Could YOU Have Lyme Disease? 8 Facts You NEED to Know
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Lyme Disease seems to be everywhere these days, but it's a very confusing issue that most people (including many doctors) don't understand.
Here are some lyme disease facts that can help you understand this condition better so you are better armed with information to protect yourself and your loved ones.
Lyme Disease Symptoms
Look at the following list of symptoms. They're pretty terrible, aren't they?
– Paralysis
– widespread joint and muscle pain
– severe fatigue
– headache, rashes
– unexplained fevers
– chills
– nausea
– anxiety
– swollen glands
– heart palpitations
– depression
– bowel problems
– interstitial cystitis
– TMJ, muscle spasms
– nerve pain
– numbness
– tingling
– stiffness
– abdominal pain
– light-headedness
– tremors
– confusion
– double vision
– sensitivity to light and sound
– anxiety
– menstrual irregularity
What if I told you all of these symptoms could indicate Lyme Disease?
Ridiculous right? How could a tiny bug cause so many health problems?
Besides, it seems like everyone and their dog has Lyme Disease lately. It's just the newest catch-all fad disease right? Or is it?
I know how you feel because I've thought the same.
That list above is just a tiny sampling of all the symptoms I've experienced in varying degrees over the last 16 years of my life. I'd spent years searching for answers to the problems that plagued me every day, finding no answers beyond “fibromyalgia”.
When a friend suggested to me I could have Lyme Disease and I should watch the Under Our Skin documentary I honestly was offended.
“Ya right!,” I thought. “Seriously…how could a bug do all this to me?“
One afternoon, I sat down in front of my computer and caved in. I had to find an answer to the question, “What is Lyme Disease?” and as I found out, I was horrified.
As I watched, tears streamed down my face… I saw the playing out of my own life before my eyes. I finally understood my life and I saw Lyme Disease for what it truly is.
You see… Lyme Disease is much more sinister than most people give it credit for.
Why is Lyme so sinister?
What Is Lyme Disease, Anyway?
Let's explore together…
Dr. Richard Horowitz, a leading Lyme expert, says Lyme is “the number 1 worldwide epidemic… it's spreading, it's mimicking every disease and it's going to destroy the world's population.”
Earlier this year the CDC released new statistics for Lyme, admitting they were way off on their earlier estimations of Lyme in the United States.
The number? 300,000 Americans each year. This is 10 times more than what they had previously estimated!
Most Lyme experts still think these numbers are inaccurate, citing that many people are not reporting to the CDC, while others have been misdiagnosed with things like fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, MS, Alzheimer's, or rheumatoid arthritis.
How does Lyme cause ALL those symptoms?
Not every aspect of how Lyme Disease bacteria work is fully understood.
I did a simplistic explanation of one function of the borrelia spirochete's initial action within the body here. There's a lot more going on in the body that leads to this hefty list of ailments.
Neurotoxins
One of the first jobs of the spirochete is to release neurotoxins.
As the name implies, neurotoxins release toxins into the nervous system, inhibiting communication of neurons (the cell that processes and transmits through your body's electrical system) through synapses (the means to transport these electrical signals between cells).
When your neurons don't communicate, this leads to things like memory impairment, paralysis, seizures, neuropathy (nerve pain, burning, tingling, etc.), and myopathy (muscular disease).
Notably, artificial fragrances are also neurotoxins!
Cytokines
Additionally, spirochetes cause our body to produce too many cytokines.
Cytokines are proteins who's job is to fight infection. (Sounds like a person would need lots of those to fight a Lyme Disease infection right?)
In a normal infection, cytokines would increase, do their job, and then decrease again.
However, as mentioned above, the corkscrew bacteria of Lyme Disease make their way into every organ of the body (usually with their co-bacteria friends) causing the body to produce cytokines in excess.
Excess cytokine production leads to inflammation which leads to pain and muscle wasting, immune system suppression, disturbed sleep, severe fatigue, thyroid and adrenal problems, problems with body organs, and more.
8 Not So Fun Facts About Lyme Disease and Ticks
Lyme Is Caused By More Than Just Borrelia
Lyme Disease is caused by Borrelia Burgdorferi, but there are other strains of Borrelia. I personally have 4 strains… Parkeri, Kochii, Persica, and Recurrentis. I do not have Burgdorferi and many others do not, however the symptoms and treatment are the same so most doctors will call it Lyme as well. Calling it Borreliosis is more accurate. (But for our purposes we will stick to Lyme.)
