Conventional treatment has proven largely ineffective in treating the pain and fatigue associated with Lyme Disease. Many patients are labeled with Chronic Fatigue, or “It’s all in their head”. The cause, Borrelia burgdorferi is a spiral-shaped bacterium similar in shape and appearance to the spirochete which causes Syphilis, is transferred to the host from a tick bite or other means. It is often accompanied by the Babesia microti parasite, the Ehrlichia bacteria which play havoc with the immune systems, and Bartonella. Lyme patients generally display a particular set of symptoms that have been defined into three progressive stages:

Stage I Symptoms: (early infection – one to four weeks) 60 to 90% of Borrelia burgdorferi infections cause a “bulls-eye” rash around the area where the tick bite occurred. This rash can appear from one to four weeks following the bite. The rash is called an erythema chronicum migrans (ECM). Such a rash is usually a sure sign of Lyme Disease. Because the rash is not associated with pain, itching or other discomfort it is easily ignored. Other flu-like symptoms can be more pronounced, such as chills, fever, recurrent headaches, or fatigue, joint and muscle pains, loss of appetite.

Stage II Symptoms: (intermediate infection – one to four months) Several weeks or months following the tick bite 5 to 10 percent of those infected with Borrelia may experience transient heart dysfunction. Such symptoms can exist undetected by the patient, but are apparent to a physician under close observation. These heart irregularities usually persist for a week to ten days and then disappear. In addition, neurological abnormalities may begin to show. These include headaches, profound fatigue, Meningitis, cranial nerve problems (neuropathies) including facial palsies. Sensory and motor nerve problems have also been observed.

Stage III Symptoms: (late persistent infection) If Lyme Disease is not treated promptly following infection there is a strong danger that severe ‘arthritic’ symptoms will develop. These manifestations will relate to the joints, nerves, skin and brain.