Lyme Disease In A Nutshell
Known as a spirochete – a corkscrew-shaped bacterium which is transmitted from ticks mostly. Lyme can affect any organ of the body, including the brain and nervous system, muscles and joints, and the heart. Its symptoms are vast and as such, everyone reacts differently to the infection. Lyme often is transmitted with one or more co-infections – all of which have their own list of symptoms. Some often misunderstood facts about Lyme is that it is only transmitted via tick, however Lyme can also be transmitted sexually. Another common misunderstanding is that a bullseye rash will be present on the skin if infected, this is actually rare and shouldn't be considered a major indicator before seeking further evaluation.Quick Facts
If you only have a minute, these are the essential FAQ's to brush up on Lyme Disease:1How long must a tick be attached before it can transmit Lyme disease.
According to the CDC, a tick must be attached to the body for 36 to 48 hours or more before the Lyme disease bacterium can be transmitted. THIS IS FALSE: While everyone has a unique experience we've seen countless cases of individuals who have removed a tick within a couple hours of being outdoors and still contract Lyme.
2Lyme disease can be transmitted by more than just ticks.
The truth is, Lyme is a sexually transmitted disease as well. You won’t hear this fact from very many doctors. You also wont read about it very often. However the proof is in the pudding on this one. There is even a nickname for this occurrence – Lyme families exist and it’s our responsibility to educate ourselves in order to protect our loved ones.
3Lyme disease treatment.
The short answer is yes Lyme is treatable. It’s much easier to cure if you catch it early on. If not, you might have lingering symptoms for quite some time. The most common treatment prescribed from non-educated doctors will be a round of antibiotics. In most cases you will need more than that. We believe there are supplemental methods that can drastically speed up the process.
4How to safely remove a Tick that is attached to your skin.
Finding a tick attached to your skin, or maybe even a child or pet can be nerve-racking. Here are some simple steps to follow using some plain set of fine-tipped tweezers:
- Use fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin’s surface as possible.
- Pull upward with even, steady pressure. Try not to twist or jerk the tick quickly; this might cause the head or the mouth-parts to break off and remain attached to the skin. If this happens, do your best to remove the mouth-parts with the tweezers.
- After removing the tick, thoroughly clean the bite area and your hands with rubbing alcohol, an iodine scrub, or soap and water.
- Dispose of a live tick by submersing it in alcohol, and then placing it in a sealed bag/container. You can then mail the tick off to be tested for Lyme if you like for extra measure. While the test is quite often falsely negative, if it is positive then you definitely have a jump start on things. In the end, Never crush the tick with your fingers to dispose of it.