Lyme Science Blog

Lyme Science Blog

lyme-disease-rash
Lyme Science Blog

Lyme Disease Rash: What Does It Really Look Like?

Many people assume that a Bull’s-eye or erythema migrans (EM) rash is a common manifestation of Lyme disease. And that the lack of a rash confirms a person does not have the disease. This is far from the truth. EM rash identification remains a challenge because it often takes on a variety of appearances, according […]

Lyme Science Blog

Lyme disease causes problems with vision

In their article “Lyme Disease and Papilledema: A Retrospective Study on Clinical Characteristics and Outcomes,” Vithayathil and colleagues, describe findings from a retrospective study involving 44 children who presented with vision complications and were later diagnosed with papilledema and Lyme disease. “Papilledema (optic disc swelling) secondary to intracranial hypertension (IH) has been reported in 6 […]

vision-loss-lyme-disease
Lyme Science Blog

Vision loss in teenager due to Lyme disease

“We present a rare case of intracranial hypertension due to [Lyme disease] in a pediatric patient treated with EVD placement for CSF diversion and intravenous ceftriaxone, resulting in a significant improvement in symptoms,” including vision loss, the authors state. A 13-year-old boy was admitted to the emergency department complaining of a headache (which had been […]

Lyme Science Blog

Why do my Lyme disease patients feel stigmatized?

Patients are aware that being diagnosed with Lyme disease can lead to Lyme disease skepticism from both the public and healthcare providers. Lyme disease skepticism can result in delayed treatment and inadequate care, exacerbating the patient’s suffering. Some articles and reports have been dismissive of compelling evidence that demonstrates Lyme disease as a complex chronic […]

Lyme Science Blog

Lyme Disease Treatment: Key Insights You Need to Know

Whether you’re searching for better Lyme disease treatment or want to know what Lyme disease medication works best, this video covers it all. Many people wonder, can Lyme disease kill you? While it can be serious, with the right treatment, you can get better. Lyme disease treatment antibiotics are commonly used, but there are other […]

lyme-disease-skin-rash
Lyme Science Blog

Unique presentation of Lyme disease skin rash

In their article, “Giant Erythema in a Child with Lyme Disease,” Banadyha and colleagues describe a young girl with Lyme disease who exhibited a unique presentation of an erythema migrans (EM) skin rash.¹ The 11-year-old girl was admitted to the hospital with a high fever, headaches, abdominal pain and a progressing rash. Her symptoms began […]

lyme-carditis-heart-failure
Lyme Science Blog

Lyme carditis and heart failure

The 52-year-old woman from Pennsylvania developed shortness of breath, fever, chills, fatigue, and joint pain and stiffness over a 2-week period. She also reported dizziness and occasional pre-syncope (feelings of fainting). “Echocardiography demonstrated new-onset mildly depressed LV systolic dysfunction,” the authors state. “Interestingly, coronary CTA revealed coronary arteries with no evidence of stenosis or plaque.” […]

Lyme Science Blog

What are co-infections? Co-Infections of Lyme Disease

In this video, we explore what co-infections are, including co-infections of Lyme disease, and how they can affect people battling this condition. Lyme disease, caused by the bite of an infected tick, can sometimes come with other infections, known as co-infections. These co-infections, like Bartonella, Babesia, and Ehrlichia, can complicate Lyme disease symptoms and make […]

powassan-encephalitis
Lyme Science Blog

Young boy develops Powassan encephalitis after camping trip

This summer, a 9-year-old boy in Canada developed Powassan virus encephalitis, a life-threatening condition. In Pennsylvania, another young child was hospitalized with the virus. And, in April, an older man from Massachusetts was infected. Meanwhile, last year, a Maryland resident died from Powassan encephalitis after contracting it in Canada. Powassan virus – transmitted in 15 […]

Lyme Science Blog

Is It Lyme Disease? Unexpected Symptoms of Lyme disease

Case Study: Unexplained Foot Pain One of my patients experienced severe foot pain, even while walking to the bathroom. A podiatrist diagnosed him with plantar fasciitis, and he tried various treatments including icing, NSAIDs, stretching, iontophoresis, shoe inserts, and cortisone injections. Despite these efforts, his foot pain persisted. In addition to foot pain, he suffered […]

Lyme Science Blog

Why Treating Lyme Disease Is More Complex Than You Think

By 1990, I had started prescribing intravenous ceftriaxone (Rocephin), based on emerging reports of its effectiveness in chronic neurologic Lyme disease. This adjustment was influenced by reports from doctors Dr. Logigian, Kaplan, and Steere, who documented the treatment of chronic neurologic Lyme disease cases. I added azithromycin (marked as Zithromax in the USA) and clarithromycin […]

lyme-disease-test
Lyme Science Blog

Don’t wait for a positive Lyme disease test

My patient took a “bury-your-head-in-the-sand” approach towards Lyme disease, which did not help him. He had been ill for more than 2 years, suffering from severe fatigue, brain fog, poor sleep, headaches, poor concentration, irritability, neck pain, chest pain, palpitations, stomach pains, and joint pain. He remained ill despite having been evaluated by several specialists […]

rifampin-lyme-disease
Lyme Science Blog

Rifampin for Lyme Disease: When Doxycycline Isn’t Enough

When I first began treating Lyme disease in 1987, the primary antibiotic prescribed was doxycycline. This choice was driven by doxycycline’s effectiveness not only against Lyme disease itself but also against co-infections such as Ehrlichia and Anaplasmosis. These co-infections, often transmitted by the same ticks that carry Lyme, present additional challenges in patient management. However, […]

woman with TMJ from Lyme disease holding her jaw
Lyme Science Blog

TMJ arthritis triggered by Lyme disease

In the article, “Acute arthritis of the right temporomandibular joint due to Lyme disease: a case report and literature review,” the authors describe a 25-year-old patient who presented to a medical center with acute pain in the right temporomandibular joint and mouth opening disorders.¹ Over a 5-year period, the woman’s distal bite was treated with […]

can-you-get-ticks-from-pets
Lyme Science Blog

Can you get ticks from pets?

Can you get ticks from pets? Yes, and according to a study by Jones et al. owning indoor-outdoor pets increases your risk of being bitten by a tick and potentially exposing yourself to various tick-borne diseases. [1] Out of the 1,546 homes with pets, 88.1% used some form of tick control on their pets. Yet, […]