In Europe, the most common tick-borne diseases are Lyme disease and tick-borne encephalitis. However, “in recent years the number of infections caused by pathogens from Bartonella, Babesia, Anaplasma, Brucella and other species has also been increasing,” writes Sowula. This study looked at not only the prevalence of otolaryngological symptoms in patients with Lyme disease, but in those with other tick-transmitted illnesses, as well.
According to the authors, three fourths of the 216 patients diagnosed with a tick-borne disease experienced otolaryngological symptoms. “The most common complaint was tinnitus (76.5%) accompanied by vertigo and dizziness (53.7%), headache (39%), and unilateral sensorineural hearing loss (16.7%),” writes Sowula.
The patients also reported symptoms of trigeminal neuralgia (a chronic pain condition affecting the trigeminal nerve in the face), hearing hypersensitivity, facial nerve paralysis, toothaches, tongue paresthesias, and smell hypersensitivity.
Furthermore, the authors found that these patients were frequently infected with Bartonella. “The largest group included patients infected with bacteria of the Bartonella henselae (33.4%) and Bartonella quintana (13%) species,” Sowula states.
A smaller study conducted in the United States in 1990 also examined the prevalence of otolaryngological symptoms, specifically in Lyme disease patients. The study, led by Logigian from the Department of Neurology and Medicine at Tufts University of Medicine found that 4 out of 27 patients, ages 35-67, with chronic neurologic Lyme disease presented with hearing loss and tinnitus. [2]
“In all four, the hearing loss was apparent on physical examination, and in the two patients tested, audiometry testing confirmed a mild, high frequency, sensorineural hearing loss,” writes Logigian.
[bctt tweet=”Study finds 76% of patients with tick-borne diseases have hearing loss and tinnitus. ” username=”DrDanielCameron”]
In both studies, patients’ symptoms improved after treatment with intravenous ceftriaxone. One of the four patients described by Logigian and colleagues continued to have a unilateral hearing loss. When making treatment decisions, Sowula and colleagues considered the presence of Bartonella spp in their patients and suggested a combination of antibiotics. “It also seems that using combined treatment may be helpful (e.g. third-generation cefalosporin + Rifampicin, alternatively fluorochinolone).”
References:
- Sowula K, Skladzien J, Szaleniec J, Gawlik J. Otolaryngological symptoms in patients treated for tick-borne diseases. Otolaryngol Pol. 2018;72(1):30-34.
- Logigian EL, Kaplan RF, Steere AC. Chronic neurologic manifestations of Lyme disease. N Engl J Med. 1990;323(21):1438-1444.
Yep, that’s me. Diagnosed with Babesiosis and Lymes. Have been on antibiotics for 5 weeks last summer, and than again for almost 3 weeks earlier this year. Have to cut my hrs at work due to residual symptoms. Ringing in ears started abt 5 weeks ago.
I was on intravenous ceftriaxone for 11 months and started experiencing tinnitus in my 8th or 9th month of treatment…any explanation???
I still have tinnitus, headaches/migraines, occasional blurred vision, sharp noise issues however have to watch TV as much higher volume than others in the family, aching teeth/sore jaw and cracked tongue with sensivity issues to heat and spicy food and hyper to smells…
Willing to be guinea pig to determine why I still have these symptoms after treatment 9 yrs later
Diagnosed with Menieres years before Lyme/Bartonella diagnosis. Tinnitus began decades before that! Had irretractable vertigo and “drop attacks”, which led to two procedures on rt ear to kill the balance nerve (and hearing 🙁 ).
Hearing aids in both ears now. Still have loud Tinnitus. Lyme in remission after seven years of treatment!
We need more research in this area. Thanks your sharing your case.
I shared the latest research in my All Things Lyme blog to highlight what we don’t know. There are other antibiotics than IV. It is important to see a doctor to rule out other illnesses if that has not been done.
