Chronic Lyme disease is not wholly recognized by medical community members, but for those who have Lyme disease, the name is less important than the symptoms. Finding effective treatments for recurrent nerve pain, joint pain, chronic fatigue and other afflictions is important. By studying the strategies for treatment, chronic Lyme disease sufferers can have a broader understanding of their options.
Antibiotics
Antibiotic courses are the traditional response to Lyme disease, according to MayoClinic.com and the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Organization. In an extended prescription guide written for the Infectious Diseases Society of America in the "Chicago Journals," a team of researchers recommended various types of antibiotics for chronic Lyme disease sufferers. Antibiotic treatments were to be repeated as needed indefinitely at intervals if symptoms persisted, with amoxicillin, doxycycline and cefuroxime as the top choices for antibiotic prescriptions, although penicillin was also recommended in severe cases.
The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases has funded several studies on prolonged and/or repeated antibiotics courses for chronic cases. Conducted between 2001 and 2008, these studies found that while short-term antibiotic treatment courses (defined as 28 days or fewer) consistently helped symptoms, there was not a consistent long-term benefit from extended antibiotic treatments.
Nearly 40 percent of participants in the 2008 study had documented placebo effect results. For many in the study, pain remained--as did impairment in brain function. In addition, 26 percent of study participants reported adverse effects of long-term antibiotic courses.
Angiotensin Receptor Blockers
According to Autoimmunity Research, angiotensin receptor blockers can be used to treat symptoms of chronic Lyme disease. Researchers have linked sarcoidosis (the inflammation of lymph nodes and other tissues) to Lyme disease and determined that the same medicine may be used to prevent both.
Alternative Medicine Paths
MayoClinic.com notes that there are a number of alternative or complementary medicine options available for symptoms of chronic Lyme disease. One such treatment, Bismacine, also known as Chromacine, is not recommended explicitly by MayoClinic.com due to a link with kidney failure, but other options for alternative treatments are not specifically disadvised.
According to the Autoimmunity Research Group, some alternative treatments which may help with the symptoms of fatigue, pain, and inflammation association with chronic Lyme disease include herbal supplements like evening primrose oil, DMAE, and borage as well as alternative medical treatments like colloidal silver and RIFE machines.
References
- Autoimmunity Research: Chronic Lyme Disease
- Chicago Journals: Clinical Infectious Diseases
- International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society: Lyme Disease Treatment Guidelines
- MayoClinic.com: Lyme Disease: Treatments and Drugs
- National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases: Chronic Lyme Disease
