Lyme disease, for which there is currently no vaccine, is the most common naturally occurring focal vector-borne infectious disease in Europe, Asia, and North America. Russia is the largest natural area for the spread of this disease. The disease is transmitted by ticks and, according to annual statistics, the incidence of Lyme disease has increased 25-fold. In recent years, Lyme disease (or tick-borne borreliosis) mercilessly “mows” even Hollywood stars. Yolanda, Bella and Anwar Hadid, Alec Baldwin and Avril Lavigne, Ashley Olsen, Ben Stiller, Justin Bieber, and many others suffer from the chronic form of this disease (1).
What is Lyme disease?
Lyme disease is a tick-borne infection (transmitted through tick bites) caused by the spirochete Borrelia species (2). Symptoms of borreliosis resemble acute respiratory illness and appear after one to two weeks. One characteristic, albeit optional, the sign is a ring-shaped red spot that can be seen at the site of the bite several days later. Then, the joints often become inflamed, there are disorders of the nervous system (for example, paralysis of the facial nerve), there may be cardio or rheumatological abnormalities (3).
With the saliva of the tick, the causative agent of Lyme disease enters the human body. On the skin, at the site of the tick’s suction, annular erythema migrans develop. From the site of introduction with the flow of lymph and blood, the pathogen enters the internal organs, joints, lymphatic formations; perineural, and later rostral path of spread with involvement of the meninges in the inflammatory process (4).
Dying, Borrelia secrete endotoxin, which causes a cascade of immunopathological reactions, active irritation of the immune system, which leads to a generalized and local humoral and cellular hyperimmune response lime disease, like other bacterial infections, is successfully treated with antibiotics, usually tetracycline (5). It is very important to start treatment on time – acute symptoms can go away on their own, but there will be a risk of long-term consequences.
An “invisible” enemy with multiply symptoms
Also, in the case of late treatment or misdiagnosis (and such cases are quite common since Lyme disease is considered a “great imitator” because it mimics other diseases such as multiple sclerosis, autoimmune and reactive arthritis, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, and Alzheimer’s disease) the infectious process spreads to the joints, heart muscle and nervous system. The knee joints are most vulnerable, although pain can migrate. Within a few weeks, months, or even years after infection, patients may develop meningitis, temporary paralysis of one-half of the face, weakness in the limbs, and various disorders of motor functions (3). A few weeks after the illness, several patients develop less typical symptoms, such as (6):
- cardiac disorders – arrhythmias;
- conjunctivitis or episcleritis;
- hepatitis;
- severe weakness.
At the same time, many patients look quite healthy, they do not have antibodies to the causative agent of the disease. This is why Lyme disease is often referred to as an “invisible” disease.
Late events of the disease and chronic form
In untreated Lyme disease, the late stage begins months to years after the initial infection. Arthritis develops in about 60% of patients within a few months, sometimes 2 years, after the onset of the disease (7). Intermittent swelling and pain in several large joints, especially the knees, usually return within a few years. The affected knees are usually much more swollen than painful; they are often hot but rarely blush. Baker cysts may form and erupt. Malaise, fatigue, and mild fever precede or accompany attacks of arthritis. In about 10% of patients, knee involvement is chronic (unremitting for ≥ 6 months). Other late events (years after onset) include antibiotic-sensitive skin lesions and chronic CNS disease (8), either polyneuropathy or mild encephalopathy with impaired mood, memory, and sleep. Some patients develop symptoms such as fatigue, headache, joint and muscle pain, and cognitive problems after successful antibiotic treatment. All the patients demonstrate intestinal inflammatory disorders and microbiome disturbances (9). These symptoms are collectively referred to as post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome (PTLDS).
How is Lyme disease treated?
