Treatment FAQ

what do i need to do for treatment for lyme disease

by Pascale Collins Published 2 years ago Updated 1 year ago
image

A 14- to 21-day course of antibiotics is usually recommended, but some studies suggest that courses lasting 10 to 14 days are equally effective. Intravenous antibiotics. If the disease involves the central nervous system, your doctor might recommend treatment with an intravenous antibiotic for 14 to 28 days.Oct 24, 2020

Medication

  • In order to combat chronic stress, I recommend you schedule times of rest into your week, along with “fun times” meant to spend with family, friends and also alone. ...
  • Focus on getting plenty of rest. ...
  • I suggest you also practice forgiveness, address past emotional trauma, and work on healing through spirituality and guidance. ...

More items...

Nutrition

  • Colloidal silver helps retain the oxygen molecules that react positively to bacteria and viruses.
  • The ions of the colloidal silver help to block the life-sustaining cellular respiration process in bacteria and viruses by attaching themselves to the cell membranes.
  • It helps to bind to DNA which helps to prevent the unwinding process.

How do you cure Lyme disease naturally?

When people are diagnosed with Lyme disease in its early stages, a 10- to 20-day course of oral antibiotics—usually with a drug called doxycycline—will clear the infection and help them feel better fairly quickly. “This cures the vast majority of people, and they have a 100% recovery with no lasting effects,” says Dr. Zemel.

What antibiotic is best for Lyme disease?

Lyme disease cannot go away on its own and you will require an antibiotics treatment for about two weeks or even a month. The earlier the diagnosis of the illnesses, the more positive the results of treatment are and the disease will go away faster. On the contrary, if Lyme disease isn’t detected early enough, the treatment is slower and one ...

Can Lyme disease ever be truly cured?

Will Lyme disease go away on its own?

See more

image

What is the course of treatment for Lyme disease?

Antibiotics. The three first-line oral antibiotics for Lyme disease include doxycycline (Monodox, Doryx, Vibramycin, Oracea), amoxicillin (Amoxil), and cefuroxime (Ceftin, Zinacef). Ceftriaxone (“Rocephin”) administered intravenously is the preferred antibiotic for neurologic Lyme disease in the United States.

How quickly must Lyme disease be treated?

Early-stage Lyme disease responds very well to treatment. In most cases, taking an antibiotic for 2 to 4 weeks kills the bacteria and clears up the infection. Your doctor will tell you how long to take the antibiotic. It's important to take all the medicine your doctor prescribes.

Is it hard to treat Lyme disease?

Is this typical for Lyme disease? ANSWER: Lyme disease can be difficult to treat – especially when it is not identified right away. It is caused by a bacterium called Borrelia burgdorferi, which is spread through the bites of tiny blood-sucking ticks that hide out in grassy meadows and wooded areas.

Can Lyme disease be effectively treated?

How is Lyme disease treated? Nearly all people with Lyme disease can be effectively treated with antibiotics, usually doxycycline or amoxicillin.

What are the 3 stages of Lyme disease?

There are three stages of Lyme disease.Stage 1 is called early localized Lyme disease. The bacteria have not yet spread throughout the body.Stage 2 is called early disseminated Lyme disease. The bacteria have begun to spread throughout the body.Stage 3 is called late disseminated Lyme disease.

What Happens If Lyme disease goes untreated?

What happens if Lyme disease is untreated? Left untreated, Lyme disease can spread to joints and organs, causing significant damage. Arthritis, heart disease, and nervous system problems are common complications of untreated Lyme disease.

Why do doctors not treat Lyme disease?

The medical establishment refuses to accept the fact that the Lyme disease bacterium, Borrelia burgdorferi, sequesters and hides in deep-seated tissue, such as ligaments, tendons, bone, brain, eye, and scar tissue. This stealth pathogen is persistent in the body, and is hard to treat.

How serious is Lyme disease?

