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.
Ok, I’m for sure scared now. I found a tick on my leg this past Summer. I was freaking out and it was really hard to get him out. I saved him in the freezer, like I’ve heard to do, just in case. I never got any sort of rash, so I figured I was ok. How do you test for Lyme?
Hi Jenny,
Glad you’ve contacted me. First of all don’t freak out. 🙂 I know it’s scary to think about but it will be okay. Secondly… do you have any symptoms?
Thank you for this post. I help woman battle many different issues from thyroid, adrenal, and gut health to weight loss and emotional eating. I have found many ‘unexplained’ issues and have learned just recently how lyme can play into this…and can be highly connected to more autoimmune issues like hashimoto’s thyroiditis.
Do you have posts regarding how you are treating your disease? Or any book suggestions? I have a friend who has done wondered with dietary cleanup (for immune system) and essential oils.
I want to help my best friend, but as a holistic nutrition counselor AND her friend, she won’t accept my help…weird – friends and family are the hardest to help! Anyway, I sent her this link and I pray she reads it. I’m convinced she has this, however, her traditional doc says NO…ugh
She has all the symptoms..
Any other references you have would be great to learn more.
Thank you
Selena Maestas Moffitt
Hi Selena,
Lyme definitely can play a role in so many issues.
Everyone is so different and what works for one person with Lyme does not work for another… it’s a very strange and frustrating predicament for Lymies.
I definitely would encourage looking into autoimmune/gut healing protocols for diet and there are different EO treatments some have found effective…you could do a google search something called a “Lyme Bullet.”
Again though I’m not a doctor so I can’t give out medical advice. I highly recommend she seek out a medical practitioner that has experience with Lyme as I advised others (preferably someone with personal experience… they just seem to get it more than those without.)
Glad you liked the article!
I’ve heard good things about a Doctor doing new treatments for lyme. https://www.lymestop.com/ You should check out the question section of his website, very informative!
I have IC and had never heard there is a link between this and lyme disease. You have definitely aroused my curiosity and I’ll be looking into this further. What a great article. Blessings to you, sweet friend! 🙂
Interesting stuff, isn’t it? Thanks and blessings to you as well, Kelly!
I was bit 8 years ago but not diagnosed until 2 1/2 months ago. I have worked only with a homeopathic MD. It’s a horrible disease, but with a great doctor and an amazing, loving God I am on my way to recovery.
I went through years of testing on all types of illnesses, but the tests all came back negative. It was finally a friend who suggested Lyme Disease. I also began studying. Finally a naturapath diagnosed me from a clinical standpoint. No doctor that I have seen will give a clinical diagnosis, even though Lyme literature says it is not diagnosed from a test since the tests are not accurate, but rather clinically. As someone in the mental health field, clinical diagnosis makes sense to me, but not to a medical doctor. They must have a test.
So I must fight this disease on my own with the help of online friends who are also affected. Can’t afford $250+ a month to see the naturapath (insurance won’t cover). Found out I had it during my last pregnancy and now my son has it also. This is a terrible disease which will eventually compromise every organ system in your body.
Love your blog. Two questions: how did you determine what strain of Lyme you have? (We have used Igenex and I don’t believe they go into that detail) and have you had your kids tested ? All of us , myself, husband and 4 kids are positive. My oldest has an ASD. Have you checked out lymeinducedautism.com? Great, informative site. I believe my oldest got hit the hardest with my Lyme (didn’t know I had it until last year) and has an “autism” dx because of it. God bless and prayers!
Hi Susie… I talk about this in the follow-up post that Adrienne will be posting soon. It’s not really that important to know what strain you have… from what I’ve read any treatment for borrelia should work the same regardless of which strain you have. There used to be a blood test available through I believe iGenix that was a type of staining that could determine which strain you have, but from what I think I remember hearing, it was pulled because it was costing them too much to offer it. (I may be completely wrong on that.) I know there are many others who have talked about finding out what strain they have based on a blood test and I’m not sure what they are using for that. I am a big fan of the zyto scan (elite version only please) though, and that’s what was used to determine the strain for me. I had one a year ago and actually just had a second one this week… the results on the strains were the same so despite some peoples objections to the method of testing, I have found them to be very accurate and helpful in determining my treatment approach. Again though, it’s ultimately not important to know what strain, just that you have it.