Ticks Don't Fly
Ticks do not fly, jump or blow in the wind.They come out in cool, wet weather and come out seeking carbon dioxide… i.e. your breath! They spend their time in tall grass and when you walk by, they catch a ride.
Lyme Brings Co-infection “Friends” With It
Lyme Disease rarely travels alone.
Ticks often carry co-infections as well… Mycoplasma, Babesia, Bartonella, and Ehrlichia are the most common. (Click here for a full listing.) These carry their own complicating symptoms that can be just as severe or worse than Lyme, and often require separate treatment regimens.
Bullseye Rash Myth
Only 50% of people get a bullseye rash!
The other 50% may have another form of a rash or no rash at all. And only 10% of children with Lyme Disease present with a bullseye rash.
Other Bugs Carry Lyme
Ticks are not the only bugs that carry Lyme Disease!
It once was thought that only ticks carry the disease, not only that, but only deer ticks. Sadly, this is untrue.
While deer ticks are still the number one source of Lyme Disease, lice, fleas, mosquitos, and other blood-sucking bugs have been found to contain borrelia bacteria or other bacteria associated with Lyme. Whether they can transmit it in the same way as ticks is yet to be discovered. (source and source)
Other types of ticks such as the American Dog tick have been proven to carry Lyme and co-infections as well.
Lyme Might Come from People Too
Lyme Disease can possibly be transmitted from person to person.
It is thought that it might be passed sexually, and also through saliva, organ transplant, blood transfusion (f.y.i – blood banks don't test for it!), breast milk, and through the placenta to the unborn child. (source)
You Likely Can Recover From Lyme Easily If….
If you catch Lyme Disease right away and treat it, your odds of recovery are very good, not 100%, but very good.
You Likely Can NOT Recover From Lyme Easily If…
Lyme is NOT easy to treat if you don't catch it right away.
Many mainstream doctors claim Lyme Disease, in it's later stages, is simply treated with a few rounds of antibiotic and any remaining symptoms are “post Lyme” and will not go away.
This is untrue as well. Chronic Lyme disease treatment is possible, but it can be very difficult.
Lyme Tests Are Unreliable
It's VERY hard to test for Lyme.
This information is very important. You can test for lyme and have a false negative. Some tests are better than others, but no test is perfect.
In fact, Adrienne had lyme likely for many years and didn't know it until she went to an Amish clinic just to see what they would say about her health.
She had a blood microscopy test (they looked at her blood right there in the clinic). In her blood, there were spirochetes eating her red blood cells!
Even blood microscopy isn't valid all the time since those buggers like to hide.
So, basically testing is hard. Igenix has a good test and there are others.
You can read more about lyme disease testing in this post.
Don't Panic
Now that you have answered the question, “What is Lyme Disease” and you are armed with all of this information, it's terrifying, isn't it?
I know it all sounds super scary and overwhelming but it is not my intention to incite fear. However Lyme Disease is a growing epidemic and after all, I have suffered over the years, I see it as my duty to inform others about Lyme Disease.
Be aware, but don't live in fear.
My children still go into the woods to play.
Do I worry?
Yes, but living in fear of the unknown will paralyze me so I choose daily to trust that God will protect them and I take simple steps to be proactive.
Help for Addressing Lyme Disease
More Posts About Lyme
This post on Lyme disease prevention can help in addition to this post about support for those with Lyme.
Helpful Books About Lyme Disease
The following books are some great options as well.
This book goes into more detail about what Lyme Disease is and what can be done to recover from it. It has great reviews.
The Lyme Disease Solution
The Lyme Disease Solution is a thorough guide to the diagnosis and treatment of Lyme and other tick borne infections. Dr. Kenneth Singleton, the authori, is a board certified specialist in Internal Medicine. He struggled with severe Lyme symptoms for 8 years before being accurately diagnosed and treated.
The book is full of information that's presented in an easy to read manner. Whether you have Lyme, or know someone who does, this book is sure to be a helpful resource.
Stephen Buehner is regarded as a wealth of knowledge by many who struggle with Lyme. This book on Lyme coinfections is one of many that he's authored.
The book, TOXIC, is a wealth of information for anyone dealing with the “silent illnesses” like Lyme, mold toxicity, chronic fatigue, and chemical sensitivity.
