Lyme disease has been in the news lately. The warmer-than-usual temperatures early this spring have resulted in a proliferation of black ticks, the bearers of Lyme disease, throughout the eastern United States, as well as in eastern Canada.

The disease is caused by the bacteria Borrelia Burgdorferi, which are carried by blacklegged tics. The ticks pick up the bacteria when they bite deer or mice that are infected with Lyme disease. The ticks are carriers of the disease into the human and domestic pet population. Lyme disease was first “discovered” in Connecticut in the late 1970s. Although for decades incidents of the disease seemed to concentrate in the northeast US, Lyme disease is now well established and flourishing in many parts of Canada.

Lyme disease should be understood in the three stages of its manifestation. Early localized Lyme disease begins days or weeks after infection. There is often, but not always, a “bull’s eye rash” – a flat, red, slightly raised patch at the site of the tick bite, often with a clear centre.

Early stage symptoms can look like flu with chills, fever, itching, headache, muscle ache, stiff neck, and generally feeling unwell. Conventional treatment of Lyme disease in the early stage is typically a 10- to 28-day course of antibiotics. As with many infections, this approach works for some sufferers, while others may experience either side effects from the medication or later stage complications.

The alternative approach to treating early stage Lyme disease includes a combination of homeopathic protocols, herbal and/or Ayurvedic medicines, organ support supplements, dietary optimization, and vitamin and mineral support. This approach is likely to prevent the onset of late stage complications and is best managed by a “Lyme-literate” health practitioner.

Lyme disease has been notoriously difficult to diagnose, especially here in Canada where doctors have not seen many cases (until recently). Left untreated, early stage Lyme disease can spread to the brain, heart, joints, and central nervous system, causing symptoms of paralysis and weakness (especially in the muscles of the face), pain and swelling in the large joints, and heart problems such as palpitations and irregular heartbeat. These are symptoms of the second stage of this disease.

Late disseminated Lyme disease, also known as post-Lyme disease syndrome, is the third stage of the disease, and can occur months or even years after the initial infection. This involves more severe Central Nervous System symptoms which may include numbness, decreased ability to concentrate, memory disorders, sleep disorders, vision problems, paralysis of the facial muscles, and nerve damage among many other possible symptoms. Other symptoms include chronic muscle and joint pain and inflammation (so-called Lyme arthritis), and heart problems.

An integrated alternative treatment protocol should be considered for late stage Lyme disease. Homeopathy can be excellent for treating chronic diseases, including Lyme disease. As mentioned above, homeopathy would ideally be combined with other supplements and natural medicines such as Pycnogenol (a powerful antioxidant from French maritime pine bark extract), Allicin (the active agent in garlic), vitamin therapy (especially B complex and higher dose C), Colloidal Silver and Aloe Vera, herbal medicines and organ support remedies, under the advice of a qualified health practitioner.

Staying safe this summer

Take precautions to minimize the risk of being bitten by ticks:

• Black ticks are mostly found in densely wooded areas.
• If possible, wear long pants with the legs tucked in when walking in the woods – avoid sandals in wooded areas.
• Use insect repellents with natural ingredients such as lemon eucalyptus, catnip and citronella. While repellents containing DEET are most effective, it is important to remember the potential harm associated with DEET and to consider restricting its use to high risk situations.
• Carefully inspect yourself, your clothing, and your pets for ticks after being outside. The ticks can be quite small – so look carefully.

If you find a tick:

• Carefully remove it using a tweezer. Grasp the tick’s head and mouth as close to the skin as possible and pull slowly. Do not twist or rotate the tick and try not to squish or crush the tick while removing it.
• After removing, wash the area and dress with Ledum tincture.
• Ticks removed within a few hours of contact are unlikely to cause any problems with Lyme disease. Generally, ticks need 24 hours of contact to pass disease on to humans.

Homeoprophylaxis

Homeoprophylaxis is the use of homeopathically prepared disease material (nosode) as disease prevention. In my practice, I have already been prescribing the nosode Lyme Borrelia for patients concerned about increased tick populations in their environment (and I will be treating myself and my family, including my dog, with nosode remedies as a prophylactic against Lyme disease before and during our summer holiday in the eastern US).

While there is no evidence of the effectiveness of using the Lyme nosode as a homeoprophylactic against Lyme disease, my clinical experience with other nosodes in similar situations suggests this is a worthwhile approach to try.

Most homeopathic remedies are readily available, but some of the nosode remedies are only available through a practitioner. You need to contact a homeopath experienced in this kind of prescribing to obtain remedies and dosage information for Lyme Disease homeoprophylaxis.

Beth Landau-Halpern is a Toronto-based homeopath who trained in homeopathy in London UK, after a first career as a dancer. She loves the deep connection she feels with the clients she works with and knows that listening well is a necessary aspect of healing.  Beth treats patients of all ages and sizes, for all sorts of disorders, but has a special interest in treating children with ADHD and Autism. She is currently training as a CEASE therapist – one of only a few Canadian homeopaths certified in this effective homeopathic approach to treating autism.  In addition to private practice, Beth teaches classes in homeopathy geared towards family health and wellness.  For more information, visit Beth at her websites: http://blh-homeopath.com and http://adhdhomeopath.com.