Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Homeopathic treatment for Lyme disease
Lyme disease is an inflammatory disease that is often misdiagnosed and mistreated. Lyme disease was first discovered in Old Lyme CT from the bite of a deer tick. Most people that are diagnosed are in the Northeast, Midwest and Pacific coast, but people are diagnosed in all 50 states. Deer ticks are often so small, that the tick bite is not seen, thus the patient never knows that they were bitten. The tick carries bacteria (Borrelia burgdorferi) that infest the body’s system when a person is bit. The CDC reports that 20,000 cases are reported each year, but they also admit that more than 10 times that may exist that are not reported or misdiagnosed.
Lyme disease is expressed in stages. Stage 1, called primary Lyme disease. Some people will see a “bull’s eye” mark from the tick bite, but many people will not see anything or remember getting bitten by a tick. In the first stages, people may feel like they have a cold or the flu. Their symptoms may include chills, fever, headache, muscle aches and pains, and weakness. Stages 2 (secondary Lyme disease) and 3 (tertiary Lyme disease) follow. Those infected may or may not have gone through primary Lyme disease first. Symptoms of secondary and tertiary Lyme disease are an effect of the bacteria infecting the central nervous system, cardiac system, skin, muscles and bones. These symptoms may include blurry vision, sensitivity to light, brain fog, headache, sleep problems, mood swings, fainting, fatigue, dropping eyelids, heart palpitations, malaise, muscle twitching, chronic joint pain and stiffness and muscle pain. Severe cases can even include facial paralysis, hallucinations, loss of muscle function, numbness, nausea and vomiting and speech impairment.
The earlier that Lyme is diagnosed and treated, the less likely it is to go into the secondary and then tertiary stages. The later the stage, the harder it is to treat, turning into a persistent and chronic illness. Lyme disease is often misdiagnosed as fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, multiples sclerosis, chronic fatigue syndrome, Parkinson’s disease, syphilis and ALS. Sufferers often go from doctor to doctor, without diagnosis, some being told that there is nothing wrong with them, it is psychosomatic or “all in their head.” Patients are given medication after medication and can spend tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical care, some for the wrong disease.
A blood test is used to test for the bacteria that cause this disease. Unfortunately up to 50% of people tested may initially test negative. Once diagnosed, antibiotics can be used for treatment. The type of antibiotic used, depends on stage of the disease and the symptoms. Antibiotics may need to be given through a vein for chronic infections. Other supplements, herbs, and alternative treatments maybe helpful for the treatment of these symptoms.
One form of alternative medicine, homeopathy can be of additional help. Homeopathy works by stimulating the body’s self healing mechanism. In the practice of homeopathy, we find the most specific medicine, or remedy, for each person. This is done by using both the common symptoms of Lyme, but most importantly the individualizing symptoms. The symptoms that make one persons disease different from everyone else’s is the most important focus. Once the correct remedy is found and given, the body’s ability to heal is triggered. Although homeopathy can work very quickly in many diseases, this unfortunately is not the case in Lyme disease. For the body to clear the infection and reverse symptoms, takes time and persistence. However, it is possible. With time, and continued homeopathic care, patients are able to take their lives back.
If you or someone you know has Lyme disease, Homeopathy may help. For more information on homeopathy and Naturopathic medicine, contact Dr. Natalie Ham: www.drnatalieham.com or call for a free 15 min consult at 480-456-0402.