It’s a growing epidemic that’s sickening three times as many people today as it did 20 years ago.
The CDC is calling it “a tremendous public health problem” that will leave up to 2 million people this year with debilitating joint pain, fatigue, fevers, and even organ damage.
And many of us are catching it from tick bites right in our own backyards.
Lyme disease rates are exploding across America. And thanks to an unseasonably warm winter in some parts of the country, we could be looking at one of the worst tick seasons in years.
But health experts are warning that you don’t just need to protect yourself from Lyme disease. You need to protect yourself from a dangerous — and common — misdiagnosis that could leave you suffering needlessly for months.
A ‘ticking’ time bomb
You know that a simple bite from a deer tick can be all it takes to contract Lyme disease. The tick, which is about the size of a poppy seed, infects you with the Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria that causes the disease.
But what you might not know is that there’s a good chance you could be bitten by a tick and develop Lyme disease without ever knowing it.
The CDC will tell you that they’re seeing about 300,000 confirmed cases of Lyme disease annually — and the number of people suffering from the disease has tripled over the past two decades. But even Dr. Paul Mead, who monitors Lyme disease for the agency, admits that “the true number of illnesses is much greater.”
There may actually be about 2 million cases of Lyme disease in America each year, and many of them are going undiagnosed and unreported. That’s frightening, because if Lyme disease goes too long without being properly treated with antibiotics, it can cause permanent damage to your heart and your brain.
The problem with Lyme disease is that the symptoms aren’t always obvious. We’ve been told to look for a red bulls-eye rash around a tick bite, which is a sure sign of infection.
But that doesn’t always happen — and some of the symptoms of Lyme disease like fatigue, joint pain and even muscle paralysis may not show up for weeks or months. Because those symptoms can overlap with so many other diseases, many doctors fail to make an accurate diagnosis or even order a simple blood test for Lyme disease.
The experience a friend of mine had was typical. She felt great until she awoke one morning to find one entire side of her face frozen. It’s a condition called Bell’s palsy that’s often a symptom of Lyme disease.
But even though she lives in New Jersey, which is a state with high numbers of Lyme cases, it took three different doctors before she finally got the blood tests needed to confirm it. A two-week course of antibiotics helped treat the infection, and several acupuncture treatments reversed her facial paralysis in just a few weeks.
My friend was somewhat luckier than the famous musician Avril Lavigne. She suffered from debilitating exhaustion that wasn’t improving — but despite having access to some of the best doctors around, it took months before she finally got the medical tests that discovered a Lyme infection.
When it comes to Lyme disease, it’s important to be your own strongest advocate. If you’re experiencing telltale symptoms like muscle aches, fever, chills, headaches, joint pains, and chronic fatigue, ask your doctor for a simple enzyme immunoassay (EIA) or indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) blood test.
That’s especially important if you live in the Northeast or upper Midwest, where Lyme is practically epidemic.
And if you’re not suffering any symptoms of Lyme disease, let’s keep it that way. Here are some simple steps to keep a tick from biting you and passing on the disease: When walking in a wooded area, stay in the middle of the path and away from tall grass or leaves.
Try to wear long pants and high socks in outdoor areas that may be harboring ticks. If you have long hair, tie it up and wear a hat.
Instead of spraying toxic insecticide on your skin, spray your shoes, socks, and any outdoor equipment, with a repellent containing 30 percent DEET.
Shower ASAP after spending time outdoors and check carefully behind your knees, waistline and under your arms. These are some of the favorite hiding spots for ticks.
Either wash or put clothing in the drier for 20 minutes to kill any ticks that may be present.
If you do find a tick on you, remove it immediately by gently lifting the body up and pulling it out, being careful not to squeeze the tick. Tweezers can work, but I recommend investing in a small tick removal tool, which you can find at most pet stores.
And if you are diagnosed with Lyme disease, remember that along with a course of antibiotics there are plenty of natural remedies that can have you feeling better sooner. Acupuncture can help with any nerve damage you may have suffered — and olive leaf extract, vitamin C and zinc are all proven to support your immune system and help your body clear infections faster.
Sources:
“Why Lyme disease cases are spiking” Sarah Elizabeth Richards, May 28, 2015, The Daily Beast, thedailybeast.com
