Lyme disease is one of the most common inflammatory diseases. Have you ever heard of Lyme disease? Do you know what are the symptoms and the causes of Lyme disease and how can you live with it?
In this article you will find out whether you can live with this disease or there is no an adequate treatment for it.
What Is Lyme Disease?
As we have already said, it is an inflammatory disease which is very common in Europe, Asia and North America. The main cause of Lyme disease is the bacterium called borrelia burgdorferi.
The ticks that are infected with this bacterium can spread Lyme disease among both animals and people. If the infected tick bites you, you will also become infected by this inflammatory disease. There are also many co-infections caused by other bacteria that can be transmitted to humans and animals. These co-infections can even worsen the Lyme disease.
The first signs of Lyme disease are headaches, fever, arthritis pain, neurological disorders and cardiovascular problems. Many patients experience irregular heartbeat, fatigue and also sleep problems. Studies have shown that most people with Lyme disease also have a rash that is similar to bulls-eye. Other symptoms that may appear in patients with Lyme disease are nausea, abdominal pain, night sweat and sore throat.
Can Lyme Disease Cause Death?
Well, Lyme disease needs to be treated correctly. It is best to start the treatment in early stages of the disease because in such case Lyme disease can be cured within a few weeks.
But, if you don’t treat it in time, the consequences can be fatal. If it is not treated properly or if it is not treated at all, Lyme disease can spread to the heart, joints and also to brain. In some cases a patient can get chronic Lyme disease or neurological Lyme disease, which may lead to death. Studies have shown that many people die from Lyme disease every year.
As we have already mentioned, it is possible to get some co-infections if you already have Lyme disease, which can make your condition worse. In this case the treatment of Lyme disease will be even more difficult. It may happen that Lyme bacteria enter healthy cells in our bodies and this way the immune system is not able to detect them. After entering the blood stream, bacteria will easily spread to our nerves and brain, which can be fatal.
How Can You Live With Lime Disease?
If you have Lyme disease, you need to seek medical help. Your health provider will certainly prescribe you antibiotics and oral medications, but in some cases it will be necessary to stay in the hospital. However, if you discover that you have Lyme disease, you should not give up immediately. You should learn to live with such disease.
Sun Sensitivity. Patients with Lyme disease are very sensitive to sun. Because of that, you should not be exposed to sun during the day. If you cannot avoid the sun, you must use an adequate protection. You can wear long pants and shirts with long sleeves.
Of course, it is necessary to wear hat and sunglasses when you are exposed to sun. Also, if you take antibiotics doxycycline, you should not use any sunscreen, because it can lead to serious sunburns in combination with these antibiotics.
Probiotics. If the doctor has prescribed you antibiotics, you should also take probiotics about 2 or 3 hours after taking antibiotics. It is known that antibiotics will kill both bad and good bacteria in your intestines, so you need to consume probiotics in order to maintain a balance in your gut.
If there are no bacteria in your gut, it can lead to some infections that may be fatal. Because of that, it is recommended to use probiotics one month after your antibiotic treatment.
Blood Tests. As you probably know, it is necessary to use very strong medications in order to kill Lyme bacteria. Sometimes these medications can even produce some neurotoxins that may be fatal for our brain and other vital organs in our bodies.
Because of that, it is recommended to do blood tests regularly. This way you will keep your blood cells in check and you will also control your liver and kidney functions. Blood tests are the best way to avoid any side effects of the Lyme disease treatment.
Immune System. Strong immune system is the most important during the treatment of Lyme disease. This will make the treatment more effective. If your immune system is weak, you are more likely to pick up infections from other people, which may be fatal for you.
Because of that, it is necessary to avoid people who are sick. It means that these people should wear surgical masks if they are around you and they should also wash their hands before they touch you. It also refers to nurses and doctors around you.
Also, it is necessary to sanitize some objects around you because bacteria can survive on them and you can become infected more and more. If your immune system is not strong enough, you are more likely to get infected. Most important is to take precautions and to make your immune system stronger.
Healthy Diet. The first step for making your immune system stronger is changing your diet. Actually, you should consume fish, flax oil and other foods that are known as anti-inflammatory. Your diet should also consist of vegetables, fruits and high quality proteins.
This way you will provide your body with all necessary nutrients and your immune system will be much stronger. It is necessary to avoid sugar because sugary foods will suppress your immune system and you may easily get infected.
Support. There are many people who live with Lyme disease. A lot of them may feel isolated and depressed. In most cases these people lose self-confidence, which can lead to losing their jobs and relationships as well. It is known that all Lyme disease patients need support.
They need to have contacts with other people who are diagnosed with the same disease. It is the best way to learn how to live with such condition. Today there are many support groups for this and similar diseases everywhere, but you can also find these groups online. This way you will not feel lonely because you will share your experience with other people.
Is It Possible To Prevent Lyme Disease?
Now when you have seen what Lyme disease is and how you can treat it, there is a question if it is possible to prevent this inflammatory disease. Well, the answer may be yes. You can take some precautions in order to prevent this infection to happen.
Now when you now that ticks spread this diseases, it is necessary to take extra precaution when you are in a high grass area, thick vegetation area or in a wood. Actually, you should avoid being in such areas. If you are a hiker, you should always walk through the center of the trail. It is also recommended to use repellents on your skin that is exposed to ticks.
When you are taking a bath look carefully on your body and try to notice if there are ticks on your body. If you notice any tick on your body, you should remove it using tweezers.
Not only should you take care of yourself, but you should also treat your pets with products that will destroy the ticks. In fact, there are special treatments for Lyme disease in dogs and other pets.
Summary
As you have seen in this article, Lyme disease is a serious inflammatory disease that can even lead to death if not treated properly. The infection is transmitted by ticks and it can get worse if your immune system is weak. If you notice any of the symptoms that we have mentioned above, you should visit your health provider. If you discover Lyme disease in its early stages, it can be treated successfully. People with Lyme disease must learn to live with this condition. They need to change their lifestyles and to take the prescribed medications.
As we have already said, there are some precautions that you can take in order to prevent this infection to happen. If you already have Lyme disease, try to stay optimistic and learn how to live with it. We hope this article has been useful for you and we are sure that you will take more care of your health.
