What You Need to Know About Borrelia burgdorferi

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Borrelia burgdorferi is the bacteria that causes Lyme disease. This bacteria is persistent and difficult to treat, causing confusion amongst the medical community. Even worse, Lyme disease affects the entire body and is very difficult to diagnose.

With nearly half a million cases of Lyme reported each year, it is more important than ever to know about Borrelia burgdorferi.

How is Borrelia burgdorferi spread?

  1. burgdorferi is primarily transmitted through the bite of blacklegged ticks who carry the disease. While many report other ways of infection, such as in utero, it is most commonly spread when outdoors or when pets bring outdoor ticks into the home.

What are the symptoms of Lyme disease?

Common symptoms include flu-like symptoms, such as: fever, headache, fatigue, nausea, joint pain, muscle pain, cognitive decline, and a rash called erythema migrans (bullseye rash) when first infected.

A bullseye rash is a circular red rash that appears as a bullseye shape or solid circle. Usually within the first week or so, a rash will appear as a clear indicator that you’ve been bitten by a tick. However, only half of people recall a bullseye rash.

The rash is more than just redness but does not usually itch or cause pain. Size and placement can vary, as well, spanning between two and twelve or more inches and appearing at the site of the tick bite.

When Lyme is not properly treated, persistent symptoms occur. These symptoms can affect every part of the body and include cardiovascular concerns

Learn more about the symptoms of Lyme disease.

What is the difference between Lyme and Chronic Lyme?

Chronic Lyme occurs when persistent Lyme bacteria continues to live and wreak havoc in the body. While many with Lyme disease are fine after initial treatment, that cannot be said for the many who develop chronic symptoms.

Chronic Lyme symptoms are often more severe than that of the early-stage Lyme and although they are treatable, they become more and more challenging to effectively manage.

Why is Lyme so difficult to treat?

If the first round or two of antibiotics fail to kill off the infection, they most likely will never succeed. According to the New England Journal of Medicine, using antibiotics for a prolonged period can be harmful.Borrelia burgdorferi is a master of adaptation and, if left untreated, will do everything in its power to survive. Battling this bacterium in all its forms is key to getting rid of it once and for all.

How do you treat Lyme disease?

Treating Lyme disease can be tricky. Often, these symptoms stop after a round or two of antibiotics. For many people, these symptoms persist for months or even years after antibiotics have been taken.

Silver has been shown to make antibiotics 1,000 times more effective. In fact, it has even been shown to kill antibiotic resistant bacteria.

Borrelia burgdorferi and its unique spirochete structure can cause more damage to the body than we can keep up with. Knowing how it spreads and how to treat this bacteria is key to overcoming Lyme disease.

Learn more about the basics of Lyme disease here.