7 Misconceptions About Tick Bites and Lyme Disease

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Spring comes with the long-awaited sunshine, extraordinary rays for tans, beautifully blooming flowers, and elegant birds singing merrily outside. However, the signs of joy are short-lived when we realize that the warm spring environment comes with a brand new challenge, the tick problem. 

Ticks can be a great nuisance when they strike and go for the attack. In essence, these micro-sized blood-sucking mites tend to carry an army of bacteria that cause Lyme disease.  

The United States has been a significant culprit of tick-borne diseases. For example, a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) study indicated that the number of counties that recorded Lyme disease infections increased from 324 to 415 in the ten-year period between 2008 and 2018.  In 2018 alone, over 33,000 Americans were infected with Lyme disease, while hundreds of thousands were victims of tick bites. 

Worrisomely, the country has seen a sporadic spread of myths and misconceptions about Lyme disease despite the ever-increasing number of infections. Unfortunately, such myths and misunderstandings tend to prevent people from seeking the right forms of diagnosis and treatment.

However, our role, our obligation, is to take the first step and emerge from the Dark Ages, get a clear understanding of how tick bites and Lyme disease operate, and treat our peers who are struggling with tick bites and Lyme disease with compassion and empathy.

If you are looking for assistance with the issues of Lyme disease, early disseminated Lyme disease, or Lyme disease symptoms, reach out to us at Robinhood Integrative Health today.  We are here to treat Lyme disease with our comprehensive approach to medicine and care. Our experts at Robinhood Integrative Health know that Lyme disease and infectious diseases, in general, can be quite scary and will ensure to be there for you throughout this event.

If you are looking for advice, care, and help from our professionals at Robinhood Integrative Health regarding infected ticks, infectious diseases, a tick bite, Lyme arthritis, swollen lymph nodes, or severe joint pain, contact us by giving us a call and then setting an appointment today.

We ensure to move quickly and address your questions and concerns about the Lyme disease vaccine, untreated Lyme disease, and the general symptoms of Lyme disease. From oral antibiotics to other measures to prevent tick bites, talk to us today.

With that, here are the seven misconceptions about tick bites and Lyme disease that you must know.

Misconception #1: All ticks are carriers of the Lyme disease

Well, the belief that all ticks will infect you with Lyme disease is a mere misconception.  Factually, only a few tick species will carry the Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria that are associated with Lyme disease. Borrelia burgdorferi appears as a black-legged deer tick.  Only a fraction of the black-legged deer tick will host the Lyme disease bacteria in the real sense. However, all ticks act as essential hosts to a myriad of microbes, some of which may cause other diseases like the Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.  

Misconception #2 You don’t have Lyme disease if you can’t remember the tick bite

Is it true that you must remember being bitten by a female anopheles mosquito to confirm that you are a victim of malaria? Well, misconception #2 can be related to the malarial notion. Remember, not everyone will recall the day they were infected with Lyme disease. 

In essence, some people tend to harbor the Lyme-causing bacteria in their system for years before the symptoms manifest. The signs will only come after the victim has faced a stressful moment to trigger the manifestation of the disease.

Apart from living in a world of high stress, the current human is forced to deal with a myriad of situations that may trigger the manifestation of Lyme disease even without remembering the tick bite. All these may trigger systemic breakdown and eventual manifestation of Lyme infection from artificial environmental contaminations and imbalances in the check and balance of species to over-consumption of genetically modified organisms.

Similarly, it is a great idea to note that a tick bite does not necessarily cause Lyme disease.  Studies have established the Borrelia burgdorferi in all kinds of biting insects like mosquitoes and fleas. The bacteria have also been found in the placenta of miscarried babies, human semen, and breast milk.  This only notes that there are lots of channels through which Lyme disease can be spread.

Misconception #3 You Don’t Have Lyme if you Didn’t Get a Rash

This is a common misconception even in the most advanced medical facilities in the United States. In essence, most physicians will consider the presence of a bull’s eye-shaped rash as the best way to diagnose Lyme. However, research conducted by Lymedisease.org revealed that only 9% of Lyme disease patients would present with a rash.

Even the most highly peer-reviewed medical websites consider the presence of the Erythema migrans rash (bull’s eye rash) as one of the most conspicuous Lyme disease symptoms. The inflammation presents a series of circular rings that spread around the area affected by the tick bite. Unfortunately, this has led to the wayward assumption that people who do not have the bull’s eye rash shouldn’t be diagnosed with Lyme disease.

In most cases, healthcare practitioners fail to appreciate that the rash will only appear to indicate that the patient’s body is experiencing robust immune responses. As such, inflammation could suggest that the disease is at an advanced stage and the patient’s immune system is overly engaged. This places Lyme-infected patients who fail to show rashes at a greater risk than their counterparts with the rash sign.

Misconception #4 You Don’t have Lyme disease if you tested negative

Over the years, medics have considered the ELISA and Western Blot as the most effective tests any time they want to diagnose Lyme disease. Regrettably, these two tests have continuously produced false results and shouldn’t be solely relied on when diagnosing Lyme disease. In fact,  research findings published in The American Journal of Medicine revealed that Lyme disease patients were most likely to test negative in the early stages of the ailment than positive as the disease advances. Ideally, the antibodies associated with Lyme disease will take weeks to manifest. 

Similarly, not all physicians have the professional expertise and knowledge needed to deal with Lyme disease. This explains why Lyme disease tests will remain a challenge for physicians who are not well familiar with the infection trends. In essence, doctors must always seek advice from their infectious disease counterparts any time they are unsure of their diagnoses.

