Articles ¬ Senior's Advocate ¬ Lyme Disease

Lyme disease is an illness caused by the bacterium, Borrelia burgdorferi, which can be spread through the bite of certain types of ticks. In Nova Scotia the tick that can transmit this bacterium is commonly known as the blacklegged or deer tick ( Ixodes scapularis Ratz). It is estimated that about 10% of these ticks are infected with the Lyme disease agent. The minimum time a tick needs to be attached to humans in order for the Lyme bacterium to be transmitted is estimated to be 24 to 48 hours. HOWEVER, if the tick is compressed or squashed, its stomach contents could expel into the victim sooner. The infection rate with Lyme disease in the tick population is exploding in North America and as the earth's temperature warms this trend is expected to continue.

The symptoms of Lyme disease are often described in three stages, although not all patients have symptoms of each stage. The first sign of infection is usually a circular or bulls-eye rash called erythema migrans or EM. This rash occurs in about 30- 70% of infected persons and begins at the site of the tick bite after a delay of three days to one month. Patients often also experience flu-like symptoms such as; fatigue, chills, fever, headache and muscular or joint pain.

If the infection goes untreated, the second stage of the disease can last up to several months with possible symptoms including; central and peripheral nervous system disorders, multiple skin rashes, arthritic symptoms, heart palpitations, extreme fatigue and general weakness.

If the infection continues to go untreated, the third stage of the disease can last months to years with possible symptoms including, chronic arthritis and neurological symptoms. Lyme disease often goes undiagnosed for years as the vast range of symptoms that may arise from its chronic state mimics many illnesses including; Fibromyalgia, MS, arthritis and colitis.

The diagnosis of Lyme disease is best made using the information from blood tests in conjunction with presenting symptoms as blood tests may be negative with patients in the early stage of Lyme disease or in patients who have had recent antibiotic treatment. However, the accuracy of blood tests becomes more reliable as the infection progresses.

Prevention of Lyme disease can be looked at from two perspectives: 1) Avoidance of infected tick bites. 2) Immune health to prevent the risk of illness from an infected tick bite

Find out from your local public health office if there are blacklegged ticks in your area. Wear enclosed boots, long-sleeved shirts that fit tightly around the wrist and are tucked into pants, and long-legged pants tucked into boots. Don't pull your socks over your pants as the weave of the sock will stretch, making bigger holes for ticks to crawl through. Light coloured clothing helps to be able to spot ticks.

Insect repellents containing DEET may be used and can effectively repel ticks. More people are now wanting natural alternatives to DEET, so in this case look for products containing essential Oils such as Eucalyptus, Cedar wood, Tea Tree, Geranium, citronella or lavender.

Tall grasses and shrubby areas, are favourite habitats of ticks. Keep lawns mowed regularly. Check for hitch- hiker ticks on clothing and skin after being in tick infested areas. Prompt removal of attached ticks can reduce the risk of infection. Carefully remove attached ticks using tweezers. Grasp the tick's head and mouth parts as close to the skin as possible and pull slowly until the tick is removed. After removing ticks, wash the site of attachment with soap and water or disinfect it with alcohol. Note the day of the tick bite and try to save the tick in an empty pill vial or doubled zip-lock bag, in case the person that was bitten becomes ill.

Naturopathic medicine believes that the perfect combination for prevention is to avoid what might make you ill and also to keep the immune system strong so that illness is not possible. The following are some general recommendations for maintaining a strong immune system. Eat at least four servings of fresh fruit and vegetables a day to ensure adequate fiber, vitamins and minerals. Eat garlic, onions, thyme and oregano to help boost the immune system. Avoid sugar, caffeine and alcohol which may suppress immune function and drink six to eight glasses of water a day to ensure that toxins are easily removed from the body. An excess of stress will easily depress proper immune function making adequate rest and exercise integral for keeping immunity strong. If you have any concerns or indications that your immune system is not functioning optimally, you may want to work with your Naturopathic doctor to address your specific health concerns.

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