Dwelling and Loving With Persistent Lyme Illness

Podcast: Play in new window | Obtain | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Pandora | iHeartRadio | E mail | RSS

On this episode of the Gross sales Gravy Podcast, we’re switching issues as much as tackle a vital subject— Persistent Lyme Illness.

Jeb Blount (Gross sales Gravy) and Fred Diamond, co-founder of the Institute for Excellence in Gross sales (IES) talk about Fred’s newest guide, Love, Hope, Lyme and his private journey supporting a liked one with Persistent Lyme Illness.

You’ll study what Lyme Illness is, the devastating results that Persistent Lyme Illness has on lots of of 1000’s of individuals every year, why prevention is vital, and how one can help anybody in your life who’s battling a persistent sickness.

Dwelling With Somebody Who Has Persistent Lyme Illness

Dwelling with a liked one who has Persistent Lyme Illness may be emotionally and mentally difficult, because the situation may cause a variety of signs that may have an effect on the individual’s bodily, emotional, and psychological well-being. Your beloved might expertise melancholy, anxiousness, and irritability because of their situation.

Fred discusses how necessary it’s to be supportive, persistence, and understanding. He explains that everybody’s expertise with Persistent Lyme Illness is totally different, so it’s necessary to be versatile and open to totally different approaches to therapy and care.

One of the vital troublesome points of residing with somebody who has Persistent Lyme Illness is coping with the individual’s ongoing fatigue and ache. These signs could make it troublesome for the individual to carry out each day duties and may also have an effect on their temper and talent to socialize.

However, as Fred says, the place there may be love, there may be hope.

What’s Lyme Illness

Lyme illness is an infectious illness brought on by a micro organism referred to as Borrelia burgdorferi. It’s primarily unfold by way of the chunk of contaminated black-legged ticks, also referred to as deer ticks. The black-legged tick is present in wooded, brushy, and grassy areas, and when it bites, it might transmit the micro organism to the individual.

The commonest early signs of Lyme illness embody fever, fatigue, headache, muscle and joint ache, and a bull’s-eye rash. The rash, referred to as erythema migraines (EM), often seems on the web site of the tick chunk and may broaden to change into a big purple space.

Persistent Lyme Illness

Persistent Lyme illness, also referred to as post-treatment Lyme illness syndrome (PTLDS), is a situation that may happen after an individual has been handled for an preliminary an infection with the micro organism that causes Lyme illness.

Individuals with PTLDS might proceed to expertise signs, equivalent to fatigue, ache, and cognitive difficulties, lengthy after the micro organism have been cleared from their physique. Fred explains that that is why it’s troublesome and irritating for people who find themselves residing with Persistent Lyme illness to get physicians and family members to imagine them.

The reason for PTLDS isn’t absolutely understood, however it’s thought that it could be associated to ongoing irritation or harm to tissues brought on by the preliminary an infection. Some researchers additionally imagine that the micro organism might persist within the physique, regardless of therapy, and proceed to trigger signs.

Lyme Illness Signs

The signs of Lyme illness can fluctuate broadly and could also be totally different for every individual. The commonest signs embody:

1. Erythema migrans (EM) rash: A bull’s-eye rash that seems on the web site of the tick chunk, often inside 3 to 30 days after the tick chunk. The rash can broaden to change into a big purple space and will or is probably not itchy or painful.
2. Flu-like signs: fever, chills, fatigue, headache, muscle and joint aches, and swollen lymph nodes.
3. Neurological signs: problem concentrating, reminiscence issues, and complications. Some folks might also expertise facial palsy, which is a short lived weak spot or drooping of the facial muscle tissue.
4. Cardiovascular signs: irregular heartbeats, or chest ache.
5. Arthritis: joint ache and swelling, particularly within the knees.
6. Bell’s palsy: It’s a sudden weak spot or paralysis of the muscle tissue on one aspect of the face.

Signs of Lyme illness can seem in levels. Early signs often seem inside days to weeks after a tick chunk.

Nevertheless, if left untreated, the an infection can change into persistent Lyme illness. It could actually unfold to different elements of the physique and trigger extra critical signs equivalent to neurological issues, coronary heart issues, and joint irritation.

Because of this it is very important search medical consideration instantly in case you suspect you may have been bitten by a tick and expertise signs of Lyme illness.