If left untreated, infection can spread to joints, the heart, and the nervous system. Lyme disease is diagnosed based on symptoms, physical findings (e.g., rash), and the possibility of exposure to infected ticks.

What triggers Lyme disease flare ups?

Triggers for Lyme disease vary by person, but they can include: emotional stress (such as a divorce, death in the family, or accidents) physical stress to the body (i.e., surgery, physical harm, concussion) life stress or stressful events.

Can Lyme disease shorten your life?

Take away message: In the long run, Lyme does not affect your life as much as other health conditions. It is important to live a healthy lifestyle regardless of whether you are struggling with Lyme disease or not.

What are the symptoms of late stage Lyme disease?

Symptoms of late stage Lyme diseaseSevere headaches and neck stiffness.Additional EM rashes in new places on the body.Facial palsy, also known as Bell's palsy – paralysis of one side of the face.Arthritis or joint pain and swelling, especially of large joints (such as the knee)More items...

Can you have Lyme disease for years and not know it?

Visit your doctor even if signs and symptoms disappear — the absence of symptoms doesn't mean the disease is gone. Untreated, Lyme disease can spread to other parts of your body for several months to years after infection, causing arthritis and nervous system problems.

What to do if you don't have a lyme disease rash?

Lab tests to identify antibodies to the bacteria can help confirm or rule out the diagnosis. These tests are most reliable ...

What happens after Lyme disease treatment?

After treatment, a small number of people still have some symptoms, such as muscle aches and fatigue. The cause of these continuing symptoms, known as post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome, is unknown, and treating with more antibiotics doesn't help.

What is the test used to detect lyme disease?

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test. The test used most often to detect Lyme disease, ELISA detects antibodies to B. burgdorferi. But because it can sometimes provide false-positive results, it's not used as the sole basis for diagnosis. This test might not be positive during the early stage of Lyme disease, ...

How long does it take for a central nervous system infection to go away?

Intravenous antibiotics. If the disease involves the central nervous system, your doctor might recommend treatment with an intravenous antibiotic for 14 to 28 days. This is effective in eliminating infection, although it may take you some time to recover from your symptoms. Intravenous antibiotics can cause various side effects, ...

How long after an infection can you test for antibodies?

Lab tests to identify antibodies to the bacteria can help confirm or rule out the diagnosis. These tests are most reliable a few weeks after an infection, after your body has had time to develop antibodies. They include: Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test.

What to do if you have been bitten by a tick?

Make a list of: Your symptoms, and when they began. All medications, vitamins and other supplements you take, including doses. Questions to ask your doctor.

Can a Western Blot test be positive for lyme disease?

This test might not be positive during the early stage of Lyme disease, but the rash is distinctive enough to make the diagnosis without further testing in people who live in areas infested with ticks that transmit Lyme disease. Western blot test. If the ELISA test is positive, this test is usually done to confirm the diagnosis.

What antibiotics are used for lyme disease?

If your Lyme disease is found soon after you’ve been infected, your doctor will start you on antibiotics: 1 Doxycycline 2 Amoxicillin 3 Cefuroxime

How long do you have to take amoxicillin for lyme disease?

Which drug you’re prescribed will depend on your age. Your doctor will also take into account if you’re pregnant or nursing. You’ll need to take this medicine for 10 to 21 days. The earlier Lyme disease is found, the better. Most people who start treatment in this stage improve quickly.

How long does it take for a lyme disease to go away?

Sometimes, people go through treatment for Lyme disease but their symptoms (feeling run-down and achy) don’t go away. If this lasts over 6 months , it’s known as chronic Lyme disease or “post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome” (PTLDS). Doctors still aren’t sure why some people get PTLDS.

Is Lyme disease better treated with antibiotics?

The earlier Lyme disease is found, the better. Most people who start treatment in this stage improve quickly. If not, your doctor may need to pre scribe another course of antibiotics.

Can IV antibiotics make you sick?

