Lyme Disease

Lyme disease is a bacterial infection. Lyme bacteria is scientifically referred to as Borrelia, they are spirochete bacteria and look like spirals. There are different strains of Borrelia, the most common being Borrelia burgdorferi. Their spiral shape enables them to bury into tissues anywhere in your body. They are indiscriminate about where they go, burying themselves into any tissues and organs, the symptoms you experience are therefore widespread, varied and unpleasant.

Lyme is often mis-diagnosed. The UK NHS guidelines are outdated and their testing methodology is inadequate. In the UK the Elisa test is used which looks for the presence of anti-bodies as opposed to the presence of the bacteria itself and is therefore often inaccurate. Finding a doctor that has an understanding of Lyme and the need for rapid action is rare. For anti-biotics such as doxycycline (which is usually prescribed in the UK), to stand a chance, they need to be taken within the first few days. Laboratories such as Armin in Germany use the much more accurate Eli spot test. Many people test negative with the Elisa and positive with the Eli spot test so getting a proper diagnosis can be essential.

These are widespread and varied. Lyme is able to travel anywhere and bury into any tissue so it can affect any system in the body. Common symptoms include: chronic fatigue, joint pain, headaches, heart problems, brain fog, vision decline, rashes and skin problems, mood changes, insomnia and auto-immune issues.

There are few myths around Lyme Disease, these are the main ones:

• It is said to be spread by ticks - certainly that is usually the case. However, Jo was not bitten by a tick. Other biting insects can also spread Lyme, there is mounting evidence to corroborate this. It looks like mosquitos and spiders can also infect people.
• Not everyone develops the "target rash" which is a red ring around the infection point, approximately 60% of people do. Jo's rash took 3 months to develop and started as a small, solid VERY round inflamed area.
• Anti-biotics do not necessarily work. In fact, if taken late, they can actually make the situation worse because they reduce your immunity which is exactly what Lyme Disease attacks.

Lyme disease and the co-infections that come with it are multi-systemic; they can affect every organ and every system within your body. The way to finding wellness is through a holistic approach. Helping your body return to optimal functioning so that it can mount a defence. For Jo, the crucial thing was taking responsibility for her own health. Her GP could not help her and whilst initially that realisation was scary, ultimately, it lead her to explore alternatives that actually worked.