(Please note – nothing in this post or in the comments was meant to be a medical diagnosis or advice. Please consult with your physician prior to changing your diet or supplements. This information was meant for educational and entertainment purposes only.)
Have you been diagnosed with Lyme Disease—or wondered “What is Lyme Disease” or if you have this horrid disease?
Corah Webber is the original author of this post. She is a writer, artist, and mother of 2. She splits her time between homeschooling, doodling in notebooks, researching health problems, and daydreaming. Her passion for health and blogging arose out of her own 18 year struggle with a misdiagnosed health condition that turned out to be Lyme Disease. She dreams about starting an urban farm and going back to school to be a Naturopath Doctor once she is feeling better.
My husband contracted Bartonella while guiding hunts here in Alaska. I subsequently got it a few weeks later. It was hard to figure out what he had, and after many tests, the PA and Dr told him that he had bartonella, but they refused to use its name, just its description and how it is aquired, and then told him they could not treat him.
When I got it, we were more prepared, with essential oils, liver support and Ozone saunas.
The ozone has been the most effective, and I am seeing the herx from it become less and less each time I do a session.
Did you get it from your husband, Paula?
Yes, I did. We believe he got it through one of the following animals he handled for clients….moose, bears and wolf, or via lice or mites on them.
He has lived and hunted (and eaten) up for almost 30 years, so it was a shock to find this stuff is all over up here.
Oh my. So the sexual transmission, or otherwise is true then. This is seriously frightening. Why do you think it took him 30 years to get it?
All I can guess is, that not all animals have it, and one is not generally going to get bit by something every time one hunts. We need to pose the illness and exactly what it entails on the hunting forums, and see what others say. The Dr said its all over up here, but still not seen too much in the offices.
I have hunted plenty up here, harvested bears and rabbits, and have also processed numerous moose and bears for food, so I doubt its a huge fear, just something to be aware of.
I can vouch for the Ozone with liver support in tincture form, as kicking mine out before it took a full hold. Herx is rough though. I have had to back off to using ozone every other day, so my poor body can keep up.
But the herx is not as bad as the bartonella settling in 🙂
I would be interested in hearing what liver support you use. This is fascinating. I had awful herx when I went sugar free. Horrid.
Milk Thistle seed tincture. Store bought at first, but I now have a jar in process in the cupboard.
I have heard a lot of good things about ozone as well. Good luck with you and your husbands treatment Paula… be sure to stop by The Homespun Rabble Rouser after a while and let me know if you continue to see improvements with it. I’d love to give it a try sometime/write about ozone.
DH built me a homemade sauna to sit in (head out of course) and we are experimenting with pots of boiling water, versus a ceramic heater. The ozone is provided via an air purifier from Living Air. We just taped around the out side, and vented it into the “box” with a plastic bag.
Its all very redneck, but there is no cost in doing it this way.
Its working very well. I was able to halt the Bartonella invasion after 1 week, when normally, it spends 2 weeks in the process. Herx has been happening for about 12-16 hours after I sit in the sauna. Nasty neck and sinus aches, with an increase in the all over body pains.
After that dissipates, I feel better then I did after the last time.
Wow! That sounds awesome… sometimes redneck is the best way to go! 🙂
I feel you on the herxing… they’re awful.
Paula, I’ve had Lyme for 5-6 yrs and am just learning more about it. I have a Living Air -air purifier so I’m very interested in this ozone sauna! Can you email me more details please?!? Haloisme@aol.com I would appreciate it, I don’t have money to go to a LLMD so it would be great if my purifier could help me. Also check out the page “Lyme Disease and Coinfections” page on Facebook, I just joined the group and people talk about so much on there and share info (any Lymie should check it out!). FB Lyme pages are the ways I have finally been learning about this evil disease.
Thanks, Angie
Got is sent to you!
Glad to see you getting the word out about Lyme (and co-infections). I’m a Lymie and 2 dear friends that I had to encourage testing also tested positive. It’s hard to tell someone that you think they might have Lyme D but it’s something one has to do out of love.
It is hard to tell someone, but it’s something necessary sometimes. Thanks for checking out my article and good luck with your treatment!
I was diagnosed with Lyme back in 2008 and am still learning about it. I know all too well the looks of dubiousness when I tell someone about it, but I’ve heard certain diagnostic tests are better than others. My naturopath had me take the IGeneX Western Blot Test, which he claims is the best indicator. Mine showed that it has been in my body awhile, so I’m sure it’ll be something I struggle with the rest of my life. Thank you for your post on it!