It’s likely this treatment will get rid of the bacteria that’s making you sick. Still, it could take some time for your symptoms to go away. IV antibiotics also come with side effects. These can include diarrhea and a low white blood cell count, which makes it hard for your body to fight off other infections.

Can Lyme disease cause damage to the immune system?

Some believe that getting Lyme disease may cause damage to your tissues or immune system. Others believe it’s because the bacteria that causes Lyme hasn’t completely gone away. There is little evidence that taking more antibiotics at this stage will help. They may actually be harmful.

What are the risk factors for lyme disease?

Risk factors for Post Treatment Lyme Disease include: 1 Delay in diagnosis 2 Increased severity of initial illness 3 Presence of neurologic symptoms

What is lyme disease?

Lyme disease encompasses a range of biologic processes and disease manifestations. Patients are often referred to the Lyme Disease Research Center for evaluation of chronic Lyme disease, an umbrella term that encompasses many heterogeneous subsets of illness. Examples of defined Lyme disease subsets include Post Treatment Lyme Disease (PTLD), ...

How common is PTLD after lyme disease?

The rates of Post Treatment Lyme Disease after neurologic involvement may be as high as 20% or even higher.

How high is the risk of Lyme disease after treatment?

The rates of Post Treatment Lyme Disease after neurologic involvement may be as high as 20% or even higher. Other risk factors being investigated are genetic predispositions and immunologic variables.

What antibiotics are used for borrelia?

Other antibiotics that have activity against borrelia include the penicillin-like antibiotic, amoxicillin, and the second generation cep halosporin, Ceftin. The mainstay of treatment is with oral (pill) antibiotics, but intravenous antibiotics are sometimes indicated for more difficult to treat cases of neurologic-Lyme disease, such as meningitis, ...

Can lyme disease be recurrent?

However, some patients suffer from ongoing or recurrent symptoms related to Lyme disease despite standard of care antibiotic therapy. The persistent symptoms in Lyme disease can have a large negative impact on an individual’s health and quality of life.

Is there a cure for lyme disease?

Currently there are no FDA approved treatments for the persistent symptoms in Lyme disease. Therefore, treatments must be individualized by addressing specific findings, symptoms, and circumstances for each individual.

How is lyme disease treated?

Lyme disease is treated with antibiotics. The type of antibiotic your doctor gives you and the number of days you take it will depend on your symptoms and the stage of the disease. Talk to your doctor if you have any questions about your antibiotic treatment.

Can you get Lyme disease if you don't treat it?

It's important to get treatment for Lyme disease as soon as you can. If it's not treated, Lyme disease can lead to problems with your skin, joints, nervous system, and heart.

Can antibiotics help with lyme arthritis?

Antibiotics by mouth. These may be used for achy joints caused by chronic Lyme arthritis. But joints that have been badly damaged by Lyme arthritis may take a long time to get better. Antibiotics may not improve symptoms.

What is the goal of Lyme disease surveillance?

The goal of Lyme disease surveillance is not to capture every case, but to systematically gather and analyze public health data in a way that enables public health officials to look for trends and take actions to reduce disease and improve public health.

What are the symptoms of Lyme disease?

Common symptoms of Lyme disease include a rash, fever, body aches, facial paralysis, and arthritis. Ticks can also transmit other diseases, so it’s important to be alert for any illness that follows a tick bite.

How long does it take for lyme disease to go away?

Lyme disease is caused by infection with the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi. Although most cases of Lyme disease can be cured with a 2- to 4-week course of oral antibiotics, patients can sometimes have symptoms of pain, fatigue, or difficulty thinking that last for more than 6 months after they finish treatment.

What is the CDC's main activity?

Activities of this program include: Maintaining and analyzing national surveillance data for Lyme disease. Conducting epidemiologic investigations.

How long does it take for a lyme test to be positive?

In this case, if the person is retested a few weeks later, they should have a positive test if they have Lyme disease. It is not until 4 to 6 weeks have passed that the test is likely to be positive. This does not mean that the test is bad, only that it needs to be used correctly.

