Lyme disease is an inflammatory disease caused by infection with the bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi. The bacteria that cause the disease are transmitted to humans through a bite by the black-legged tick, commonly called a deer tick. According to the American Lyme Disease Foundation, Lyme disease is the most common arthropod-borne disease. With over 150,000 cases reported in the United States since 1982, preventing and treating this potentially chronic disease is important.
Oral Antibiotics
Doctors at the Mayo Clinic report that when diagnosed in the early stages, Lyme disease can be effectively treated to a complete recovery. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the appearance of an expanding rash, which occurs as an early symptom in 70 to 80 percent of patients, is helpful for doctors to provide an accurate and early diagnosis.
Early stage Lyme disease is treated with oral antibiotics. The common oral antibiotics prescribed include doxycycline for adults and children over 8, amoxicillin and cefuroxime axetil. A 14 to 21 day dosing cycle is usually recommended for effective treatment according to the Mayo Clinic.
Intravenous Antibiotics
If Lyme disease is not diagnosed early, the bacteria infect more of the body and cause additional symptoms, such as arthritis-like joint swelling and pain and tingling of the hands and feet. In severe cases the bacteria can cause meningitis, which involves swelling of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord that can lead to cognitive impairment such as difficulty concentrating and memory loss.
In these cases intravenous antibiotics, such as penicillin, may be required to provide effective treatment. Late stage Lyme disease can be difficult to treat, according to the American Lyme Disease Foundation, and may require several courses of intravenous antibiotics or a mixture of intravenous and oral antibiotics.
Alternative Therapies
Because the symptoms such as fatigue, muscle aches and joint pain may occur in a variety of illnesses, accurate diagnosis of Lyme disease can be difficult, and that can lead patients to seek alternative therapies that may or may not be effective.
Colloidal silver, a suspension made from silver particles in a liquid, is often marketed as a cure-all for many different illnesses, including Lyme disease. Although the scientist who discovered the bacteria that causes Lyme disease reported that a pilot study showed colloidal silver killed the bacteria in test tubes, there is no evidence of its effectiveness in treating the disease, as reported by Quackwatch.
Some who practice alternative medicine have used bismacine, also called chromacine, to treat Lyme disease. Bismacine, a product manufactured as a treatment for Lyme disease, is not a pharmaceutical and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warns against using this injectable product. Bismacine contains a high level of bismuth, a heavy metal used orally to treat the bacteria that causes stomach ulcers. When injected; however, it is not safe and the FDA reports there have been serious adverse events, including one hospitalization and one death attributed to this treatment.
