{"id":18268,"date":"2015-11-11T15:02:10","date_gmt":"2015-11-11T20:02:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.glensfalls.com\/glensfallsbusinessjournal\/2015\/11\/business-report-handling-troublesome-lyme-disease.html"},"modified":"2017-11-08T11:03:23","modified_gmt":"2017-11-08T16:03:23","slug":"business-report-handling-troublesome-lyme-disease","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.glensfalls.com\/glensfallsbusinessjournal\/2015\/11\/business-report-handling-troublesome-lyme-disease\/","title":{"rendered":"Business Report: Handling Troublesome Lyme Disease"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\n\"wellness\n<\/div>\n
\n

Dr. Diane MacDonnell is board certified in integrative and holistic medicine.\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

BY DIANE MACDONNELL AND JACQUELINE MCMURRY<\/p>\n

Lyme disease, the most common American
\ntick borne infectious disease, is one of the most
\ntroublesome conditions challenging patients and
\ntheir physicians today. It is estimated that up to
\n300,000 new cases per year of Lyme disease are
\nreported to the Centers for Disease Control and
\nPrevention (CDC).<\/p>\n

This does not include non-reported or undiagnosed
\ncases and it does not include infection
\nwith other tick-borne diseases such as babesiosis,
\nehrlichia, anaplasmosis or bartonella.<\/p>\n

Lyme disease is caused by the bite of an infected
\ndeer tick, although 50 percent of people
\nwith documented Lyme do not recall having
\nbeen bitten and not all of those infected display
\nthe classical bulls-eye rash associated with Lyme.
\nTo complicate the diagnosis even further, the
\nconventional testing for Lyme disease–a combination
\nof the ELISA and Western Blot tests–may
\nmiss up to 60 percent of early stage Lyme since it
\ncan take weeks for the body to develop measurable
\nantibodies against the infection.<\/p>\n

What makes Lyme disease so difficult to detect
\nis not only the inaccuracy of the conventional
\ntests but the fact that its symptoms –headache,
\nfevers, joint pain, brain fog, fatigue–are often
\nnon-specific and can mimic many other illnesses
\nsuch as flu, fibromyalgia and other inflammatory
\nconditions. Unfortunately the borrellia
\nbacterium, the causative agent of Lyme disease,
\ncan meanwhile multiply undetected in the body
\ncausing severe inflammation and compromise to
\nthe immune system.
\nWhat makes Lyme disease so difficult to detect<\/p>\n

\n
\n\"wellness\n<\/div>\n
\n

Jacqueline McMurry is a board certified physician assistant.\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

is not only the inaccuracy of the conventional
\ntests but the fact that its symptoms –headache,
\nfevers, joint pain, brain fog, fatigue–are often
\nnon-specific and can mimic many other illnesses
\nsuch as flu, fibromyalgia and other inflammatory
\nconditions. Unfortunately the borrellia
\nbacterium, the causative agent of Lyme disease,
\ncan meanwhile multiply undetected in the body
\ncausing severe inflammation and compromise to
\nthe immune system.<\/p>\n

Even with antibiotic treatment there is
\nevidence that the borrelia organism may hide in
\nthe body during treatment and reemerge when
\ntreatment is completed. A person struggling with
\nLyme disease undergoes a continual assault on
\ntheir immune system. There is evidence that immune
\ncells (T and B lymphocytes) from patients
\nwith chronic Lyme disease are often reactive not
\nonly against borrelia or other tick borne disease
\nantigens but also against various host (self) tissue.<\/p>\n

Thus, it seems that Lyme disease gradually
\ntransitions from an infectious disease to an autoimmune
\ndisease. That is, the body now mistakes
\nself for non-self and as in other autoimmune illness
\nsuch as thyroid disease, Lupus, rheumatoid
\narthritis and multiple sclerosis, our own cells
\ncome under attack from the “friendly fire” of our
\nown immune system.<\/p>\n

This has led many clinicians to make a distinction
\nbetween acute, classic Lyme disease and
\n“Lyme Syndrome” – a multi-system, inflammatory,
\nimpaired immune and repair system.<\/p>\n

Antibiotics are the preferred treatment for
\nmost practitioners working with Lyme disease
\nand this is appropriate and necessary. However
\nwithout improved immune defense and repair
\nfunctions, the remissions obtained with antibiotics
\nalone may be temporary. Doctors specializing
\nin Lyme disease often use extensive, varied and
\ncomplicated courses of antibiotics in attempts
\nto eradicate the Lyme organism in all its forms
\nand hiding places in the body. These methods
\nmeet with varying success and unfortunately
\nsubject the body to the toxic effects of powerful
\nantibiotics.<\/p>\n

What to do? If you believe you may have Lyme
\ndisease, by all means request testing for Lyme
\nand other tick-borne diseases from your doctor.
\nIt is important to request both the ELISA and
\nWestern Blot tests, as this improves the likelihood
\nthat the organism will be detected. Keep
\nin mind that a negative test does not necessarily
\nmean that you do not have the disease because,
\nas mentioned, the testing can be unreliable. Labs,
\nsuch as IgeneX, specializing in Lyme testing, offer
\na more detailed analysis of strains of Borrelia to
\nwhich you may have been exposed.<\/p>\n

In addition to appropriate antibiotic treatment
\nit becomes critical to unburden the immune
\nsystem so that it can function optimally. A wholesystem
\napproach to healing with careful attention
\nto nutrition, identification of food sensitivities or
\nallergies, reducing exposure to environmental
\ntoxins, molds and metals, improving sleep quality,
\nattention to stress and mind\/body issues
\nand judicious use of supplements can allow the
\nimmune system to begin to recover and the body
\nto move toward balance.<\/p>\n

As overall health improves, people become less
\nhospitable to the organism that triggers Lyme
\ndisease. The immune system thus becomes better
\nable to eliminate all invading organisms and do a
\nbetter job of distinguishing self from non-self. This
\napproach reflects a shift that is occurring among
\nsome researchers and clinicians who believe that
\nonce we are infected with the Lyme disease organism
\nit remains in our system, much like chicken pox
\nthat can erupt as shingles, or the herpes virus that
\ncan produce a cold sore.<\/p>\n

Once infected with these organisms they lie
\ndormant until the immune system is weakened
\nby another condition, frequently stress or another
\nillness.<\/p>\n

The healing process in Lyme as in any other
\nserious illness can be frustrating and may at times
\nseem unattainable, but with the right information
\nand treatment it is possible. Recovery from Lyme
\ndisease can be achieved, particularly when it is
\ndiagnosed early, and when measures are taken to
\nsupport a healthy immune system.<\/p>\n

MacDonnell, M.D., and McMurry, RPAc., offer
\nindividualized, integrative approach to wellness at
\nNorth Country Holistic Care Center in Glens Falls.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Dr. Diane MacDonnell is board certified in integrative and holistic medicine. BY DIANE MACDONNELL AND JACQUELINE MCMURRY Lyme disease, the most common American tick borne infectious disease, is one of the most troublesome conditions challenging patients and their physicians…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":86,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[67],"yoast_head":"\r\nBusiness Report: Handling Troublesome Lyme Disease - Glens Falls Business Journal<\/title>\r\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\r\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.glensfalls.com\/glensfallsbusinessjournal\/2015\/11\/business-report-handling-troublesome-lyme-disease\/\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Business Report: Handling Troublesome Lyme Disease - Glens Falls Business Journal\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Dr. Diane MacDonnell is board certified in integrative and holistic medicine. 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