I’ve not been diagnosed with Lyme but am sure that’s what I have. I have been living in Maine for 20 years and have been bitten at least 3 times. The ticks were engorged by the time I found them on the back of my leg and one on my back. I did not have a bulls eye rash. Went to the doctors and they put me on doxycycline for a few days. The Lyme tests always came back negative. Before moving to Maine I lived in Connecticut. I remember one summer seeing a an odd rash on my thigh. Thought nothing of it. I was sick all the time with odd headaches, neck pain, blurry vision, etc. Anyway 15 years ago I experienced vertigo, constant sinusitis, TMJ and after having what was a bad virus came down with tinnitus which has persisted for the last 15 years. It started as a hissing and has progressed to other undesirable sounds. I have sensorineural hearing loss in both ears, had tubes put in both ears, had septoplasty, have recently been tested for allergies (allergic to tree pollens, grass, ragweed, mold, dust mites, cockroaches, ). Been receiving allergy shots since last September with no improvement yet. In fact my sysmptoms have worsened. I have insomnia, odd twitches throughout my body, fatigue, anxiety, pain on top of both feet, neck and shoulder pain which started in March after I had some kind of bite on my shin that looked like maybe a spider bite. A red bump. After 2 weeks a small red circle surrounded it. I thought it was a spider bite as I remember driving one day and feeling something bite me. I always tell myself that I live in hell. The tinnitus, insomnia, twitches, odd creepy feelings that run up the back of my head,. Also I remember that at the base of my skull the muscles hurt bad and I just wanted to dig into them and that was followed by an awful headache and numbness on one side of my jaw. I am at a loss…. sometimes I feel as if I could kill myself because the doctors here are not experienced with Lyme and would tell me that I have nothing or MS or Lupus which I’m sure I don’t. I feel for everyone who has tinnitus. Dr. Cameron please help me.
I am equally frustrated by how little we know on tinnitus and hearing loss in Lyme disease. I was happy to write about the findings of the most recent study.
Marlene, you are describing my symptoms to a “T”. How did it turn out for you? I’m about to see a doc soon and will request a blood test. I’m positive it is Lyme having been bit on the back of my neck about 3 months ago. Didn’t think anything of it until the neck pain, which moved to shoulders and then back…then the tinnitus. I hope it worked out for you and you found some relief.
Omg… you have basically described my symptoms and my constant fight of pain and insomnia. Tested for Lyme came back negative, but my doctor said that is common and need to be tested again. This ringing and pain in my back of head and everywhere else is horrible! I can’t ever sleep. I’m miserable . I am sorry for you… and others as this is so debilitating at times .
yep…” bilateral meniers” and never ending roaring tinitis. I would like to see if it is realated to all the abx though. Is it the infections or the years of multiple abx that have caused it. I would love more research and to be able to participate in a trial about this. It is my most dibilitating sypmtom for sure. have stopped driving bc of hearing and balance, I could possibly handle the rest of my symptoms and still work, but this put me into disability. I want to solve it and get back to life!!
I ma interested in this myself. Tinnitus started after taking large amounts of iodine, which can act like an antibiotic, it felt triggered by something, a virus. I tracked the onset in my symptoms journal i was taking at the time. I cannot sleep. I havent gone down the lyme, chronic infection route cause i have no money and from what im hearing, i want to avoid any antibiotics at all costs? For fear of intensifying the tinnitus. I feel like the two are linked, tinnitus, and chronic infection/antibiotics. I have also noted a lot of people, after taking thyroid meds, develop tinnitus. I read something about, lymies not being able to tolerate t4? Yet just litsened to a lecture about reverse t3 that makes logical sense, as i was mistakenly brainwashed into the, you gotta clear reverse t3 with t3. Yet its a sign of too much thyroid. Tried going off thyroid meds, nothing, and i mean nothing ive trie dmakes a dent in this damn ringing!
You have demonstrated the difficulty finding a cause of tinnitus.
I have had neural Lyme Disease since 1997. I was first diagnosed with MS and then was later diagnosed with Transverse Myleitus and MS dx was dropped. Symptoms partially cleared for TM over the course of 2-5 years but I still have some residual symptoms, numbness on face and forehead, sometimes on hand or tips of fingers, toes or shins. Beginning last December I began to experience, first a pop in my right ear followed by fullness and then vertigo and tinnitus with significant hearing loss. Now I have just the tinnitus and hearing loss in the mid and upper range. Could this be a symptom of the neural Lyme or is it something else?
You should include a tick borne evaluation in you evaluation
It’s pitiful that there are so many of us who cannot Avail ourselves of alternative methods of testing for lack of money.
My husband had Lyme 15 years ago and has just
Recently suffered bilateral hearing loss with tinnitus and aural pressure. His MRI was clear, tried course or oral abx , 6 weeks of prednisone . No improvement noted. Would be be a candidate
For IV abx?
Four of 27 patients presenting with chronic neurologic Lyme disease in the 1990 New England Journal of Medicine had hearing problems. The authors did not described the outcome. I would look a second time at a tick borne illness along with your husband’s other specialists to try and find an answer.
