Lyme disease and its various coinfections cause a host of different symptoms that are linked to the Borrelia infection and/or its coinfections. It's very important that patients receive the proper treatments and diagnosis by a specialized and qualified medical team. At Shea Medical, we are well-equipped with the correct in-depth diagnosis and comprehensive treatment plans to help our patients get well. Shea Medical Center is led by one of the country's top LLMD's, Dr. Charlie Schwengel.
Chronic Lyme disease complex is known as the "great imitator." It can mimic numerous chronic diseases because its symptoms often tend to involve multiple body systems at once. Because the symptoms are so widespread, a proper diagnosis takes an experienced and specialized doctor. Many conventional doctors will miss the diagnosis all together due to them not being well-informed on the subject of Lyme. Conversely, numerous integrative doctors don't possess the comprehensive treatments needed to help the patient reach a full recovery from Lyme. To further complicate matters, most patients are not aware of the full complexities of Lyme disease, all the coinfections involved, biofilm communities, heavy metal toxins, chemical toxins and neurotoxins leading to immune compromised states. Making the correct full-diagnosis involves a series of detailed tests with specialized parameters. When this is accomplished, the patient will receive a full picture of all steps involved in the healing process.
The full and proper diagnosis is really the first step to getting well. Below, you will see a long list of symptoms involved in Lyme disease complex, making it easy to see why most doctors and patients think it is a different condition, such as an autoimmune disease or some other chronic disease. In fact, most patients maintain several intracellular and intra-nervous system infections that include neurotoxins and other complications; this is what is defined as "chronic Lyme disease complex." Chronic Lyme disease complex cannot be successfully or completely treated with antibiotics alone, unless all coinfections and neurotoxins are removed. We will give an example to better illustrate what is present in our office clinically. For example, a patient may believe they have Lyme disease, and once they are tested for it, we may find that they have four or more coinfections, heavy metal toxins, as well as a decreased immune function with several nutritional deficiencies. That is a great example of what we refer to as the "chronic Lyme disease complex." Having the successful diagnosis is only the first step. The next step involves implementing the correct treatments in order to help the patient heal and that is what we do extremely well here at Shea Medical.
Here is a group of symptoms that are associated with the tick-borne infections and coinfections:
In the world of conventional medicine protocols, there is often lively debate regarding whether chronic Lyme disease complex is truly a bona fide disease in and of itself. Other doctors recognize that patients do indeed suffer with the Lyme disease symptoms associated with Borrelia, which is contracted through tick bites. Unfortunately, most care providers do not have knowledgeable LLMDs (Lyme Literate Medical Doctors) on staff who recognize the complexity, severity and difficulty that encompasses Lyme disease treatment. To elicit a better understanding, the following are among the most common infections that can play a role in Lyme disease. They are all potential contributors to chronic Lyme disease complex – a confluence of infections that may simultaneously include bacterial, viral, parasitic, and fungal co-infections that all necessitate specific Lyme disease treatment and protocol customization to aid patients in the longterm. Borrelia (B. burgdorferi) – The most recognized infection in Lyme disease which is often deemed to be the tick-borne variety. While it is a major contributor, Borrelia alone makes up but one of the numerous infections that stimulate Lyme disease and ostensibly makes treatment so difficult. Bartonella – Bartonellahenselae is the causative agent of the notorious cat-scratch fever, endocarditis and countless other serious diseases known to humans. These bacteria comprise one of Lyme disease complex's most irksome co-infections. The bacteria are transferred by fleas, body lice, and ticks – with ticks being the greatest source of human bartonellosis infection, often accompanied by Lyme disease. Sand flies transport the bacteria in Peru's Andes Mountains, Colombia and Ecuador while human body lice carriers are distributed throughout the world. The European sheep tick is a known carrier and five different species of Bartonella have been detected in nearly 20 percent of I. Pacificus ticks collected in California. Epstein-Barr (HHV-4) – This is a common human herpes virus that will infect virtually every individual on our planet at some juncture in their lifetime. It is indeed possible for EBV to lie dormant in the body throughout one's life span. Typically, the disease is transmitted via saliva and requires 30-45 days to present with symptoms – if it eventually does at all. During this cycle of time, the host is most likely to spread EBV to others. However, when these infections continue to manifest as seen in chronic fatigue patients it becomes essential to evaluate and test for chronic Lyme disease complex and its coinfections and immunity. Lyme disease treatment becomes a requirement as multiple infections can often awaken dormant insidious infections such as Epstein-Barr. Cytomegalovirus (CMV) – Approximately 80 percent of adults in