Lyme Science Blog

Mold Treatment and Lyme Disease: What Patients Need to Know Mold treatment and Lyme disease are often discussed together—but focusing on mold alone may miss the bigger problem. Many patients are told that mold toxicity is the primary cause of their symptoms. But in clinical practice, treating mold without addressing a persistent tick-borne infection rarely […]

A Patient’s Story from the South My patient from Florida looked me straight in the eye and said, “But Lyme doesn’t exist down here, right?” That’s what she’d been told—by more than one doctor. She had a rash. Fatigue. Joint pain. Classic signs of Lyme disease. But instead of being tested or treated, she was

Babesia Negative Tests: Why Treatment May Still Be Needed TEST NEGATIVE—BUT STILL SYMPTOMS? COULD IT BE BABESIA? What does it mean when a Babesia test is negative—but symptoms persist? Quick Answer: Babesia tests can miss active infections. False negatives are common, and some patients improve with treatment despite negative results. Clinical Insight: When symptoms strongly

Tick Mouthparts Left in Skin: What to Do and Lyme Disease Risk Quick Answer: If a tick’s mouthparts stay in your skin, it usually does not increase the risk of Lyme disease. In most cases, the body will naturally push the material out over time without complications. This situation—tick mouthparts left in skin—is common after

Fear of a Herxheimer Reaction in Lyme Disease: What Patients Should Know Fear of a Herxheimer reaction is common among patients beginning Lyme disease treatment. Many worry that worsening symptoms mean the treatment is harmful rather than part of the healing process. Fear of a Herxheimer reaction often arises when symptoms worsen after starting treatment,

Lyme Arthritis: Is Persistent Joint Pain Debris or Ongoing Infection? Can Lyme disease cause persistent joint pain after treatment? New research suggests the answer may be more complex than previously thought. For years, persistent joint inflammation after antibiotic treatment was believed to reflect an overactive immune response to leftover bacterial debris—not ongoing infection. But emerging

Babesia Lyme Treatment Failure: Why Patients Stay Sick After Lyme Lyme treatment may not tell the full story Symptoms can persist despite antibiotics Babesia is often the missing diagnosis Quick Answer: Babesia Lyme treatment failure occurs when a Babesia co-infection is not treated. Lyme antibiotics do not eliminate Babesia, leading to persistent symptoms such as

Can one doxycycline dose really stop Lyme disease? When a patient walks into my office after a tick bite, they often ask: “Isn’t one dose of doxycycline enough to prevent Lyme disease?” That belief traces back to a 2001 study that has, unfortunately, shaped Lyme disease treatment guidelines. But what most people don’t realize is

Feeling Worse After Antibiotics? A Lyme Disease Treatment Adjustment FEELING WORSE AFTER ANTIBIOTICS? WHEN LESS MAY HELP Some Lyme disease patients feel worse after starting antibiotics—not better. In certain cases, adjusting the dose rather than stopping treatment altogether may help patients tolerate therapy and continue improving. He was ready to quit treatment. The antibiotics were

Can You Have Neurologic Lyme Disease With a Normal Spinal Tap? When Normal Test Results Hide Active Disease “My spinal tap was normal—so why am I still sick?” This is one of the most confusing and frustrating moments for patients with suspected neurologic Lyme disease. The reality is this: spinal tap results are often normal—even