Lyme disease is one of the most misunderstood and misinterpreted diseases in the world today. This is a strange fact since some estimates of occurrences place it at about 200,000 cases which places it at epidemic proportions. As it stands, confirmed cases have been steadily rising over the past decade making it a far worse problem than the media babies of the swine flu and West Nile among other things. Why is it so out of focus in the media and for medical practitioners? The film Under Our Skin does probe some of the complexities and politics behind this gap. But there are reasons for the marginalization of Lyme disease that are easily remedied with a little education and a little brain power. Here are some myths that we need to debunk before we can move forward and boost the numbers of people who can be healed with the right kind of treatment.
Lyme Disease is Easily Diagnosed
The IDSA guidelines approach Lyme rather simplistically. In those guidelines all you need is a blood test and a rash to diagnose along with other clinical symptoms. After that, "Treatment usually involves 10-28 days of oral antibiotics and is highly effective. When Lyme disease is diagnosed and treated quickly, 95 percent of people are cured within a few weeks of treatment." Yet these guidelines make absolutely no mention of another set of guidelines arguing for more aggressive treatment and more nuanced ways to diagnose. In one study, only 65% of patients with microbiological confirmation of Lyme through testing of the erythema migrans rash (aka "bulls-eye") tested positive with what is called a Western Blot test – a test not common in most medical practices or lab facilities. Of these patients a significant minority experienced recurrent symptoms up to a year later that were reduced with more antibiotic treatment. Obviously this sort of result is based on immediate response with treatment based on the presentation of the bulls-eye rash. However, for the estimated 20-40% of cases that do not present the rash and therefore do not get immediate testing, these results are obviously further complicated.
Lyme Disease is Easily Cured
The CDC offers an even simpler course of treatment than the IDSA further ignoring clear complications that persist in both diagnosis and treatment. The idea that Lyme disease can move from an acute illness like strep throat to a persistent and chronic illness that without equally persistent treatment becomes worse is at the center of a political battle. The IDSA insists that there is no such thing as chronic Lyme disease and insists that persistent symptoms must be due to some other problem, often psychosomatic. In other words, since there is no such thing as chronic Lyme disease, a patient insistent on persistent symptoms must have a mental problem. "There is no doubt that patients with persistent symptoms are suffering, but many report non-specific symptoms that also are associated with a number of other medical conditions." Further, as the IDSA argues, "In more than 20 years there has not been one scientifically valid study published in the peer-reviewed medical literature that proves that the benefit of long-term antibiotic treatment outweighs the risk." Yet according to many, we must question what they mean by "not one scientifically valid study." Ignoring other studies and not confirming them at all does not mean that one's assertions are therefore factual.
Lyme Disease is not "Chronic"
As the above clearly shows, symptoms persist and worsen in enough patients that we must question the validity of this assertion. Using a psychosomatic diagnosis as a baseline to describe these instances is plainly irresponsible. There is clearly more evidence of persistent, chronic Lyme than required to question the validity of defaulting to the "it must be something else" dogma. If it is both more difficult to detect than we once believed and more difficult to treat and cure than we once believed, it is only reasonable to assume that the clinical evidence presented to date raises significant doubt that the IDSA has got it right. If they are looking for "scientifically valid" in terms of lab cultures and serology, it is reasonable to assume that this cannot account for the whole picture based on the clear evidence that Lyme is very difficult to detect.
Once the Bacteria that Causes Lyme is Killed Off, You are Cured!
The bacteria that causes Lyme has a lot of friends that research is uncovering more and more. This is part of the reason why diagnosis and treatment are difficult. Even if all of the Lyme bacteria are out of one's system, there is no guarantee that all infections as a result of the treatment are cured as well.
Lyme Disease is Only in Some States
While it is true that cases of Lyme are reported more in the North east than other places, cases have been reported virtually everywhere in the US and in many other countries along the northern hemisphere – where ticks are prevalent. Some, even many, medical practitioners will dismiss a Lyme diagnosis due to geographical location. As with any other disease or infection, in a world in which goods and people are moving across very flexible geographic boundaries, we cannot rely on information regarding limits to where cases may or may not occur. The fact is that it has popped up everywhere and will continue to do so. Making a bad assumption on geography is a big problem for those who have been bitten. A bad assumption is a bad gamble.
Lyme Disease is Like Arthritis
While this is true for many Lyme infected persons, it is not the whole story. The list of symptoms vary according to where the bacteria congregate in the body at a given time. Fatigue, chronic soreness, cognitive dysfunction, blurry vision, and numerous other symptoms that go undetected to the naked eye also persist. No two Lyme infected persons look the same or exhibit the same exact set of issues. Just because someone looks OK, does not mean that they are.
The most important piece is that if you have Lyme, think you have Lyme, or are embarrassed by it, it is time to put all the myths aside and get a proper evaluation by someone who knows the degrees of difficulty that this disease can cause. You are not crazy. You are not stupid. But you might think you are based on what you have been told by people who are just not informed. This is why the public needs to learn more about what this is, the massive extent that is is affecting lives, and spread the word.
No related posts.