Can you get Lyme disease from a tick bite?

The chances that you might get Lyme disease from a single tick bite depend on the type of tick, where you acquired it, and how long it was attached to you. Many types of ticks bite people in the U.S., but only blacklegged ticks transmit the bacteria that cause Lyme disease. Furthermore, only blacklegged ticks in the highly endemic areas ...

Can you donate blood with Lyme disease?

Individuals being treated for Lyme disease with an antibiotic should not donate blood. Individuals who have completed antibiotic treatment for Lyme disease may be considered as potential blood donors. The Red Cross external icon provides additional information on the most recent criteria for blood donation.

What happens if a dog takes antibiotics for lyme disease?

Some dogs who take antibiotics can develop loss of appetite, vomiting and diarrhea.

What is lyme disease in dogs?

By Jennifer Coates, DVM. Lyme disease is one of the most common tick-transmitted diseases. Learn about lyme disease symptoms and treatments for dogs.

Can a dog be reinfected with lyme disease?

Experts currently recommend against antibiotic therapy under these circumstances because the dog’s immune system is holding the bacteria in check and antibiotics are unable to eliminate the infection. Dogs who have contracted Lyme disease do not develop prolonged, protective immunity and can be reinfected at a later date.

How long does it take to get rid of lyme disease?

According to the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2-4 weeks of antibiotic treatment is more than enough to knock out the illness.

How long does Lyme disease last?

However, a study by the CDC found that patients with Lyme disease generally reported longer treatment durations – with 60% of patients treated for five or more weeks and 36% treated for more than eight weeks (Hook 2015). Unfortunately, that study did not ask patients how long they had been ill.

How many people have lyme disease?

As many as 3 million people have chronic Lyme disease in the US, and nobody knows the best way to treat them,” said Lorraine Johnson, CEO of LymeDisease.org. “The key finding here is that patients who are now well or who report substantial improvement have taken longer courses of antibiotics.”.

Can you take antibiotics for lyme disease?

But the IDSA and CDC recommend no further treatment for them. They just say, “Don’t take any more antibiotics.”. Patients who still hope to recover their health often find their way to doctors willing to prescribe longer courses of antibiotics for Lyme disease. And as a result, some people get much better.

Does Lyme disease fit all?

Patients vary considerably in their treatment response. In chronic Lyme disease treatment, one size does not fit all. In fact, when patients who were not taking antibiotics were ask why, about 25% responded that antibiotics had never worked for them. And some responded that antibiotics “no longer” worked for them.

Do you need to take antibiotics if you are diagnosed early?

Every year, tens of thousands of people who take that prescribed short course of treatment remain ill. This happens to some of those diagnosed early, and it happens more to those whose diagnosis is delayed. But the IDSA and CDC recommend no further treatment for them. They just say, “Don’t take any more antibiotics.”.

Can herbal supplements be used to kill viruses?

As you can see in the chart below, many patients who were taking antibiotics were also taking herbal supplements, which can be antimicrobial (kill bacteria and viruses). So it is possible that there was a synergistic effect between antibiotics and herbal supplements.

How to treat lyme disease?

Treatment includes medicines to kill the germ causing Lyme disease. Medicines may also be used to decrease any pain and swelling in your joints. You may also need treatment to remove swollen joint tissue, or treatment to correct abnormal heartbeats. Treatment for Lyme disease may prevent or decrease symptoms such as joint pain and swelling.

What is the best medicine for lyme disease?

Antibiotics: Antibiotics are germ-killing medicines. You may be given antibiotics to kill the germ that causes Lyme disease. Nonsteroidal anti inflammatory medicine: This family of medicine is also called NSAIDs. NSAIDs may help decrease pain and inflammation (swelling) in your joints.

Can lyme disease spread to other parts of the body?

Without treatment, the germs causing your Lyme disease may spread to other areas of your body. Your pain, swelling and trouble moving your joints may get worse. The Lyme disease may spread to your brain. You may have trouble walking, or have numbness, tingling, or pain in your arms and leg.

