The Basics

• Lyme disease has become the fastest growing insect-borne infectious disease in the United States, Europe, and Asia. Lyme disease affects more than 476,000 people each year in the United States and 65,000 people in Europe.
• There are over 100 different species of Borrellia in the United States and more than 300 worldwide.
• There is poor consensus among physicians on the diagnosis and treatment of Lyme disease and the conventional medical understanding of Lyme disease is often limited to those who have acute infection.
• Chronic Lyme disease or post-Lyme syndrome has become controversial, and many patients are dismissed when they complete their treatment for acute Lyme disease, yet still have symptoms.
• Evidence of persister cells that are resistant to antibiotics in those who have undergone treatment add credibility to the likelihood of persistent or chronic Lyme disease.

Symptoms of Acute Lyme Disease

• Fever
• Chills
• Throbbing headaches or migraines
• Profound fatigue
• Neuropathy
• Muscle and joint pain, especially migratory joint pain
• Swollen lymph nodes
• Bell’s palsy
• Erythema migrans (EM) rash (“bull’s eye rash”)

Symptoms of Chronic Lyme Disease

• Any of the symptoms seen with acute Lyme disease, plus:
• Abdominal pain and bowel changes
• Memory loss or cognitive impairment
• Light or sound sensitivity
• Dizziness or vertigo
• Sleep disturbances
• Cardiac problems: mitral valve prolapse, heart block, palpitations, chest pain
• Balance or coordination deficits
• Endocrine disruption: hypothyroidism, irregular menses, etc.

Lyme Testing

• Lyme disease is a clinical diagnosis according to the CDC and not solely based on a lab test alone.
• The Lyme screen test is less than 46 percent sensitive and misses most people with Lyme disease.
• Lyme Western Blot testing is more sensitive and specific.
• False positive Lyme tests are uncommon, whereas false negative tests are common and therefore a negative test cannot rule out the possibility of having Lyme disease.

Conventional Treatment of Lyme Disease

• The conventional medical treatment for Lyme disease is to take antibiotics for up to 3 weeks after diagnosis.
• The International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society (ILADS) will use longer courses of antibiotics, both oral and intravenous, for longer periods of time due to the slow growing nature of Borrelia.
• Use of long-term antibiotics may cause imbalances of normal gut microbiome and damage to the mitochondria, so risks and benefits need to be weighed with each patient.

Herbal Treatment of Lyme Disease

• Numerous herbal therapies have been shown to be an effective in the treatment of Lyme disease and are generally regarded as safe.
• Artemisia annua (sweet wormwood/sweet annie) and Uncaria tomentosa (cat’s claw) are effective at killing Borrelia in its stationary and growth phases. Artemisia annua is also effective against Babesia duncani.
• Uncaria tomentosa is anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, immune stimulating, adaptogenic and hepatoprotective. Dr. Eva Sapi reported in Townsend Letter in July 2010 that Uncaria tomentosa and Otaba species were more effective than doxycycline at eliminating Borrelia burgdorferi in both its spirochetal and round body forms.
• Houttuynia cordata (chameleon plant) has been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine to treat leptospirosis, which is also a spirochete. This herb has been useful in modulating inflammation in Lyme patients, as well as helping prevent and treat secondary opportunistic viral illness.
• Coptis (Coptis chinensis) is rich in coptisine and berberine, which have anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, and anti-bacterial effects. It may also help reduce oxidative stress and protect against neuronal damage.
• Cordyceps sinensis (Cordyceps) is a medicinal mushroom that contains beta-glucans, which are well-known to help stimulate the immune system. Like many of its other medicinal mushroom cousins, its immune activation targets mostly T cells and NK cells.
• Hericium erinaceus (Lion’s Mane) is another medicinal mushroom that can help reduce depression and improve cognitive function. There is additional evidence to suggest lion’s mane may also help with remyelination of damaged neurons.

Summary

• Lyme disease is a complex medical illness that is often overlooked in medical practice.
• Early diagnosis and treatment are important in helping patients overcome their illness.
• Antibiotics can be effective in acute Lyme disease, but have limited benefits in long-term Lyme treatment.
• Herbal therapies can be effective at targeting Lyme disease and coinfections but can also help support the immune system, reduce inflammation, and provide other health benefits to the patient.
• A personalized medicine approach can be custom tailored to each patient so that herbal prescriptions fit the individual needs.