Find a Lyme Doctor Using Telemedicine

It can be difficult to find a Lyme doctor who treats patients who do not live in an endemic area or have a history of a tick bite.

It can also be difficult to find a doctor when a person presents with non-specific manifestations of Lyme disease, which may include:

• Neuropsychiatric Lyme disease
• Pediatric neuropsychiatric disorders – PANS
• Lyme carditis
• Autonomic dysfunction – POTS
• Post-treatment Lyme fatigue – Post-Lyme disease
• Neuropathic pain
• Persistent symptoms after Lyme disease
• Concurrent co-infections
• “Post-Treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome”

In addition, it can be difficult to find a doctor who will treat a Lyme disease patient with a negative blood test.

Finally, it can be difficult to find a doctor who will continue to treat the disease if you fail a single 4-week course of antibiotics.

Telemedicine has taken off with the COVID-19 pandemic to help prevent spreading the virus in medical offices. But with its introduction, Lyme disease patients may also benefit.

Patients who suffer from Lyme disease symptoms have, until now, been forced to travel long distances to find specialists to treat the disease or have been left to live with ongoing, sometimes disabling, symptoms.

Telemedicine may offer the opportunity for patients, who possibly have Lyme disease, to meet virtually online with doctors who specialize in treating tick-borne diseases.

A Lyme doctor, sometimes referred to as a Lyme literate doctor, recognize that Lyme disease and other co-infections may occur even in patients who live in non-endemic regions; who don’t recall a tick bite; who do not meet the strict CDC criteria for diagnosis; who have a negative Western blot test; and who remain ill despite treatment with a single course of antibiotics.

Telemedicine Examples

Hatcher-Martin and colleagues described the use of telemedicine in individuals with a concussion, mild traumatic brain injury (TBI), dementia, epilepsy, movement disorder, multiple sclerosis, and inpatient general neurology in the journal Neurology.

“Telemedicine can also enable earlier access to specialized care, removed the burdens of travel, and patient satisfaction,” wrote Hatcher-Martin.

A Cochrane systematic review found telemedicine as effective as in-person visits in chronic conditions, such as diabetes and congestive heart failure. In fact, the Veteran’s Administration has successfully used telemedicine for chronic disease settings such as mental health, dermatology, hypertension, and heart failure.

Infectious disease (ID) specialists successfully used telemedicine for patients with pneumonia, urinary tract infection, sepsis, bacteremia, endocarditis, skin and soft tissue infections, and upper respiratory infections.

“Based on the available, albeit limited, evidence, telemedicine ID consultation seems comparable to standard of care for the clinical outcomes of mortality, length of stay, readmission, adherence, cost, and antimicrobial use,” wrote Burnham and colleagues in the journal Systematic Reviews.

Clinical Takeaway

Finding a Lyme doctor can be difficult when you don’t live in an endemic area, lack a history of tick bite, or present with non-specific manifestations like neuropsychiatric symptoms, PANS, Lyme carditis, POTS, post-treatment fatigue, neuropathic pain, persistent symptoms, co-infections, or “Post-Treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome.” It’s also challenging to find doctors who will treat patients with negative blood tests or continue treatment after a single 4-week antibiotic course fails. Telemedicine, which expanded with the COVID-19 pandemic, offers new opportunities for Lyme disease patients who previously had to travel long distances to specialists or lived with ongoing, sometimes disabling symptoms without care. Telemedicine enables patients with possible Lyme disease to meet virtually with doctors who specialize in tick-borne diseases. A Lyme doctor—sometimes called a Lyme literate doctor—recognizes that Lyme disease and co-infections may occur even in patients from non-endemic regions, without tick bite recall, who don’t meet strict CDC diagnostic criteria, have negative Western blot tests, or remain ill despite single-course antibiotic treatment. Research supports telemedicine effectiveness: Hatcher-Martin and colleagues described its use for concussion, traumatic brain injury, dementia, epilepsy, movement disorders, multiple sclerosis, and general neurology, noting that “telemedicine can enable earlier access to specialized care, remove burdens of travel, and increase patient satisfaction.” A Cochrane systematic review found telemedicine as effective as in-person visits for chronic conditions like diabetes and congestive heart failure. The Veterans Administration successfully uses telemedicine for mental health, dermatology, hypertension, and heart failure. Infectious disease specialists have used telemedicine successfully for pneumonia, urinary tract infections, sepsis, bacteremia, endocarditis, skin and soft tissue infections, and upper respiratory infections. Burnham and colleagues wrote that “telemedicine ID consultation seems comparable to standard of care for clinical outcomes of mortality, length of stay, readmission, adherence, cost, and antimicrobial use.” If you’ve been unable to receive Lyme disease treatment because you haven’t met CDC criteria, increasing telemedicine availability may provide opportunities for consultation with a Lyme doctor that were previously unavailable.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I find a Lyme doctor using telemedicine?

Yes. Telemedicine enables patients to meet virtually with doctors who specialize in tick-borne diseases. This is especially beneficial for patients who don’t live in endemic areas, lack tick bite history, have negative tests, or failed single-course antibiotic treatment.

Will a Lyme doctor treat me via telemedicine if I have a negative test?

Many Lyme literate doctors recognize that Lyme disease may occur even with negative Western blot tests. They use clinical judgment beyond strict CDC criteria and are often willing to evaluate and treat patients through telemedicine consultations.

Is telemedicine as effective as in-person visits for Lyme disease?

Research shows telemedicine is as effective as in-person visits for chronic conditions and infectious disease consultations. For Lyme disease, telemedicine enables earlier access to specialized care and removes travel burdens while maintaining comparable outcomes.

What types of Lyme disease manifestations can be treated via telemedicine?

Telemedicine can address neuropsychiatric Lyme disease, PANS, Lyme carditis, POTS, post-treatment fatigue, neuropathic pain, persistent symptoms, co-infections, and Post-Treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome. Specialists can evaluate, diagnose, and manage these complex presentations virtually.

How do I find a Lyme doctor who offers telemedicine?

Organizations like ILADS (International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society) maintain referral networks of Lyme literate doctors, many of whom now offer telemedicine. Search for doctors who specialize in tick-borne diseases and specifically offer virtual consultations.

References

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3. Muehlenbachs A, Bollweg BC, Schulz TJ, et al. Cardiac Tropism of Borrelia burgdorferi: An Autopsy Study of Sudden Cardiac Death Associated with Lyme Carditis. Am J Pathol. 2016;186(5):1195-1205.
4. Kanjwal K, Karabin B, Kanjwal Y, Grubb BP. Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome following Lyme disease. Cardiol J. 2011;18(1):63-66.
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