these United States are infected with cytomegalovirus (CMV). It is considered a member of the herpes family and shares the common trait of remaining alive, yet dormant, in the human body for the ongoing lifespan of its human host. Rarely does CMV become active unless the immune system is compromised– as it can easily be (and most often is) with Lyme disease coinfections deteriorating the immune system. Babesiosis - Intraerythrocytic parasite Babesia microiti causes Babesiosis, an infection that resides inside red blood cells. It is transmitted by the identical tick that transmits B. burgdorferi, the causative agent of Lyme disease. Forty-one percent of patients stricken with Babesia develop serious complications which may include acute respiratory failure, disseminated intravascular coagulation, congestive heart or renal failure. Complex babesiosis is regularly associated with the presence of severe anemia and high parasitaemia levels. Chronic babesia has been known to trigger cardiovascular, kidney and liver problems in patients. Babesiosis is clearly a dangerous component of Lyme disease and must be tested for and if necessary, marginalized with a comprehensive Lyme disease treatment. Human Herpes Virus 6 – Lyme disease complex may also include human herpes virus 6. (HHV-6) has since become one of the most widespread members of human herpes viruses and presents in two related variants: HHV-6A and HHV-6B. HHV-6 is known to attack specific cells including, but not limited to, CD 4 lymphocytes, NKTs, oligodedrocytes, CD8 cells and microglial cells. This virus is immune suppressive and also activates other viruses during the process. While HHV-6 can remain latent for long periods of time, it can reactivate and produce infection quickly. A comprehensive Lyme disease treatment must be introduced to combat HHV-6 and other chronic Lyme disease complex infections. Ehrlichiosis – Ehrlichiosis is a serious Lyme disease coinfection disease caused by rickettsial-type (specific bacteria) organisms and presents in two specific forms; Human Monocytic Ehrlichiosis (HME) and Human Granulocytic Ehrlichiosis (HGE). In the majority of cases, Ehrlichiosis is self-limiting and not fatal, with death rates in large, unselected series ranging from 1 to 8 percent [3,6-8]. This contrasts sharply with the high death rate in patients who are immunocompromised. Definitively, however, Lyme disease patients are relegated to the dangerous "immunocompromised" category. That is why it is incumbent upon patients to receive an aggressive and comprehensive Lyme disease treatment plan. Chlamydia pneumonia – Chlamydophila pneumoniae (formerly known as Chlamydia pneumoniae or CP) are bacteria that infect humans and can trigger pneumonia. They are a type of chlamydia. Chlamydophila pneumoniae has a complex life cycle and must infect another cell in order to reproduce itself. The disease generally begins as a respiratory infection, appearing more or less unnoticed in the body and spreads to infect other tissues such as nerves, brain, muscles, blood vessels and even cells defending the body's own immune system, the macrophages. CP itself produces at least two toxic substances that initiate tissue destruction and inflammatory burden, as well as a chronic immune activation and invasion with a toxin load. CP survives in the cell much as a parasite taps energy in order to reproduce. Therapy, however, must be administered effectively until CP is destroyed in all three stages, thus voiding reinfection. It is a critical part of Lyme disease treatment in cases where CP is present. Candida - The most common organism implicated in fungal infections is the ubiquitous Candida, which is evidenced in the human digestive tract, mouth and genital region (Eggiman P et al 2003). Under normal circumstances, levels of candida are controlled by beneficial bacteria. However, if the bacteria-fungus balance is skewed, by the use of antibiotics for example, or if the immune system is compromised, an overgrowth of candida can occur, resulting in infection. As the immune system is always weakened by the presence of chronic Lyme disease – the presence of candida must be aggressively addressed in a comprehensive Lyme disease treatment. As comprehensive as the above maladies seem, it is equally important to point out that only 13% of infections that exist around the world have actually been identified. Among these are zoonotic infections (those emanating from animals) – making Lyme disease treatment among the most complex to approach. When we include the various chemical toxin, heavy metal burden and other infections not mentioned above it becomes extra difficult to treat. However, this why we are so successful we implemented all best therapies to help our patients successfully deal with chronic Lyme disease complex.
After successfully treating all infections, toxins and various connected medical issues, we put you on a customized home care program to make sure you stay well. One of the common problems seen with chronic Lyme disease complex is that people can improve, but then later fall back to not feeling well or experience the return of some of their past symptoms. When working with our patients, it is vital to maintain strong immunity, diet, nutrition and constantly reinforce health with each patient. As these diseases are linked to immune-compromised states, we continue to maintain excellent immune health, and emotional health for our patients in order to experience the transformation to optimal health. To learn more about your treatment options with Shea Medical contact us today.
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