After a few months of mild vertigo, I lost almost all hearing in one ear, suddenly in 2011. Following my DX of atypical Meniere’s disease, I eventually learned I tested positive for Lyme disease (positive PCR but negative Western blot), borellia miyamotoi, anaplasmosis and chronic form of brucellosis. I have had years of multiple antibiotic and herbal treatments with LLMD’s, including IV rocephin and clindamycin. I still suffer from deafness in one ear with tinnitus in both, that is of a very different quality. I hear whooshing and low electronic sounds in my deaf ear and high pitched ringing in my good ear. Despite long term antibiotic treatment, I have many annoying symptoms that include pain and pressure in my face, teeth, jaw and sinuses. My head has many odd sensations that can be quite frightening. It often feels and sounds as though my head is a short wave radio being tuned or a pressure cooker letting steam out slowly. I just pray that my good ear will not be attacked by this awful disease.
I am currently waiting for lab results for Lyme. I thought I had been tested a long time ago and found out Friday I have never been tested and live in NH and at a campground 6 months out the year. Began vertigo and other symptoms nearly 2 yrs ago and then a rear end car accident the end of 2017. Jan 2018 woke up with sensorineural hearing loss and have tinnitus and severe balance problems but also joint related issues with legs, speech difficulties, left facial and tongue numbness, knee problems periodically, night sweats last year (thought it was menopause) neck and shoulder problems since last year and have been to every kind of Doctor there is and numerous tests/MRI’s and still no proper diagnosis. I just had balance testing and results normal so the 3 diagnosis for Vestibular now ruled out, not neurological after 2 different neurologist; one at MA General in Boston. I am praying its Lyme disease just to finally have a diagnosis and a chance to get better, if its negative I have no idea what to do next.
I am glad you have had such a thorough evaluation. The Lyme disease tests are not as reliable as I would like. Yu may have to use clinical judgment.
Thanks for responding,. I was given the Western Blot test. If it comes out negative what would you suggest I ask my Doctor to do, I am at a loss after this test. I have no idea what type of Doctor to seek out next and my Primary care Doctor has not been helpful at all.
Doctors are divided over their approach. You may have to pursue a second opinion. Call my office at 914 666 4665 to see if we can help you. You may also have to see specialists to rule out other illnesses.
Ladies and gentlemen bit by ticks: Be sure to get serum tested for LB using Western immunoblots in addition to EIA (Elisa) Borrelia burgdoferi antibodies from reliable lab sites such as Quest Diagnostics. The European neuro-Lyme cases described here with headaches and cranial nerve troubles (2, 4, 6 — diplopias; 5, 7 — Bell palsy; 8 — hearing, balance, tinnitus) in Poland are like those we see in New England. Additionally, shoulder drop from 11th cranial nerve, and tongue deviation (12 th nerve) with hoarseness occurred in a few of our neuro Lyme cases. If truly seronegative for LB with these nerve palsies, consider other infections such as neurosyphilis, Q fever (Coxiella) encephalitis, fungi or molds, Herpesviruses, or another viral encephalitis.
From my personal experience Lyme associated diseases definitely can effect hearing. I’ve been a musician and avid audiophile for many decades and spent years “training” my ears to be able to hear subtle differences. Since getting bitten by a tick, developing a bullseye rash and getting very ill I have experienced painful distortion triggered by loud high pitched sounds. I had never experienced anything like this until getting Lyme disease. After extensive treatment for Lyme and associated diseases my sensitivity to loud high pitched sound has substantially abated. I am thankful that there are SOME doctors with an understanding of how devastating Lyme and associated diseases can be.
Mark – I have chronic Lyme due to a lack of proper treatment when I received the tick bite. I have an honors degree in classical guitar. I have been experiencing the same problems. For a while I almost totally lost my musicality, which gave me complete anguish since I have been a musician as long as I can remember. I could not process the information correctly to understand more complex musical ideas, although I went through advance music theory training and even played in a microtonal chamber ensemble. I finally got back a positive WB test and have been on long-term AB. I keep having to go back on the AB. They helped me with the brain problems related to music but I am still far from my old self.
Can I ask what they treated you with?
In June of 2018 I stared getting some mild tinnitus and dizziness. After runnning a marathon type race through the mountains in September I got the flu for 5 days. After that my symptoms spiraled out of control to the point of near death. I tested negative for lyme and positive for babesia. I begged a doc to treatment with antis and was hospitalized for a week. I did two weeks on ceftriaxone and am on my second month of doxy. I am also just starting a 10 day course for babeisa (pills and liquid). Many things have improved but the dizziness, head pressure, and loud non-stop tinnitus really have not have not. I’m worried it could be something else but all my tests, including a PET, have come back negative. I have had elevated ESR and CRP for months although they have come down. I also have some intermittent focal slowing in my EEG. I am a 40 year old male. Any thoughts?