Does Lyme disease go away?

Even with treatment for Lyme disease, your symptoms may never go away. You may need to be treated for many months or years. Your symptoms may also go away and return at a later time, and you may need to be treated again. Without treatment, the germs causing your Lyme disease may spread to other areas of your body.

Can you use Lyme disease material in a hospital?

Lyme Disease (Inpatient Care) - What You Need to Know. This material must not be used for commercial purposes, or in any hospital or medical facility. Failure to comply may result in legal action.

Can lyme disease cause numbness?

You may have trouble walking, or have numbness, tingling, or pain in your arms and leg. You may have trouble with your memory and concentration, and you may have trouble sleeping. You may have changes in your mood and personality. Lyme disease may also cause swelling in the covering of your brain.

image

Diagnosis

Treatment

Alternative Medicine

Preparing For Your Appointment

Medically reviewed by
Dr. Rakshith Bharadwaj
Your provider will work with you to develop a care plan that may include one or more of these treatment options.
Treatment includes antibiotics.
Medication

Oral antibiotics: Early stages of lyme disease are treated with oral antibiotics.

Doxycycline . Amoxicillin . Tetracycline


Intravenous antibiotics: Prescribed for people whose central nervous system is affected by lyme disease.

Ceftriaxone . Penicillin

Nutrition

Foods to eat:

  • Gluten-free eating
  • Low sugar/ carbohydrate diet
  • Consume food that is rich In vitamins to improve immunity

Foods to avoid:

  • Stop dairy intake
  • Avoid refined sugars

Specialist to consult

Primary care physician
Specializes in the acute and chronic illnesses and provides preventive care and health.

Treatment

  • Many signs and symptoms of Lyme disease are often found in other conditions, so diagnosis can be difficult. What's more, ticks that transmit Lyme disease can also spread other diseases. If you don't have the characteristic Lyme disease rash, your doctor might ask about your medical history, including whether you've been outdoors in the summer where Lyme disease is common, and do …
See more on mayoclinic.org

Side effects

  • Antibiotics are used to treat Lyme disease. In general, recovery will be quicker and more complete the sooner treatment begins.
See more on mayoclinic.org

Prognosis

  • Antibiotics are the only proven treatment for Lyme disease. Some people who have unexplained signs and symptoms or chronic disease might believe they have Lyme disease even if it's not been diagnosed. There are a variety of alternative treatments that people with Lyme disease or people who think they have Lyme disease turn to for relief. Unfortunat...
See more on mayoclinic.org

Roles

  • You're likely to start by seeing your family doctor or a general practitioner who might refer you to a rheumatologist, infectious disease specialist or other specialist. Here's some information to help you get ready for you appointment.
See more on mayoclinic.org

Research

  • The first-line standard of care treatment for adults with Lyme disease is doxycycline, a tetracycline antibiotic. Other antibiotics that have activity against borrelia include the penicillin-like antibiotic, amoxicillin, and the cephalosporin, Ceftin. In children under the age of 12, amoxicillin is used because of the possible side effects of doxyc...
See more on hopkinslyme.org

Terminology

  • Antibiotics, like all medications, have the potential for side effects. Any antibiotic can cause skin rashes and if an itchy red rash develops while on antibiotics, a patient should see their physician. Sometimes symptoms worsen for the first few days on an antibiotic. This is called a Herxheimer reaction and occurs when the antibiotics start to kill the bacteria. In the first 24 to 48 hours, thes…
See more on hopkinslyme.org

Diagnosis

  • The prognosis after treatment of Lyme disease is generally very good. The majority of people are treated with antibiotics and return to their normal health. The prognosis is best when Lyme disease is diagnosed and treated early and worsens when diagnosis and treatment is delayed. Most patients with early Lyme disease infection recover with antibiotics and return to their norm…
See more on hopkinslyme.org

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9