Health & Wellness

Lyme Disease Defined (And Why It’s Not All In Your Head)

Lyme disease defined - it's not just in your head!

What is Lyme Disease?

Lyme disease is an inflammatory bacterial infection that is transmitted to humans by deer ticks. Most people who have been infected usually develop symptoms between three days to a month after infection, and may possibly develop many diverse symptoms such as the bulls-eye rash, flu-like symptoms and joint inflammation. The disease has three distinct stages:

  1. Early Localized (symptoms include changes in skin tone and bulls-eye rash)
  2. Early Disseminated (might develop after a few years and include symptoms that involve the nervous system and joint inflammation) and
  3. Late Disseminated (may develop after various years of untreated Lyme and include symptoms of brain fog, memory loss, and sensory/motor damage.)

While Lyme disease has gained a lot of traction within the American medical industry, it is still surrounded by heavy controversy on its correct treatment methods and the ongoing debate of the existence of chronic Lyme. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recognized Lyme as the sixth most commonly reported notifiable infectious disease, however regardless of this acknowledgment, many conventional doctors still have a hard time properly researching, testing and treating the illness. Due to this, many Lyme patients have reported feeling ignored or have been told that they’re “crazy” from their practitioners, since they don’t have any answers as to “why” they are not feeling better.

Is It Really All In My Head?

No, it is not all in your head. The CDC reported that about 476,000 people suffer from the disease and that number is predicted to increase. Fortunately, because more cases are becoming prevalent around the United States, more research on the illness is being conducted. Prior to this, most medical doctors and practitioners would instruct patients to take antibiotics to treat their symptoms, however research suggests that prolonged antibiotic therapy is not effective and could even be harmful. Those who suffer from Lyme often report feeling frustrated and irritable due to the misinformation that surrounds the illness, and feeling as if their symptoms are just “in their head”. Although, there are other reasons why the illness causes mass confusion among both doctors and patients alike.

It’s Incredibly Difficult to Diagnose

Lyme disease symptoms mirror very serious conditions such as arthritis, fibromyalgia, influenza, chronic fatigue syndrome, dehydration, and depression. It is not uncommon for patients to be misdiagnosed several times before finally being diagnosed with Lyme disease. Some patients will spend years taking prescribed medications to heal these conditions when in reality the root cause of their symptoms is a lot deeper than what it seems. Sometimes, Lyme can cause these serious conditions listed above.

Treatment Methods Are Often Unconventional

Some unqualified practitioners who have not done enough research on the disease sometimes try to treat Lyme using incorrect methods such as prescribed antibiotics. While it is true that antibiotics can be used to treat Lyme, Dr. Minkoff claims that these are only effective if the person has recently been infected, but they should only be used for a short period of time (no longer than 21 days). The reason why antibiotics is the first treatment method that medical practitioners turn to is because of the belief that antibiotics would be the official cure of all types of infectious diseases caused by bacteria. However, a study conducted in 1983 garnered conflicting results. According to an article published by lymedisease.org, “critical analysis of the data revealed that 50% of the patients treated by antibiotics for 10-20 days continued to experience significant symptoms.” (1). Some patients even report their symptoms grow increasingly worse. Ongoing antibiotic use will eventually cause damage within the body and even cause flare ups to infected areas.

Inconsistent Testing

In many cases, patients who were suspected to have Lyme and got tested for it have produced negative results. Similarly, those who have different conditions and had a Lyme test have received positive test results. So if the testing methods can’t accurately diagnose a disease, how is it possible for anyone to truly trust the results? There are a few reasons for the unreliable test results. Lyme testing in conventional medicine relies on the individual to produce antibodies when the Lyme bacteria are capable of suppressing the immune system, which would prevent antibody production (1). Also, the current two-tiered testing method usually provides inaccurate results and misses a majority of Lyme bacteria and co-infections that has spread in the body.

What About Natural Remedies?

Resorting to natural methods of treatment for Lyme is up to the individual, however LifeWorks Wellness Center has successfully treated 90% of patients who have suffered from Lyme. Many patients who enter the clinic often don’t realize that they have Lyme until they receive a more accurate test which is sensitive in discovering all of the Lyme bacteria and co-infections within the system. Dr. Minkoff has over 24 years of experience in treating Lyme disease and has repeatedly been featured on television programs and spoken at conferences about his own methods in Lyme treatment. The treatment plan is known to relieve the various symptoms to the point where it is placed into remission. Coincidentally, the treatment will also help strengthen the patient and their quality of life.

If you feel that you are suffering from Lyme disease, it’s best not to wait. The key to treating Lyme is to attack the symptoms immediately. If you wish to be tested or seek a treatment plan, please schedule an appointment with us today at 727-466-6789.

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About Dr. David Minkoff, Medical Director

Dr. David Minkoff graduated from the University of Wisconsin Medical School in 1974 and was elected to the “Phi Beta Kappa” of medical schools, the prestigious Alpha Omega Alpha Honors Medical Fraternity for very high academic achievement. He then completed both a Pediatric Residency and a Fellowship in Infectious Disease at the University of California at San Diego. He worked at the University of California and Children’s Hospitals in San Diego as an attending physician in infectious disease while conducting original research on Ribaviron, a broad spectrum anti-viral agent to fight disease. He also co-directed a neo-natal intensive care unit and worked in emergency medicine. In 1992, Dr. Minkoff’s wife Sue, a Registered Nurse, became interested in nutrition and health and began to go to lectures from some of the experts in the field. At the time, Dr. Minkoff was pretty fixed in his view of traditional medicine and it took a lot of convincing to get him to come to one of these lectures. After hearing Dr. Jeffrey Bland speak, Dr. Minkoff had a eureka moment and began pursuing the alternative field with a vengeance. Based on this new knowledge Dr. Minkoff and his wife set up a small clinic in 1997 to help some friends with their medical problems. What began as an experiment blossomed into Lifeworks Wellness Center, one of the most successful clinics for complementary medicine in the United States. In the process, he gained expertise in Biological medicine, integrative oncology, heavy metal detoxification, anti-aging medicine, hormone replacement therapy, functional medicine, energy medicine, neural and prolotherapy, homeopathy, and optimum nutrition. He studied under the masters in each of these disciplines until he became an expert in his own right. Dr. Minkoff is one of the most in-demand speakers in the field and wrote an Amazon best-selling book called The Search For The Perfect Protein. The demand for the products and protocols he discovered became a catalyst for founding BodyHealth.Com, a nutrition company that now manufactures and distributes cutting-edge nutritional solutions for the many health problems of today. Dr. Minkoff writes two free online newsletters, “The Optimum Health Report” and ”The BodyHealth Fitness Newsletter”, to help others learn about optimum health and fitness. Dr. Minkoff is an avid athlete himself and has completed 43 Ironman Triathlons. To keep his fitness maximal, he lives the lifestyle he teaches to others and tries to set an example for others, so they can enjoy a life free of pain and full of energy.