I am not so sure 10 days is so effective if started weeks or months after onset. The 10 day protocol for Babesia enrolled patients early in their illness. They have not yet studied the ideal length of time for Babesia. I often need to treat Babesia longer for patients who are ill longer. Two weeks of intravenous ceftriaxone was not as good as four weeks in the initially Logigian articles for neurologic Lyme disease. I have a few patients with a high ESR. The number drops as they improve. I am glad you looked into other illnesses.
Keep up the treatment. You will have symptoms come and go for years. You have to find the right balance and keep the disease under control so your body can defend itself.
I have BB, babesia and RMSF same symptoms but additional too. Babesia needs treating with anti malarials, anti parasitics.
I found out today that I have lost all hearing I right ear. I have most of all that different ones have spoke about in blog. CAN SILVER COLLITAL or Wild oregano help. CAN hearing loss be reversed if you kill off the bugs.
I commonly run into hearing loss and tinnitus in my practice. I have seen improvements with antibiotic treatment. I have not used silver or wild oregano.
Dr. Thanks for input. My question is simple. How long can one be on antibiotics until its harmful or you create a resistant strand against bacteria. My concern is if I get sick from a cold and need additional antibiotics for the cold or flu.
There are always risks with longer treatments. There are also risks of remaining ill without treatment. I have to weight each each of these risks with each patient. It is not clear that tick borne infections acquire resistance with antibiotics.
We try not to use antibiotics needlessly for animals and humans to prevent resistant bacteria as a public health measure. Any new infection in future e.g. pneumonia is typically from someone else. Your previous antibiotics can typically be used again.
My husband was treated for 18 months with various different ABX and most of the Lyme symptoms are gone. I’m afraid that the antibiotics have wiped out his gut flora and now he has SIBO ( small intestine bacterial overgrowth) (Methane dominant) and is having a devil of a time trying to deal with that. It is very difficult to get rid of… he has been on Xifaxan and neomycin. I guess that the bacteria that resides in the colon has made its way up to the small intestine and I don’t know how to fix it.
I have been diagnosed lyme disease, bartonella and babesia. I have had severe vertigo and constant ringing in my ears. Before rmsf my ears felt muffled and my pt job was to answer phone. I couldn’t hear to do that and couldn’t hear behind me. I feel now like it’s hard to hear, always ringing and vertigo.
I have a question about anaplsmosis..In 2015 I was diagnosed with Lyme disease after developing Bell’s palsy. I received 21 days of doxycycline and sent home. In 2016 I developed severe angiodema to the point where I couldn’t walk well, having what felt like marbles on the bottoms of my feet. I was told there was no known cause. In the spring of 2016 I was diagnosed with Lyme again and treated for 21 days with doxycycline. During my treatment I noticed the angiodema began to go away. In August 2017 I began to have difficulty breathing, and still was dealing with angiodema though not quite as severe. I was diagnosed with severe Anaplsmosis and given 7 days of doxycycline. One month later I had difficulty breathing again they gave me 10 days of doxycycline.In December they gave me 21 days doxy for anaplsmosis, I took 28 days. They also told me I had babesiosis but not enough to treat.I developed severe anxiety, sinus pressure/pain and terrible headaches, tinnitus and loss of appetite by March of 2018. I went on an anti Lyme/anti inflammatory diet out of desperation which seemed to help. Now May 2019 I am still recovering from anxiety but experiencing fatigue and sinus pressure and mood swings. Is there any chance I may still have anaplsmosis? I’m not sure how to proceed from here. I am a mother of three teens who have also been diagnosed with Lyme/anaplsmosis and Lyme/babesiosis it has been a struggle.
I find a longer course of doxycycline or change in antibiotics helpful for some patients. I not dismiss treatment for Babesia.
I have lyme, babesia and RMSF. Can’t. breathe, tinnitus, severe anxiety, sinus issues, stabbing neuro pains, plus others. Sorry, i know how you feel. Hope you get well soon. Look for a local support group and share info.
