Lyme Disease and Complementary Medicine

By Nader Soliman, MD

Lyme disease is caused by a bacterial infection, known as Borrelia burgdorferi, through a bite of the blacklegged tick. It was first reported in the United States in old Lyme, Connecticut in 1975. Lyme disease infections are reported in the northeastern states ands among other regions in the United States. The blacklegged tick is so small it can be difficult to be seen by the naked eye. These ticks may also infect the host with additional bacteria and parasites frequently referred to as Lyme co-infections.

Outdoor activities such as hiking, hunting, and gardening as well as walking through tall grass and having pets around increase the risk of exposure to the ticks. Symptoms of Lyme disease include fever, itching, generalized ill feeling, muscle pain, fatigue, headaches, and neck stiffness. Later, arthritis, muscle weakness, and some cardiac symptoms may arise.

Patients with late-stage Lyme disease may present with a variety of neurological and psychiatric problems, ranging from mild to severe. These include memory impairment or loss (“brain fog”) dyslexia and word-finding problems visual/spatial processing impairment, slowed processing of information, psychosis, seizures, violent behavior, irritability, rage attacks/impulse dyscontrol, anxiety, depression, panic attacks, mood swings, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), sleep disorders, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder or autism-like syndrome.

In a published study, one-third of psychiatric inpatients showed signs of an infection with Borrelia burgdorferi. It has been found that even severe neuropsychiatric behavioral symptoms in this population can often be reversed or ameliorated when a multi-system treatment program targeting Lyme disease is used.

Patients with Lyme disease may consider complementary medical approaches to complement their western traditional medical treatment. Auricular medicine (advanced ear acupuncture) is though to help evaluate the energetic status of the various body organs. Auricular medicine is also thought to treat the organs affected and to support other vital organs that may be involved in the disease process. Homeopathic remedies may offer an invaluable complementary approach to help the body fight the involved bacteria and its symptoms. Homeopathic remedies are believed to stimulate the innate defensive mechanism of the individual. Homeopathic remedies are known for their safety and lack of side effects and complications.