Signs of Persistent Lyme Illness may be much like these of early Lyme illness, however they might additionally embody:

• Fatigue
• Muscle and joint ache
• Cognitive difficulties (equivalent to reminiscence issues and problem concentrating)
• Sleep disturbances
• Despair
• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Complications

You will need to notice that, prognosis of PTLDS may be troublesome, as there isn’t a particular take a look at for the situation, and signs are sometimes non-specific. Resulting from lack of particular diagnostic standards, therapy for PTLDS can also be not properly outlined, usually ends in misdiagnose, and may be controversial.

Treating Lyme Illness

Most often, Lyme illness is handled with antibiotics, equivalent to doxycycline or amoxicillin, and signs often enhance inside a number of weeks. Nevertheless, if left untreated, the an infection can unfold to different elements of the physique and trigger extra critical signs equivalent to neurological issues, coronary heart issues, and joint irritation.

Remedy for Persistent Lyme Illness sometimes entails symptom administration and will embody drugs to cut back ache and irritation, and bodily remedy to assist handle joint ache. Some folks might also profit from cognitive behavioral remedy or counseling to assist deal with the emotional and psychological results of the situation.

The right way to Shield Your self from Tick Bites

There are a number of steps you may take to keep away from tick bites and cut back your danger of contracting Lyme illness:

1. Put on protecting clothes: When spending time in wooded or grassy areas, put on lengthy sleeves and pants to cowl your pores and skin. Mild-colored clothes makes it simpler to identify ticks. Tuck pants in boots and shirts in pants to create obstacles.
2. Use tick repellent: There are various tick repellents accessible, together with sprays, lotions, and permethrin-treated clothes.
3. Test your physique for ticks: After spending time in tick-infested areas, totally examine your physique for ticks, paying shut consideration to the areas round your waist, armpits, and scalp.
4. Hold ticks out of your yard: Hold your garden trimmed and preserve a wooden chip or gravel barrier between lawns and wooded areas.
5. Keep away from wooded and brushy areas with excessive grass, and stroll within the middle of trails to keep away from contact with overgrown grass and bushes.
6. Hold pets protected: Pets can convey ticks into your house, so make sure to hold them protected with tick repellents and by usually checking them for ticks.
7. Know the signs of Lyme illness and search medical consideration instantly in case you suspect you may have been bitten by a tick and expertise signs equivalent to fever, fatigue, headache, muscle and joint ache, and a bull’s-eye rash.

You will need to notice that, even in case you take all of the precautions, you should still get a tick chunk. Subsequently, it is very important examine your physique usually for ticks, particularly after spending time in tick-infested areas.

What to Do If You’ve Been Bitten By a Tick

In case you have been bitten by a tick, it’s necessary to take the next steps to cut back your danger of contracting Lyme illness or different tick-borne diseases:

1. Take away the tick as quickly as doable: Use fine-tipped tweezers to know the tick as near the pores and skin as doable, and pull it straight out. Don’t twist or crush the tick, as this will trigger the tick to launch extra micro organism into your pores and skin.
2. Clear the chunk space: After eradicating the tick, clear the chunk space with cleaning soap and water, and apply an antiseptic to the world to forestall an infection.
3. Save the tick: Put the tick in a small container with a moistened cotton ball, and retailer it within the fridge or freezer. This may be useful for figuring out the tick species and for testing for tick-borne illnesses.
4. Look ahead to signs: Signs of Lyme illness sometimes seem inside 3 to 30 days of a tick chunk and embody fever, fatigue, headache, muscle and joint ache, and a bull’s-eye rash. In case you expertise any of those signs, contact your healthcare supplier.
5. Take preventative measures: Use tick repellent and put on protecting clothes to cut back your danger of tick bites.
6. Notify your physician: Inform your physician that you’ve got been bitten by a tick they usually might monitor you for the signs of Lyme illness or different tick-borne diseases. They could additionally advise you to take antibiotics as a prophylactic therapy to forestall the illness.

It’s necessary to notice that not all ticks carry Lyme illness and never all tick bites lead to an infection. However when you have been bitten by a tick and you’ve got signs of Lyme illness, it is very important search medical consideration straight away as a result of, untreated, it might change into Persistent Lyme Illness.