You might get at least 8 days of atovaquone and azithromycin or other antibiotics for Rx of babesiosis. And treat LB completely, long enough duration with at least some serological response, that is a drop in Lyme bands and/or EIA Lyme antibody titers. Treat yeasts, Candidiasis, and bowel overgrowths, watching for Clostridioides difficile diarrheas, etc., of course, problems with the antibiotics with the help of your PCP.
Diagnosed with & tick borne disease, not Lyme, am sick with fevers, neck aching , headache under & behind eyebrows, fatigue dry cough, low grade sore throat & most concerning & horrible is a fullness in my ears & head! Like I’m underwater with pressure to point of ear canals throbbing! What is this? Started antibiotic 2 days ago. Please advise.
I follow my patients to assess their response to treatment. I have had to change treatment if I suspect another tick borne infection that is a factor. I also have to determine whether another illness might explain part or all of the sympotoms.
I think it is the grand plan they want everyone to become sick and debilitiated for God sake. These tick borne diseases are spreading like wildfire yet they do absolutely nothing. I was diagnosed in 2012 after finding a tick on my leg. tested positive for lyme through Quest. Now my 3 year old granddaughter was bitten a few days ago and her PCP said it would be silly to put her on medicine. I then had my daughter call my llmd and she saw him and he put her on medicine. I am so pissed and frustrated. Kids cannot even play outdoors anymore without the danger of sickness. Ps my ears have been ringing for years and it has been getting louder and louder I have noticed. I have to sleep with the tv on to drown it out. God help us all! Call me a conspiracy theorist or crazy but I firmly believe this all started right with our own government and Plum Island. Prayers and love to all <3
I’m with you. Been ringing from Lyme since 2015. Doctors say, must be your hearing. I told them it’s Lyme induced and they said it must be from hearing loss so I got tested again with no hearing loss. Why is having Lyme disease so damned controversial? I didn’t say I was bitten by a unicorn so now I have unicorn disease!
Pulled out the tick, got mysterious symptoms that won’t go away almost 5 years of not stop symptoms but I must be a nutcase. No, really I like being sick for no reason, yes so much fun. I don’t get anything from it except broke.
My trigger was RMSF (Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever) which is actually the most dangerous of the tick-bourne illnesses. I was immediately put on a 14 day regimen of doxycycline. The doc is satisfied that the tick bug is gone but now I’m left with tinnitus in its place. I’m crossing my fingers that it’s temporary.
I hope it clears soon.
I went hiking in an area known to have ticks with Lyme disease. Within a day my ears were clogged and full. Two months later (ears still full) I was exposed to loud music and developed very loud tinnitus. My ears continue to feel full and I feel dizzy. Is it possible that I could have reacted to Lyme disease that quickly or can I dismiss Lyme as the cause?
I would look at other issues. I would consider Lyme disease if other problems are present
Check bloods for convalescent tick bite serologies (Quest): Lyme EIA with reflex to Western immunoblots, anaplasmas/ ehrlichias, rickettsias, and Babesia antibodies or serologies. Not PCR’s (cost more, and not helpful after first week unless babesias are in your red cells). Your PCP might need to note ICD 10 codes for “tick insect bites”, ear congestion, tinnitus, disequilibrium, vertigo, and other symptoms in order for insurance to pay for the tests.
Linford E Wenger from Lancaster County, Pa – I always had a hearing sensitivity towards loud noises as well. I tested positive for five tick born illnesses in 2015. We knocked out four of them. We’re having problems getting rid of Babesia. The one antibiotic may have caused permanent hearing damage. I wasn’t told about the possibility of that until a month after I started taking it! Growl… okay Rita Rohdes is forgiven. I was the first person in 20+ years of her medical practice that cold not handle the antibiotics for Babesia! My ears are still ringing now years later (November 2019) a high frequency quite loud I might add. I quit taking antibiotics because I was loosing sleep due to the loud ringing in the ears! Rita said that the Babesia must be in my ears!
We changed our approach and tried a different antibiotic that had nothing to do with affecting hearing, and it still made my ears ring and caused loss of hearing so bad it felt like I was going to loose my hearing altogether if I kept taking the stuff. Sorry, it’s 3 am in the morning, and I’m not getting out of bed to go look in the pantry full of pill bottles! We tested my hearing and my inner ear had perfect hearing, but my outer hearing was below average. They concluded that something is causing hearing loss between my inner and outer ears. We did knock out arthritis in my both my hands though, so Rita you’re awesome. Together with God’s help I am healed! The manifestation of it is in His hands. I’ve met serval people raised from the dead. Now they’re having to die again! One guy just went to be with Jesus forever. Nothing is to difficult for my God. I’ve seen to much of what God can do to get in the dumps about anything!