I have not yet had my children tested for Lyme through a blood test. Other than some tummy issues and a few behavioral problems (which could be Lyme, but could also be just from stress from living with a mom with Lyme), my children are both very healthy. I am considering doing a zyto scan for the both of them and my husband (who has some fatigue problems) soon though to determine if there is anything I need to worry about. I will have to check out the lyme autism site… I know my previous LLMD said the main symptom set in children is behavioral issues and that it’s less typical to see physical symptoms in them. Prayers to you as well!
Note – from Adrienne. None of this is meant to be medical advice. We can’t prescribe or diagnose. This is just Corah’s experience. Please see your own physician for medical concerns – thanks :). Sorry, but I need to write this.
Hi! I was bit by a tick in May of this year. It was in the center of my back under my bra strap. I noticed that I got a bulls eye rash around the bite and went to the doctor. They did a blood test and said it was negative. Now I am having symptoms of Lyme. How often is there a false negative and how long after the bite until you should get the test?
Bulls eye means you have it. Period. Tests are notoriously wrong, either directions. This is why so many rely on a clinical diagnoses.
Hi Tere… there is a VERY high prevalence of false negatives, and exactly like Paula says, if you have a Bulls Eye it means 100% yes you have it regardless of what the tests say. Honestly it’s kind of redonkulus that they even did a blood test if you had a bullseye. Ugh! I hope someday all doctors will be more educated about this! Check out my comments above on finding someone to treat you and do it ASAP, please!
https://www.amazon.com/Twist-Lyme-Battling-Disease-Doesnt/dp/1480802646 — an amazing book written by a woman with Lyme.
Thank you for this article. It is very timely. My son was bite by a tick in July. He did not show any symptoms but the bite never healed. It has been four months and four doctor later. Just last week he developed a rash at the bite area and now has begun to spread (although the rash on his body looks differnent from the bite area). Just yesterday the doctor said it was scabies. But in the back of our minds, we are deeply concerned about Lyme disease. How can he be tested? How do we get the doctors to consider it might be lyme disease? Should we take him to a naturopath instead? I would appreciate any suggestions. We have done plenty of research but the links you have posted will be a tremendous help. Thank you.
Hi Arden. Corah is offline today so maybe tonight or tomorrow she can get back to you but I think you might find answers in the comments – bless you and I am so sorry. We had a HUGE tick scare this past summer.
Hey Arden… so sorry to hear your sweet son is having issues. My recommendation to you is that you need to find someone that believes in Lyme Disease. 🙂 There are many that don’t, or not to the extent that it is prevalent.
A Lyme Literate MD (LLMD) should be sought out, or a LL naturopath… my personal preference would be a naturopath with personal experience with Lyme (there are MANY of them out there… a lot of the docs that treat it do so because they have had terrible experiences themselves with finding help and are coming back to return the favor to others).
Most people that treat Lyme do not publicly advertise that they treat it due to all the controversy. My previous LLMD here lost his license earlier this year due to his treatment of Lyme Disease so it’s something that’s on the down low and they typically don’t accept insurance for their services so they can treat more freely with out being questioned. The best way to find someone in your area that treats is to check out some support groups… on FB there are many support groups for Lyme. Like in my state of Iowa there is a support group and they have a listing of doctors in the documents that treat and you can ask others where they go and what their experiences are.
If you don’t have any luck finding someone, PLEASE contact me through my e-mail on my blog and I will help you track someone down! Any other questions, please feel free to contact me too! I will be praying you get this all figured out and find the treatment your son needs.