You are welcome Lauren and thanks for sharing your story as well. The IGenix Western Blot is one of the more accurate, but it can still be inaccurate or read improperly as well. Many of the tests come back IGenix negative and CDC negative but most LLMD’s will tell you that if even 1 or 2 bands on your test are positive or IND there is still enough evidence to diagnose you with Lyme. (It even states that right in the comments on the test). I really highly recommend zyto scans as well, like I mentioned in the article… they are great at finding hidden things. My prayers are with you that you will find the answers and treatment you need.
Hi
where do you find those scans? please send to szukdavis@aol.com/
Thank you for this post! I was diagnosed in 2011 after suffering from Lyme for over 27 years. I found out after giving birth to both of my children, and they have had a host of health issues themselves. It truly is an epidemic, and it is heartbreaking that it is so controversial. We should not have to fight for proper healthcare. Pretty much every treatment that has truly helped my family has been out of pocket. I would recommend anyone interested in learning more about this disease (and the controversy surrounding it) watch the documentary Under Our Skin. \
Thank you again!
Melissa
Hey Melissa,
So sorry to hear about your struggle and your children’s with Lyme. It’s heartbreaking how many are impacted by this disease. I agree we SHOULD NOT have to fight for proper care! I can’t highly recommend Under Our Skin enough… the link is above in the article as well I believe, at least I thought I put it in there. 🙂 I will check out your blog as well. Thanks for sharing.
Sounds so much like my husband’s low thyroid symptoms. Is there no cure? That is horrible. I’ve been very achey lately. Hopefully just fatigue from working hard…
I can’t diagnose but have you been checked for adrenal issues / other AI issues? hashimotos? I have achiness on and off but so far no suspicions of lyme that I know of.
Gem… it’s debatable whether there is a cure for chronic Lyme. Some believe that you can get better and I have definitely heard stories of those that have recovered. There are also many stories of people thinking they are better, but end up relapsing later. And others that treat for years and see little improvements. Some researchers say you can cure/kill Lyme and get rid of it after long, extensive (and expensive) treatments, while others say it is something you will always have and never be able to get rid of that you just have to work to improve your immune system to keep the symptoms suppressed. There are definitely tons of other illnesses/sources for things like fatigue or thyroid problems. Sure, it can be Lyme, but there are also things like mold/heavy metal toxicity, food allergy issues or like Adrienne mentioned adrenal issues or other AutoImmune disorders. It’s definitely worth being checked by someone knowledgeable for the source of things like severe fatigue and thyroid issues… there are usually some underlying issues going on.
Why not use ultraviolet blood irradiation? That is a tried and true method that has been used for decades. Since it cures so many things, they don’t make as much money off it as chemo, radiation and pharmaceutical drugs. So most doctors don’t practice or use it.
You also NEED to go to a LL- doctor (lyme literate). There are a ton of ways to treat lyme disease. Hyperbaric oxygen chamber, cat’s claw, homeopathics, etc etc. My naturopathic doctor in Utah is a lyme literate doc and so that is awesome.
My best friend got bit by a tick when we were camping in California when we were 16. She wasn’t diagnosed until she was 32, with Lyme disease. She believes one of her daughters has it, because of the symptoms her daughter is displaying.
Lyme is a very tricky thing. What works for one person doesn’t work for others. I have a friend that heard of lots of people having success with UV treatment, but then it didn’t work for her.
Definitely a Lyme Literate Doctor is a must!
what is the uv treatment all about? szukidavis@aol.com
Does your doctor treat long distance? please respond to szukidavis@aol.com/
I’ve been hearing (and knowing) about more people with Lyme. The fact that it is so easily transmitted and yet difficult to treat (and diagnose at times) is very daunting. Thank you for putting the awareness out there.
You are welcome! It is daunting but the more we spread the word and the more attention Lyme gets, the better chances we have of bringing awareness, law changes, and research to Lyme.
Was wondering if you had sources on the sexual transmission, the 50% rate of the rash, organ transplant, saliva, breast milk, placenta, and mosquitos…. I’m actually writing an article for a scientific institution (in Canada, not in the States), and I haven’t found any of that information in my research so far. I would REALLY love your sources- it would be so helpful to me!! Thank you. So far, this is our information: https://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/id-mi/lyme-fs-eng.php , https://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/id-mi/tickinfo-eng.php , and related links. I would really, really appreciate a message back if you might have the time ? Thank you so much in advance!!