I’m currently seeing a nutritionist. We did a hair analysis and a blood test to get my mineral levels to where they should be. Doesn’t seem to be helping with the ringing in the ears. However I did notice that I don’t have the fatigue in my shoulders for the first time in 12 years! So PTL for that!
If someone can speak into this I’m still listening! We spent over ten thousand dollars, and I’m still suffering from major fatigue if lifting 70 lbs. It’s weird, like it’s not heavy at the moment, but fatigue nails me a day or two later. Also my arms feel like they’re going to fall out of their sockets if I continue with heavy lifting. Actually my shoulders get loose and my neck and back get tight which usually results in chiropractor treatment. One reason why I had to find a different job 12 years ago. To much excercise creates more problems. So, excercise only helps to a certain point. Still hoping I can somehow learn how to get my hearing back by getting rid of this ringing in the ears! I feel like I could hear just fine if it wouldn’t be for this ringing in the ears!
God help us! I need his help and I’m so glad for your alls input! Keep your eyes on the prize! Thank God I’m married to a super beautiful, super smart RN! We may never know how many more years of heaven on Earth God gave us if it wouldn’t be for my better half. Thank-you!
Hi..i would like to know which antibiotic for babesia you felt was causing hearing loss? I was treated 2 years ago for babesia w mepron and zithromax, seemed pretty good and 2 year later this march i had sudden hearing loss to my right ear. To make matters worse, my babesia is back and i need to retreat. I’m scared to lose my only good ear but need to treat as my symptoms are pretty bad. I also wonder if i treat if my hearing might return a little. I have high frequency loss and initially went 100% deaf. Regained 10% of low frequency. I’m in a bad situation. Thanks for any help.
Azithromycin, erythromycin, and aminoglycoside antibiotics can affect hearing and balance with some damage to the 8th, vestibulo-auditory, cranial nerve.
Dr. Cameron,
I developed tinnitus about a year and a half ago about a month after pulling off a deer tick. The tinnitus dramatically improved and almost disappeared when I was taking Doxycycline for another tick bite. However, when the prescription for Doxycylcine ended, the tinnitus returned. I’d had Lyme before and didn’t develop a rash (my knees swelled up dramatically). So, I wonder if I may have been reinfected?
A more detailed explanation follows:
About four years ago, I’d caught Lyme and didn’t develop a rash. When my knees swelled up, I went to a doctor and was tested for Lyme. At the time my knees swelled up, I remember a slight ringing in my ears. The Lyme test was positive so I was given Doxycycline for about a month which resolved the problem including the tinnitus.
Everything was fine until about a year and a half ago, when I developed tinnitus again. I remember pulling off a deer tick about a month before that. I consulted with my primary about the tinnitus, who didn’t want to prescribe antibiotics as there were no other symptoms associated with Lyme. He also said that since I already had tested positive for Lyme on a prior occasion, re-testing wouldn’t provide any new information.
About two weeks ago, I pulled a tick off and had a teleconsultation with a new doctor as I had changed insurance providers.
This time I was given a prescription for Doxycycline. I took two 100mg tablets of Doxycycline for 10 days. The tinnitus practically disappeared while I was taking the Doxycycline. However, the prescription ended two days ago and now the tinnitus has returned.
Other than the tinnitus, I haven’t noticed any major problems like knee swelling, headaches, brain fogs, etc. I do get a slight feeling of stretching or pressure near the right shoulder/base of the neck area. This was near where I pulled the tick off. I also remember reading that if you’ve been infected with Lyme and developed the knee swelling, then it’s quite rare for someone to be reinfected and again develop the swelling.
I’m going to wait until Monday of next week and reevaluate the situation. I think that maybe it would be worth trying a longer course of Doxycycline or possibly Amoxicillin to see if it resolves the problem? In my mind there’s enough of a link between the tick bite a year and a half ago and the tinnitus to try a course of oral antibiotics (which seem to be well tolerated and are given to teenagers for months on end to treat acne).
Any thoughts on this or the best way to proceed?
Thank you,
Tim Hale
I have seen recurrent tinnitus in my practice. I include an ENT in the evaluation. I typically consider longer treatment or change in treatment.
Dr Cameron,
A year ago my right hearing went muffled. So I went to my doctor and also told him my arms feel very heavy and burning and my neck hurts And my ear was ringing. He did blood work and referred me to neuro for EMG. The EMG was inconclusive so he sent me for a cervical MRI which reavealed nothing. In the mean time my blood work came back with RMSF IGG negative, IGM positive. But I had no fever and no rash. So antibiotics we’re never done. The muscle burning and neck pain has not subsided in a year. Do you think this could be infectious disease?
