Lyme Disease 101
With summer in full swing, we wanted to share an important reminder about Lyme disease. Maryland has the eighth-highest number of Lyme cases in the country. Patients dealing with the symptoms of Lyme Disease are near and dear to our hearts at Four Green Fields. Co-founders Julie and Beth first learned about the benefits of medical cannabis from their friends who used it to alleviate symptoms of Lyme Disease.
Lyme disease is the most common vector-borne disease in the United States. Lyme disease is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi and rarely, Borrelia mayonii. It is transmitted to humans through the bite of infected blacklegged ticks. Typical symptoms include fever, headache, fatigue, and a characteristic skin rash called erythema migrans. If left untreated, infection can spread to joints, the heart, and the nervous system.
While spending time outdoors is beneficial for us in so many ways, it’s also the place you’re most likely to get a tick bite. Ticks live in wooded, grassy areas and they are most active in the summer months. However, tick bites can happen at any time of the year. Using insect repellent and removing ticks promptly can help reduce your risk of Lyme disease.
Education regarding prevention is the best line line of defense. The CDC recommends treating your clothing, shoes, and camping gear with permethrin. You can apply a bug repellent that's registered by the Environmental Protection Agency and should avoid wooded or bushy areas with high grass and leaves.
Watch this video for tips on avoiding tick bites, recognizing the symptoms of Lyme disease, and treating the disease if you or your dog has it. To learn more, read the FDA Consumer Update article: https://bit.ly/3fMFgYc.
Additionally, you should always check clothing and animals when going back indoors and you should shower soon thereafter. Ticks are known to be found under the arms, in and around the ears, in the belly button, groin area, back of the knees, and even around the hair.
If you find a tick on your body, remove it immediately using fine-tipped tweezers. Make sure to pull straight up with steady, even pressure to ensure part of the tick doesn't break off in the skin. If a tick is attached to your skin for less than 24 hours, your chance of getting Lyme disease is quite small.
Once it's out, clean the bite area with rubbing alcohol or soap and water. Bag the tick and keep it in the freezer for the next week or so as you stay alert for possible signs and symptoms to surface. If you develop a rash or fever within several weeks of removing a tick, see your doctor.
The effects of Lyme can manifest initially as flu-like symptoms including headache, fever, and fatigue accompanied by a bulls-eye rash called erythema migrans. An untreated infection can move to the joints, the heart, and the nervous system.
Early Symptoms of Lyme Disease
A red rash called erythema migrans (EM)
Fever
Chills
Headache
Fatigue
Muscle and joint aches
Swollen lymph nodes
Symptoms of Untreated Lyme Disease
Severe headaches and neck stiffness
Additional EM rashes on other areas of your body
Facial palsy
Arthritis with severe joint pain and swelling
Heart palpitations
An irregular heart beat (Lyme carditis)
Episodes of dizziness or shortness of breath
Inflammation of the brain and spinal cord
Nerve pain
Shooting pains, numbness, or tingling in the hands or feet
Although most cases of Lyme disease can be cured with a 2- to 4-week course of oral antibiotics, patients can sometimes have symptoms of pain, fatigue, or difficulty thinking that lasts for more than 6 months after they finish treatment. This condition is called Post-Treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome (PTLDS).
Even in the absence of known tick exposure or laboratory-confirmed B. burgdorferi infection, some individuals report extended, often debilitating symptoms attributed to Lyme disease. Chronic Lyme disease has been dismissed by many clinicians and scientists, while others defend the diagnosis. Regardless of the cause, the suffering is real, and additional research is necessary to elucidate what causes these symptoms, including investigations of B. burgdorferi and any role the bacteria may play in long-term disability.
Medical cannabis can help patients in their battle with Lyme disease. Certain products can alleviate the physical pain of living with Lyme disease, while other products are beneficial for patients’ mental health. Our Patient Advocates are trained to help you find the best product to fit your needs as you battle Lyme disease. Please stop in today or schedule a virtual consultation with a Patient Advocate.
At Four Green Fields, we are acutely aware of the daily struggles of living with Lyme disease. We want to help patients find the right medicine for them to start enjoying a pain-free, mentally-healthy life! We are proud to support our patients who battle Lyme disease and use medical cannabis to alleviate their symptoms.
Additional Resources:
How to Find a Physician to Treat Lyme Disease from the American Lyme Disease Foundation, Inc.
Lyme Disease Information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Lyme Disease Data and Surveillance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Lyme Disease: What You Need to Know from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Tickborne Diseases of the United States from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Tick Information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Lyme-Literate Physician Directory from LymeDisease.org
Lyme Disease Symptoms Checklist from LymeDisease.org
Health Topics: Lyme Disease from MedLinePlus.gov
Current Efforts in Lyme Disease Research, 2019 Update from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
Lyme Disease Overview from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
Ticks and Lyme Disease: Symptoms, Treatment, and Prevention from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Elena Delle Donne opens up about her health; Mystics say they will keep paying her from the Washington Post