During the first stages of disease antibiotics prescribed for 1-3 months are the main effective treatment (5). But, the treatment of all of the above manifestations and periods is mostly symptomatic, antibiotics are no longer indicated and often require the use of large doses of anti-inflammatory drugs that cause damage to the stomach, liver, and kidneys. In addition, the inflammation most often becomes chronic, spreads to many organs and systems, and is difficult to treat (7). The immune system of patients is weakened and at the same time, there are often autoimmune disorders. Moreover, sometimes a person needs to restore disorders in the body caused not only by bacteria but also by the consequences of antibiotic therapy.
The main principles of treatment are:
- Restoration of immunity and regulation of the immune response
- Reducing inflammation in different organs (including nervous tissue)
- Detoxification depending on the severity of symptoms
- Rebalancing the microbiome
- Restoring normal cell functioning and metabolism
- Improving nutrition and restoring the deficiency of certain vitamins, minerals, and trace elements.
The holistic approach to treat Lyme disease
That is, a holistic approach and safe therapy aimed at restoring the body are needed. To this end, many biological medicine doctors recommend the following set of natural products: Zeostar®, Multi Em ferment®, Neotosil®, and Immuno-m®.
Zeostar® helps to detoxify the body, gently removing toxins, bacteria, heavy metals, and other harmful substances from the body. Zeostar® can boost gut health, prevent free-radical damage, and fight infections.
Neotosil® is suitable for all chronic diseases that are developed from inflammation and damages the gastrointestinal mucosa and are ideal for fighting autoimmune and neurological diseases.
Multi Em ferment® improves digestion and metabolism (contents nutrients, vitamins, minerals, etc.), restores normal microbiome, has a huge anti-inflammatory effect and gives support for the functioning of the immune system, helps to repair cells, and protects against different diseases.
And Immuno-m® can optimize the immune system to be able to recognize and fight viruses and bacteria, is able to selectively activate different axes of the immune system – Th1 or Th2 and is particularly advantageous in the treatment of different types of inflammation: acute, chronic inflammation, and autoimmune diseases. Immuno-m® has a complex effect on immunity, thanks to its unique composition, which corrects and optimizes the microbiome, immune system, and nervous system altogether.
This unique set of natural, safe, and effective products has practically no contraindications, it can be used in most patients, helps to fight post-borrelia complications, and makes it possible to quickly restore the body.
References
- https://mosquitonix.com/blogs/news/ticks-bite-famous-people-too-10-celebrities-living-with-lyme-disease
- Shor, Samuel et al. “Chronic Lyme Disease: An Evidence-Based Definition by the ILADS Working Group.” Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland) vol. 8,4 269. 16 Dec. 2019, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6963229/
- John O Meyerhoff, Russell W Steele, Gerald W Zaidman Lyme Disease. Updated: Jun 29, 2017 Medscape. Infectious Diseases Sections. Drugs & Diseases. Rheumatology (Chief Editor: Herbert S Diamond) https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/330178-overview
- Shapiro ED, Wormser GP. Lyme Disease in 2018: What Is New (and What Is Not). JAMA. 2018 Aug 21;320(7):635-636. [PubMed]
- Wormser GP, Dattwyler RJ, Shapiro ED, et al: The clinical assessment, treatment, and prevention of Lyme disease, human granulocytic anaplasmosis, and babesiosis: Clinical practice guidelines by the Infectious Diseases Society of America. Clin Infect Dis 43 (9):1089–1134, 2006.
- Yeung C, Baranchuk A. Systematic Approach to the Diagnosis and Treatment of Lyme Carditis and High-Degree Atrioventricular Block. Healthcare (Basel). 2018 Sep 22;6(4) [PMC free article]
- Patton SK, Phillips B. CE: Lyme Disease: Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention. Am J Nurs. 2018 Apr;118(4):38-45. [PubMed]
- Coyle P.K. Neurologic aspects of Lyme disease. Med. Clin. N. Am. 2002;86:261–284. doi: 10.1016/S0025-7125(03)00086-5. [PubMed]
- Bernard Q, Thakur M, Smith AA, Kitsou C, Yang X, Pal U. Borrelia burgdorferi protein interactions critical for microbial persistence in mammals. Cell Microbiol. 2019 Feb;21(2):e12885. [PubMed]