You should include a doctor with experience in treating Lyme disease.
Hey Tim.
I just read your story, can I reach out on fb?
Lyme arthritis and synovitis, swollen knees with effusions, are deep tissue infections. Try six (6) weeks oral or a combination of iv then oral Lyme antibiotics, details depending upon your Western immunoblots and EIA antibodies blood tests. (PCRs are useful only for recent tick bites, when spirochetes are in your bloodstream. After a week, the bacilli reach your deep tissues and are harder to treat. Measure these later infections by convalescent serologies or antiBODies, not nucleic acid or PCR tests). Try to discuss all and collaborate with your PCP, adding these bloods into your annual tests and engaging them towards following your case closely. Remember what Dr C says again and again. Evaluate each Lyme bite for multiple infections, not only Lyme. Some folks with multiple bites like you take pre-emptive doxycycline, 200 mg, once immediately after each bite — trying to prevent reinfection LB, Rocky Mtn, and/ or anaplasmosis/ ehrlichiosis.
I don’t recall being bitten but I fell ill with such severe vertigo and vomiting that I went to ER. I also woke up that morning with Bell’s palsy. They ran tick panel which came back positive for Lyme. I did two weeks amoxicillin because they thought it was ear infection at first. That didn’t help the vestibular loss, but cleared up Bell’s palsy and flu like symptoms. So I started taking doxycycline and have been on it for week and a half but have stiff neck and my vestibular loss is still the same- dizzy everytime I move my head and walking can be difficult. Feel like I’m walking drunk. Should I be on something else? Or does it take longer for neuro symptoms to subside?
Bell’s palsy typically clears by itself. It often takes longer to get better. I cannot comment of the approach other than I often use doxycycline as a start if I fail amoxicillin. Call my office in New York if you have any questions.
I have had Rocky Mountain spotted tick disease for 27 years first of July I was never treated untill 13 years later I got where I couldn’t work chronic pain ears ring 24-7 hurst 24-7 fibromyalgia rheumatoid checked finally found polymyalgiarhematica very high inflammation take prednisone 4 blood pressure pills and 5 10-325 pain pills daily and 2 testosterone shots monthly still not much releaf I have my own business I don’t sleep ever thru night if I’m up I’m in pain Takes 2-3 hrs ever day to get going If I over do it I’m messed up couple days is there anything could help me with I don’t have insurance everything out of pocket 200 monthly meds not much releaf if I could get rid of my inflammation be much better I only go to pain doctor because of money and insurance wish I could get better and back to work I could run my business good not verily getting by thank you and drastic humidity affects the way I feel the higher humidity the more I hurt cold and rainy and hot humid
Ps also sensitivity to sunlight load noises shoulders hurt worse hurt head to toes have gout bad sometimes used to it Retina detached 1 year ago now one year later just going to get cataract hopefully removed can’t see out of left eye for last year bruises I’ve noticed some 2 years old on legs bruis easy now and never go away I’m used to constant pain but getting worse can’t eat anything gluten like bread potatoes acid Yamato juice orange juice peanut butter peanuts give me gout
Treat each and every reinfection from new tick bites. I suspect that your retinal detachment was related to rickettsia Rocky Mtn more than Lyme. Your eye surgeries might be more successful if you have completed full course therapy against Lyme, and no tick borne- reinfections are present. Work closely with your PCP to stabilize gout, other medical issues, and comorbidities all of which might make Lyme more difficult to cure.
Some neuro-Lyme patients benefit from iv ceftriaxone 2 gm daily for at least 28 days, with or without subsequent oral antibiotics for a few more weeks. Iv antibiotics penetrates your brain and spinal fluid more effectively than oral therapy. Treat yeasts (Candida), bowels, diarrheas, of course, in close collaboration with your PCP.
