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Laurie Martin

Laurie Martin
hands, elderly

Atypical symptoms of Lyme disease: numbness, paresthesia and abdominal wall weakness

“A 58-year-old woman was seen in the outpatient neurology clinic of this hospital in early autumn because of hypoesthesia [numbness], paresthesia, and weakness,” writes Reda and colleagues in a paper describing atypical symptoms of Lyme disease. Her initial symptoms began 10 weeks prior with back pain occurring between her shoulders. But the pain resolved without

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woman with subacute transverse myelitis getting eye exam

Subacute transverse myelitis caused by Borrelia infection

Subacute transverse myelitis is a neurologic syndrome caused by inflammation of the spinal cord.  It can be caused by various infections, including Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacteria causing Lyme disease. Immune system disorders, vascular and other inflammatory disorders can also trigger the condition which damages or destroys myelin, an insulating substance that surrounds nerves, including those in

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tired young man leaning on wall who has heart block from lyme disease

Lyme disease infection triggers heart block in young man

If left untreated, Lyme disease can progress causing heart block and other cardiac problems, such as cardiomyopathy and myocarditis “due to spirochete infiltration of cardiac and pericardial structures,” according to the authors of a newly published case report.¹ “Clinical suspicion of early disseminated Lyme carditis is essential in patients presenting with new-onset high-degree AV [heart]

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Adolescent with Lyme disease and depression holding his head

Lyme disease and depression case

One study found a high prevalence of depression in Lyme disease patients. Between January 2008 and December 2014, 1 in 5 patients treated at the Lyme Center Apeldoorn in the Netherlands was diagnosed with depression and Lyme disease. ¹ Meanwhile, Dr. Robert Bransfield, a psychiatrist specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of tick-borne illnesses, reports “In my

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Lyme disease diagnosing

Atypical findings in Lyme disease makes diagnosing difficult

Lyme disease can present with a broad range of symptoms. Many of them are familiar to clinicians. But in some cases, a patient may exhibit atypical symptoms, including rashes other than the well-known “bull’s eye” rash. These unique presentations of Lyme disease can make diagnosing the illness particularly difficult. For instance, Sharma reports, “Our case

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Patient with POTS and brain fog writing on hand "don't forget"

POTS patients with brain fog have neurocognitive deficits

A recent study by Wells and colleagues ¹ confirms findings from previous studies which demonstrated that POTS patients with brain fog have impaired short-term memory and diminished alertness. POTS is characterized by a substantial increase in heart rate and sometimes a drop in blood pressure when the individual stands up. This can cause lightheadedness, heart

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woman with stomach pain from gastrointestinal lyme disease

Are gastrointestinal problems in Lyme disease due to autonomic dysfunction?

Gastrointestinal symptoms in Lyme disease patients can be fairly common. For decades studies have reported B. burgdorferi bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract of Lyme patients. In fact, a 1999 study found “the presence of Lyme disease in the gastrointestinal tract when confirmed by PCR for B. burgdorferi DNA in 14 of 20 patients with the

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surgery, knee surgery, doctors

Lyme arthritis following an operation – 5 cases

Hess and colleagues discuss 5 cases, reported in the literature, in which Lyme arthritis following an operation. [1] Case 1 The first case they cite involved a 38-year-old woman who had undergone knee surgery. She had a “bone-patellar tendon-bone reconstruction of her anterior cruciate ligament along with a staged autologous chondrocyte transplantation to repair a

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