Lyme Disease: How to Treat and Prevent

With the warmer weather in full swing, Lyme disease is an important topic to discuss. Spending more time outdoors during the summer leaves us with a higher risk for coming in contact with ticks.

In this article, we are going to talk about what Lyme disease is, signs and symptoms, disease protection, and how to limit the impact of this infection through Ayurveda and acupuncture.

What is Lyme Disease?

Lyme disease is transmitted to humans and pets through an infected deer tick. It’s an inflammatory disease that comes with a handful of symptoms. While most people do recover once treated with the appropriate antibiotic, it is possible to develop certain syndromes after treatment, which can lead to long-term symptoms.

Signs & Symptoms

Lyme disease often comes with some pretty classic symptoms. The disease typically starts out with a bulls-eye patterned rash and is generally followed by a headache, fever, and chills. After some time, it is possible to also suffer from some neurological, cardiac, or even arthritic symptoms.

Some things to watch out for include:

  •  Flu-like symptoms
  • Joint pain
  • Weakness in the limbs
  • Rash
  • Fatigue
  • Headaches
  • Dizziness
  • Fever
  • Unexplained pain
  • Irritability

 

Lyme Disease Protection

One of the best ways to protect yourself from Lyme disease is to cover up when you are out in grassy areas. You will want to try to tuck your pants into your socks and wear a hat. If you have pets, you will also want to check them when they come in from outside. There are some insect repellents available, but many contain toxic chemicals. However, there are some natural ways to repel ticks, and essential oils are an excellent option. Citronella and geranium bourbon essential oils tend to work well at keeping ticks away. You can make your own natural spray using a carrier oil like jojoba oil with geranium bourbon essential oil. Heather from Mommypotamus has a natural tick repellent recipe, and recommends using

2 ounces of jojoba oil with 20-40 drops of pure geranium bourbon essential oil.

 

Even after taking the preventative steps, if you happen to find a tick on yourself, your children, or a pet, remove it with tweezers as soon as possible near its head or mouth. The sooner you remove it the better- removing it within 2 days reduces your chances of acquiring Lyme as the bacteria from the bite enters if the tick stays attached for 36-48 hours or more. Keep in mind that if you have previously had Lyme, you can be infected more than once, so don’t assume you are immune and do take the proper precautions.

 

Lyme Disease Treatment

If you do happen to acquire Lyme disease, the good news is that there is treatment available. This infection will need to be treated with the appropriate antibiotic, and the sooner you get treatment, the quicker the recovery. Some people may need additional treatment for some of the symptoms associated with Lyme disease, such as headaches, fever, and if there are more serious complications.

Holistic Lyme Disease Treatment Options

While an antibiotic will often offer a full recovery, there are also some holistic treatment options to help you get some relief while you are waiting for the infection to clear your body.

  1. Acupuncture & Massage: Since many people suffer from headaches, joint, and muscle pain with Lyme disease, acupuncture and massage can be very beneficial. At The Juhi Center, we offer customized acupuncture treatments which can be tailored to what your body needs as each person suffering from Lyme disease may need something a little different. Acupuncture is an excellent holistic modality as it helps to heal as well as re-balance the body. This can help give you great relief from the aches and pains often associated with Lyme. Massage is also great to help reduce muscle aches and pains while also reducing stress..
  2. Salt Therapy: Trying our Himalayan salt room is also a wonderful option for those suffering from Lyme. The negatively charged ions in salt can help drastically improve overall health. This therapy can be helpful because Lyme is an inflammatory condition, and trying salt therapy can help reduce inflammation and mucus build up. This is great news for anyone with Lyme disease who is suffering from the flu-like symptoms.
  3.  Ayurveda: Ayurveda uses a very custom approach to getting to the root of disease, and it can be very helpful when you are suffering from Lyme disease. Ayurvedic nutrition serves as a wonderful addition to your antibiotic treatment. At The Juhi Center, we provide specific nutritional guidelines depending on your own constitutional imbalance described by Ayurveda: Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. This is so important, especially when dealing with an infection like Lyme as your body is already out of balance. Using Ayurveda to customize a specific diet for you will help to give your body what it needs to heal.
  4. Nutrition: If you are going through antibiotic treatment for Lyme you will want to think about adding some probiotic-rich foods to your diet. Antibiotics will help to rid the body of the infection, but they take all the good bacteria away too, leaving you susceptible to many gut-health imbalances. Try including things like sauerkraut, kimchi, kombucha, and coconut-based yogurt into your diet.

 

If you are suffering from Lyme disease, and are looking for some relief, take a look at the services we offer at the center, and book your first appointment to start to feel better. And, remember to take the proper precautions while you enjoy the warmer weather this summer!

 

 

 

Resources

(1) Lyme Disease. What to Know in 2018. https://www.webmd.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/arthritis-lyme-disease

(2) Natural Tick Repellent Recipe. https://www.mommypotamus.com/natural-tick-repellent-recipe/

The Juhi Center