Hello Doctor,
I was bitten by a tick when I was 7. Here in 2020, my holistic DDS advised me to get tested for Lyme. However, in 2007, I discovered that I had severe mercury poisoning, and attributed most of my remaining symptoms to that. However, 12 years after that one year of an in-depth metal detox, I am dealing with increasingly painful sound sensitivity, and now high pitched ringing in my ears, plus sometimes a bit of an involuntary shake of the head, and my knee is swelling. I am 5’7″, 125, athletic, and look 45 but am 56 – mostly because I have to live such a clean lifestyle – allergies to gluten, alcohol, and even antibiotics – which may have cause my anaphylactic response when giving birth via c section. Today – There have been some recent triggers: Two PEMF sessions (powerful electromagnetic table pulsing magnetics) and a bio charger (Telsa frequency coil). What seemed like a good idea at the time has left me feeling exacerbated symptoms. Granted, it could be a Herx response. Additionally, I am utilizing a new sinus spray to treat a chronic issue. I have not been tested for Lyme. Is it possible to test positive after all this time? Or, should I just treat as if…?
I have had patients who suffer from both conditions. They respond better to integrative medication if their tick borne infection is treated.
Hello. I have not been diagnosed with Lyme, but have Alpha Gal Syndrome. I was attacked by chiggers in 2016, and after horrible anaphylactic reactions and doing a lot of work on my own in trying to figure out what was going on, went to the Allergist in Nov of 2017 asking for the Alpha Gal blood test, which came back positive. Since then, I have had sudden hearing loss in my left ear in 2019 which left the ENT and Inner Ear Specialist baffled as to what was going on, as the hearing loss was atypical and fluctuated. I also had several ear infections prior to the hearing loss. In 2020 I experienced frozen shoulder in my left shoulder which was very painful to work through in PT. I then started to feel like maybe I had allergy issues but didn’t have a runny nose or any sneezing, but my head just felt congested all the time. The allergy testing revealed I had become allergic to all tree and weed pollen, outside mold, many animals. I am taking alergy shots now. Do you think that it is possible that the allergies and hearing loss are results of the chigger bites? How could I find out? I have recently had another ear infection and am very worried that my good ear, the right ear, will eventually be affected by the loss of hearing so I am desperately trying to find out the cause and a possible treatment. Thank you.
I also have tinnitus in my left ear. Sometimes it is loud, sometimes it is louder. It is always annoying.
Hello from Virginia. Was diagnosed with Erlichiosis last summer. Doxycycline was delayed as they thought I had mononucleosis. I’m also healthy HIV positive for the past 37 years. I have been dealing with tinnitus and back of the head headaches and I’m wondering if this is from long term or lingering effects of my infection last summer
I have seen tinnitus and headaches in patients with a persistent tick borne infection
I’m very scared. Got bit on 7/4/11 and had a bullseye and fever but didn’t get diagnosed with Lyme for a year. Did a year of IV Rochepin as well as 3 mos of amoxicillin, Doxy on and off for a year, two years of a Zhang herbs, anti-inflammation diet, etc. As a result broke my immune system and got diagnosed with CIDP (I get all-over acid-like body burning whenever I try to take an antibiotic or I get any infection) and have now been on IVIG (128g monthly for 10 years.) By 2016 I was pretty much totally well. In 2020 went to the Hamptons and no tickbite but had tons of mosquito/sand flea bites and within 3 days was in the ER with viral meningitis. They treated me with steroids and pain med and the spinal tap shows 19 points of inflammation/infection but they never concluded what caused it. My primary care physician only found me positive for West Nile Virus. A few months later tons of neuro issues like I had with lyme resurfaced. My integrative med dr. tested me again and only RMSF showed positive – an active pos infection, but no fever, no rash. I took Doxy for a month and felt a bit better. Stayed on it with 3 mos and seemed fine. Although during those months of taking Doxy my whole body burned with an inflammatory response and I needed to be on Percocet to get through it. From 2020-2023 I was totally fine. Then on 11/18 I woke up exactly how I did in 2012 when I found out I had lyme: left side of my face numb, left-side head pain and numbness, the feeling of pins and needles roving around the left side of my skull, brainfog. It’s been three months and I have had a spinal tap, several MRIs and CTAS. My neuro has no idea what this could be but I have been fearful somehow a tickborne infection has resurfaced. Is it possible? I got the full Tickborne panel at Igenex and the only thing that shows high current and active infection is RMSF and R.Typhii.<–What is that? I am back on Doxy but the ear pain and pressure and left-side head numbness and weirdness and brain fog are horrible. I have no idea what to do, but I can't live like this. Ideas?
I was encourage to hear you had improved for long periods. Nevertheless, is it so difficult to face a relapse or reinfection. The tests are not as reliable as I would like to diagnose a tick-borne infection or to be sure a tick-borne infection had resolved.
I’m a scientist and west nile encephalitis survivor. You would profit from joining the West Nile Virus Support Group on Facebook. And we would like to hear your story.