Currently, key medical organizations like the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society require physicians to initiate clinical diagnoses for Lyme disease by considering the patient’s history, supportive laboratory tests, and physical evidence. This only reveals that Lyme disease can be diagnosed by assessing the symptomatic expressions without a positive lab test.

Misconception #5  One can only get Lyme when in some regions of the United States

Well, most people classify Lyme as an East Coast disease. Unfortunately, this stirs the misconception that Lyme disease is only a geographic-specific issue and can only affect people residing in certain areas. In other instances, some people will assume that they don’t have the illness even when they present with the symptoms just because they don’t reside in endemic regions like the northeast. 

Now, here’s the reality. Just in the same way you can get Lyme infection at any time of the year, the disease can be contracted in any part of the United States. So, therefore, you’re not immune to Lyme disease just because you are in Las Vegas or elsewhere.  In essence, Lyme disease can be found in all 50 states and almost all nations across the globe. 

Nonetheless, certain geographies have been earmarked as hotspots for Lyme disease. 

Areas like the Northeastern US and the Pacific Northwest tend to present with conditions that favor the growth and reproduction of ticks.  These areas are incredibly wooded, making them favorable for the survival of large mammals like deer that harbor ticks. What’s more, scholarly pieces have presented evidence revealing the geographical expansion of tick ranges all over the country.

Misconception #6 Lyme disease will heal up after an antibiotic dose and will never come back

There’s a trending belief that you’ll never have Lyme disease again after taking a series of antibacterial doses. The worst part is the belief that the disease will never re-emerge once it is gone. Well, all these are total misconceptions and must be corrected. 

One might notice in news that celebrities like Avril Lavigne, Bella Hadid, and Yolanda have been struggling with persistent Lyme infections. 

However, most readers may think twice about such news pieces and describe the associated medical diagnoses as ‘controversial.’  But while the perceptions may be awry, the truth is that these reports reveal the nature of Lyme disease as a complex ailment that is often misunderstood.  As such, many infected patients will continue struggling to get the health care remedies they will need to regain their normal body conditions.

In most cases, infectious disease experts will adopt the term post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome when referring to patients who present with the symptoms of Lyme disease (documented) like joint pains, aches, and brain fogs persist and advance to chronic levels. Worrisomely, about 20% of patients diagnosed with Lyme disease tend to experience chronic symptoms and face greater likelihoods of having chronic infections after the disease has been diagnosed and treated.

Misconception #7 Lyme is the same for all patients

It is a general misconception that Lyme will look the same for all patients. Well, this is a wrong assumption. In fact, the Borrelia burgdorferi bacterium has over 132 lipoproteins. In essence, these lipoproteins are meant to modulate the infected person’s immunity as they are pro-inflammatory. Similarly, each of the 132 lipoproteins has a distinct mechanism through which it spirochetes to dodge the immune system. This shows why depending on various conditions, different individuals will present with varied ways through which the effects of the bacteria will show up.

Notably, Lyme disease can infect and affect any body organ or tissue. This reveals that Lyme can cause a wide range of symptoms that may differ among populaces. 

Similarly, there are different types of the Borellia species that may cause Lyme disease. In essence, it is important to note that each of the Borellia species will come with a wide range of co-infections that vary among patient populations.  For instance, studies have shown that some patients may present with the Borellia species that acts as a primary carrier of Bartonella in their systems. In other cases, some patients may present with the Babesia species.

As you can see, there are a wide variety of misconceptions present within this pace. You can find ways to protect yourself against tick bites and minimize issues through prevention. At the same time, while you may take all the necessary measures, you may find that you may still have tick bites. Our professionals make sure to provide you with the right care to provide you with the value you need to live your life.

Ignorance Is Not Bliss When It Comes to Lyme Symptoms and Disease Control

Many misconceptions are surrounding Lyme disease from signs, symptoms, diagnoses, and treatment. However, early diagnosis and a few weeks of antibiotics treatment could be everything you’ll need to deal with Lyme disease once and for all. 

While antibiotic Doxycycline is known to finish Lyme disease in 28 days, it may not work among other patient populations. Stressors in your physical environment could make the infection persistent. This shows why stress management has remained a key ingredient when a physician deals with a Lyme patient.

While you may be surprised that stress management is critical over here, remember that your health is holistic. You will require overall care to ensure that you keep a wide variety of issues at bay. While this may be surprising and can be hard to achieve, the right partners in your healthcare journey can look at your symptoms from a holistic level and find the sources of the genuine cause of the problem.

If you are looking for help related to deer tick issues, infected tick problems, Lyme arthritis, and need more assistance in understanding other symptoms, reach out to us today. Our professionals specialize in providing holistic care. That means that whether you are experiencing flu-like symptoms,  find issues with your nervous system, notice general signs and symptoms that lower your quality of life, reach out to us at Robinhood Integrative Health today.

Contact Robinhood Integrative Health Today For Current or Post Treatment Lyme Disease

Integrative health encompasses modern science with integrative health modalities and wellness principles.  This holistic healthcare perspective offers a practical and personalized wellness support approach for optimal health and entire-body health when utilized in a  clinical background.

Our integrative health facility provides integrative health programs to all patients that teach them how to develop and coordinate these modalities into their daily lives. Doing so enables you to advance your health care goals, maintain whole-person health wellness, and create manageable self-care protocols for longevity.

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