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Lyme's
Disease
1)
Late spring and early summer are the worst times
to get bitten by a tick.
Some ticks carry a bacterium called Borrelia.
When this bacterium enters the human body some people
complain about flu-like symptoms and a bull’-eye
rash.
Other symptoms can be muscle pain, paralysis, blindness,
arthritic, neurological, psychiatric and cardiac
problems.
If treated immediately with strong antibiotics or
a plant extract called cat’s claw long term
damage can often be prevented but not always.
Many people who are infected with the bacterium
do not notice any symptoms at first.
At a later stage, they might experience symptoms
which are usually diagnosed as severe arthritis,
ME or fibromyalgia but in fact suffer from Lyme’s
disease.
2) Lyme’s disease
is very difficult to diagnose.
Some people might have antibodies in the bloodstream
which would show up in a blood test.
Many people have no testable indication. Their blood
test results might even be negative but they might
still be infected with the bacterium.
Borrelia is not a simple bacterium, it is a kind
of super-microbe.
It can exist in at least three different morphological
forms, from an ordinary cellular creature to a tiny
spiral-shaped creature which can hide in body tissue,
to cystic forms with no cell wall.
3) In England and Wales
the number of people diagnosed with Lyme disease
rose to 684 last year.
In Scotland cases with Lyme’s have risen a
tenfold in a decade, last year doubling to 177.
The real number of people suffering from Lyme’s
disease is in fact higher because of the difficulty
to diagnose it properly and because of its major
ability to mimic many other diseases.
Some sources estimate that up to 300 medical conditions
are related to Lyme’s.
Prevention in Risk Areas
Keep skin covered and, where possible, avoid brushing
against vegetation.
Inspect clothing and body regularly when you spend
time in the countryside.
Remember, dogs and cats may be bitten and infected.
If your dog or cat becomes noticeably lethargic
and you are concerned about Lyme Disease, seek Veterinary
advice promptly.
Removal
Do not panic, but remove the tick with tweezers
as soon as possible. They will crawl about before
biting.
An infected tick will not usually pass on the infection
until it is fully engorged with blood. Not every
tick carries Lyme Disease.
Not every bite will transmit the disease, even if
the tick is infected and not removed. If a rash
or 'flu-like illness develops after you have been
exposed to ticks, or the site becomes infected,
seek medical advice promptly.
Check your pets for ticks and remove them.
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or to discover more about herbs, join a course,
find helpful products or book a free 15 minute consultation,
call Luzia
on 01258 456223.