Lyme Disease A Complex Diagnosis Patients Need To Know
Lyme disease is second only to AIDS among the fastest-growing infectious diseases in the United States. And when one considers that some estimates show that the prevalence of Lyme cases might actually be 15 times higher than figures indicate, the severity of the Lyme disease's impact on the Nation becomes clearer.
Both Prevalent and Underreported?
The tiny ticks that spread causing bacteria inject a numbing agent to before their bite, so most never recall being bitten. With most attention given to in the Northwest, physician competency and awareness outside that area can often be largely insufficient. Unfortunately, is not limited to the Northeast as cases of chronic Complex and its co-infections have been reported in all 50 states and Canada.
On the Transmission of
Although deer ticks are most often associated with transmittal, lone star ticks, western black-legged ticks, and wood ticks (or dog ticks) can spread the disease as well. Treating physicians may not recognize these other carriers and as a result, fail to correctly diagnose and report the disease. It is important to work with LLMD (Lyme Literate Doctors) that are trained and knowledgeable about diagnosing and treating the disease.
is Often Misdiagnosed
Lyme disease is often ignored or misunderstood because it portends symptoms similar to those of Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, MS, ALS, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's, as well as more than some 350 different diseases. With such a baffling symptomology, it is no wonder that Lyme is among the world's most often misdiagnosed diseases.
The characteristic "bull's eye" rash (erythema migrans) typically associated with Lyme disease only appears in an estimated 50% of infected individuals, or it may appear in a different form entirely, making that methodology of identification flawed. 70 percent of all patients who do present with Lyme disease complex never recall such a rash - and if and when it does appear it rarely lasts more than a few weeks.
Lyme disease has a complex pathogenesis and is a multisystem disease, and its clinical presentation can often be described as subtle and complex. This often leaves some gray area for its diagnosis to be based upon history, symptoms, response to therapy, and other clinical information.
What many do not realize is that the ticks responsible for transmitting the bacteria that causes Lyme disease also carry other harmful pathogens that can cause co-infection - serving to interfere with the clinical diagnosis. Such co-infections can adversely influence patients' immune systems and alter both the characteristics of the disease and the severity of infection. As a result, misdiagnosis often occurs leaving patients to receive improper treatments.
Insufficient Lyme Disease Testing and Diagnosis Means Complications
A lack of adequate testing is a major contributor to additional health complications for Lyme patients. There is no standard test within the medical field that indicates a positive condition - rather, most are geared to focus on the disease's early stage markers.
Despite the fact that there are more than 300 strains of Borrelia worldwide (100 in North America alone) current tests at most laboratories are based on only one strain of Borrelia burgdorferi. Other species of Borrelia are ignored mainly because the laboratories have difficulty isolating and identifying them. This difficulty contributes to researchers' inability to study and understand the bacteria's pathogenesis.
Testing Limitations Confound Lyme Disease Detection
Due to pronounced testing limitations, patients have a high probability of receiving false negative test results. And because most tests measure antibodies to Borrelia burgdorferi - not the organism itself - patients sometimes test positive even if the organism are no longer present. The difficulty in diagnosing Lyme disease is made even more challenging when you consider that the possible number of symptoms totals around 100.
Receive the World's Best Care for Lyme Disease
Proper treatment of Lyme disease is requisite to avoid long-term complications. Those who go untreated or are treated improperly can face a lifetime of debilitating symptoms.
Envita Medical Centers of America has been treating and studying Lyme disease for nearly a decade. As an important part of our Disease Solutions Program®, we work with a number of specialized laboratories that test exclusively for Lyme disease and its co-infections. Such specialized testing ensures that patients receive the most accurate diagnosis available. Our team of physicians offers the credentials, experience, and expertise in identifying and recognizing Lyme disease's clinical indicators.
Both Prevalent and Underreported?
The tiny ticks that spread causing bacteria inject a numbing agent to before their bite, so most never recall being bitten. With most attention given to in the Northwest, physician competency and awareness outside that area can often be largely insufficient. Unfortunately, is not limited to the Northeast as cases of chronic Complex and its co-infections have been reported in all 50 states and Canada.
On the Transmission of
Although deer ticks are most often associated with transmittal, lone star ticks, western black-legged ticks, and wood ticks (or dog ticks) can spread the disease as well. Treating physicians may not recognize these other carriers and as a result, fail to correctly diagnose and report the disease. It is important to work with LLMD (Lyme Literate Doctors) that are trained and knowledgeable about diagnosing and treating the disease.
is Often Misdiagnosed
Lyme disease is often ignored or misunderstood because it portends symptoms similar to those of Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, MS, ALS, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's, as well as more than some 350 different diseases. With such a baffling symptomology, it is no wonder that Lyme is among the world's most often misdiagnosed diseases.
The characteristic "bull's eye" rash (erythema migrans) typically associated with Lyme disease only appears in an estimated 50% of infected individuals, or it may appear in a different form entirely, making that methodology of identification flawed. 70 percent of all patients who do present with Lyme disease complex never recall such a rash - and if and when it does appear it rarely lasts more than a few weeks.
Lyme disease has a complex pathogenesis and is a multisystem disease, and its clinical presentation can often be described as subtle and complex. This often leaves some gray area for its diagnosis to be based upon history, symptoms, response to therapy, and other clinical information.
What many do not realize is that the ticks responsible for transmitting the bacteria that causes Lyme disease also carry other harmful pathogens that can cause co-infection - serving to interfere with the clinical diagnosis. Such co-infections can adversely influence patients' immune systems and alter both the characteristics of the disease and the severity of infection. As a result, misdiagnosis often occurs leaving patients to receive improper treatments.
Insufficient Lyme Disease Testing and Diagnosis Means Complications
A lack of adequate testing is a major contributor to additional health complications for Lyme patients. There is no standard test within the medical field that indicates a positive condition - rather, most are geared to focus on the disease's early stage markers.
Despite the fact that there are more than 300 strains of Borrelia worldwide (100 in North America alone) current tests at most laboratories are based on only one strain of Borrelia burgdorferi. Other species of Borrelia are ignored mainly because the laboratories have difficulty isolating and identifying them. This difficulty contributes to researchers' inability to study and understand the bacteria's pathogenesis.
Testing Limitations Confound Lyme Disease Detection
Due to pronounced testing limitations, patients have a high probability of receiving false negative test results. And because most tests measure antibodies to Borrelia burgdorferi - not the organism itself - patients sometimes test positive even if the organism are no longer present. The difficulty in diagnosing Lyme disease is made even more challenging when you consider that the possible number of symptoms totals around 100.
Receive the World's Best Care for Lyme Disease
Proper treatment of Lyme disease is requisite to avoid long-term complications. Those who go untreated or are treated improperly can face a lifetime of debilitating symptoms.
Envita Medical Centers of America has been treating and studying Lyme disease for nearly a decade. As an important part of our Disease Solutions Program®, we work with a number of specialized laboratories that test exclusively for Lyme disease and its co-infections. Such specialized testing ensures that patients receive the most accurate diagnosis available. Our team of physicians offers the credentials, experience, and expertise in identifying and recognizing Lyme disease's clinical indicators.
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