Yes, I can definitely get those sources to you. It might take me a bit to get back to you (we homeschool) but I will compile them into a list and post them for you… not a problem. I usually post my sources, but I forgot to this time. Please feel free to e-mail me through my blog at anytime as well with questions you may have.
Can you really get lyme by other blood sucking bugs? My 13 year old son seems to have all the symptoms listed. He has alopecia but aside that he is going through so many other things. He has a hard time falling asleep, he doesn’t feel well a lot, he has a lot of headaches, his legs always feels restless, he has mood swings sometimes and we of course think that could be from just puberty. We have seen an immunologist, holistic doctor who’s done the Elisa test on him, had him tested for lupus but all said that he is perfectly healthy and can’t find what is wrong with him except for some food allergy that could be causing the headaches. I wonder if he has lyme?
The statistics for the percentage of people that have a bullseye rash really varies, so in determining what percentage I would use I looked at a few different sources… probably saying between 35-60% would be a more accurate way of putting it considering the vast discrepancies. In a previous article ILADs stated that 50-60% of patients recall a tick bite and 35-60% get a rash but then in another article they word it as fewer than 50% [articles appear to have been removed so the links were removed by Whole New Mom] So even within one source it is a bit confusing.
(note from blog owner – Ilads appears to have removed this data from their site – some is here: https://igenex.com/tick-talk/from-tick-bite-to-treatment-what-you-should-know-about-lyme-disease/)
Here are some other sites to check out: https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/02/05/dr-dietrich-klinghardt-on-lyme-disease.aspx, https://www.ilads.org/files/harvey.pdf, https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/store/10.1111/j.1600-6143.2011.03493.x/asset/j.1600-6143.2011.03493.x.pdf;jsessionid=8DC0CE1B24A2521E36B509E37DE6DF41.f01t01?v=1&t=horr32ln&s=bc19c4294488aeff6d7233d92b0631647cd301f5&systemMessage=Wiley+Online+Library+will+be+disrupted+on+7+December+from+10%3A00-15%3A00+BST+%2805%3A00-10%3A00+EDT%29+for+essential+maintenance, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16995409?ordinalpos=3&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_DefaultReportPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum, https://www.drsusanmarra.com/services/patient-resources/gestational-lyme-disease, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2685924, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18274258, https://jcm.asm.org/content/26/8/1482.full.pdf
That is a small sampling of all the statistics out there… hope they help some.
Thank you for sharing this. My oldest son got Lyme disease when he was about 10 years old. It was March; we weren’t thinking about ticks. He wasn’t in the woods. He woke up one morning with a swollen knee which he couldn’t use. Fortunately, when the specialist heard we had deer in our suburban area, they tested my son for Lyme and put him on antibiotics immediately. I’ve often wondered if there were any lasting effects even though he was treated quickly.
Hi Barb… so glad your son got the antibiotics he needed immediately! It’s definitely possible for there to still be some lasting effects or lasting infection in the body. I haven’t had my children tested yet, even though I had them when I was pregnant with Lyme unknowingly, because so far they seem fairly healthy (other than a few small behavior issues, which can definitely be a sign of Lyme in children… actually it’s often the only sign… but their problems are so minimal really). It is possible to have the spirochetes and never show symptoms, if you have a really great immune system, so I work hard at keeping them healthy… feeding them healthy foods and doing what I can. I’m sure I will have them tested someday just to make sure there’s not something going on.
Wow, my 7 year old had Lyme and is doing great now, a year later. But she did not have the rash so we had to figure it out from symptoms later on. I did not realize that only 10% of children got the rash but that makes sense.
Only 10% of children? Wow. I didn’t know that. We had a scare this past year when we found a tick embedded in our son’s head–when we were in church.
I know those statistics were shocking to me when I first heard them but I know so many people now that haven’t had a rash. So glad you figured it out with your daughter and got her treatment and is doing so well!
My prayers to Corah in your battle with Lyme. My son was diagnosed in October 2011 and has been in treatment ever since. He’s still not 100%, but much better than he was in 2011. It is an awful disease(s)!!
Hi Laurie… thank you for the prayers. I always appreciate them. I’m so sorry to hear your son has Lyme as well, but it’s always encouraging to hear stories of improvement. I am starting some new treatments soon so fingers crossed.