Can we hope to eliminate Lyme disease by 2030?

The First Step in a Federal Fight Against Lyme Disease

In December 2019, President Trump signed the Kay Hagan Tick Act into law.  This bi-partisan effort was introduced after Senator Kay Hagan died from complications of a tick-borne illness.  Bonnie Crater believes that this law has laid the essential foundation for furthering federal funding to eliminate Lyme disease by 2030.  Federal money would go toward better understanding Lyme, vaccine development, and better early diagnostics.

Lyme disease research funding
More Lyme research funding is required.

What is the toll of Lyme?

Deer and Lyme Disease in Central MassCenter for Lyme Action believes there are up to 2 million chronic Lyme sufferers in the United States.  They believe the potential economic cost of Lyme disease exceeds $75 billion.  Lyme is non-biased, and affects people of all ages, all walks of life.  Due to the territorial expansion of tick populations, Center for Lyme Action says that ALL Americans should be worried about Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses.  We can no longer say that tick-borne diseases are only happening in the Northeast or Southeast.  Climate change and deforestation are two of the contributing factors of expanding tick populations.

Also read: Is Lyme disease curable?

How can we eliminate Lyme by 2030?

massachusetts tickThe Lyme Moonshot initiative declares that accelerating efforts to diagnose, treat, and prevent the disease are necessary to eliminate Lyme by the end of the decade.  Center for Lyme Action is asking for the formation of a new White House office, called TICK (Tick-borne Innovation, Collaboration, and Knowledge).  This new office would work to harness science and technology to step up the fight against Lyme and other tick-borne diseases by joining forces in the private sector, healthcare providers, and research institutions.

Lyme prevention is here now with professional tick control.

Dave Macchia mosquito conrol and tick control enthusiast
Dave Macchia
Central Mass enthusiast for effective season-long mosquito and tick protection

Current Lyme prevention is available now, and until we have achieved elimination, we must utilize the tools we have.  The most important facet in Lyme prevention is at-home tick control.  Professional tick control companies offer “in-season” tick barrier spray, as well as fall and winter tick tubes, which are deployed to control the emerging population in the spring.  Reputable tick control companies also offer all-natural tick repellent formulas.  Until tick-borne diseases no longer exist, we must be vigilant in helping prevent their spread.

Also read: How close are we to a Lyme vaccine?

Lyme Disease, The Great Imitator

In recent years, Lyme disease diagnoses have become more prevalent.  Still Lyme is commonly mistaken for other ailments.

What makes Lyme disease the great imitator?  First of all, Lyme is one of those illnesses, which takes on many different shapes.  Symptoms can vary from one person to the next.  Children often have different symptoms than adults.  It is also believed that Lyme is left undiagnosed in women more than men.  As long as Lyme has been around, there is still so much confusion surrounding the disease.

Lyme disease great imitator
Lyme is often undiagnosed in women.

Lyme is mistaken for Alzheimer’s.

Kris Kristofferson has Lyme diseaseA few years ago, we learned that Kris Kristofferson had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.  He was treated for the disease for years, only to then be found to have Lyme disease.  Once his Lyme was treated, he began to lose the Alzheimer’s symptoms.  It’s not just Alzheimer’s, though!  Lyme is often mistaken for rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and chronic fatigue syndrome.  Symptoms of Lyme mimic those of other illnesses, and many doctors are not informed enough to do proper testing to make a Lyme diagnosis.

Where you live could have an effect on your health when it comes to diagnosing Lyme disease.

Are tick borne diseases contagious?For a very long time, certain regions of the United States were not believed to have Lyme-carrying ticks.  For this reason, many patients were never even considered for Lyme testing when they began to show symptoms that mimic other ailments.  In recent years, especially with highly-publicized cases of misdiagnoses, doctors in these areas are starting to test for Lyme when symptoms common among other illnesses show up in patients.  To say that there has been a learning curve in diagnosing Lyme is an understatement.  People, who live in the south and other supposed less-affected areas might still find themselves fighting for proper Lyme diagnoses.

What can you do if you think you have Lyme symptoms?

What if you find a tick on you?

If you have been outdoors and believe you might have been bitten by an infected tick, and begin to show signs of illness, seek immediate medical attention.  Explain your potential exposure or known exposure if you actually found an embedded tick.  Look for the Lyme rash, which presents in bull’s eye pattern.  Explain your symptoms to your doctor, and if they are not equipped to perform proper Lyme testing, ask help finding a practitioner, who is.  If Lyme is diagnosed early, there is a great chance it can be cured with antibiotics.  If you believe you suffer from chronic Lyme symptoms, also seek the aid of a Lyme specialist, who can properly diagnose and treat the disease.

Also read: Can Lyme disease be cured?

What are common symptoms of Lyme, which mimic other diseases?

sleeplessness is a Lyme symptomBecause Lyme symptoms range from extreme fatigue, headache, and joint pain to cognitive impairment, it can be mistaken for the disease mentioned above, as well as others.  These include ALS, multiple sclerosis, and fibromyalgia.  In children, hyperactivity and other cognitive impairments lead to misdiagnoses of ADD and even learning disabilities.

Also read: Lyme Disease in Children and Teens

Dave Macchia mosquito conrol and tick control enthusiast
Dave Macchia
Central Mass enthusiast for effective season-long mosquito and tick protection

Protect your home and family in Central Massachusetts with year-round tick control.  This is your single best bet in prevention of Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses.

Also read: 3 Stages of Lyme Disease