Lyme disease is a complicated topic.
It is an infection, and it can come along with other infections. We can get it from ticks, spiders, fleas, and animal bites. Symptoms can range from a mild flu like illness to chronic pain and neurological problems that cause one to become bedridden. It can completely turn your life upside down. Lyme disease is known as one of the great masqueraders as it often goes undiagnosed, and is mistaken for many other diseases. As with many other conditions the best treatment for Lyme is prevention. It is important that we all know how to protect ourselves and can recognize the signs as we venture out into our beautiful surroundings here in Northern California.
Many of us mistakenly believe that Lyme disease is just an east coast problem.
I have bad news, it is here and thriving in California. Lyme disease is also sneaky, you may get infected with Lyme at any time during your life (that summer trip to Maine when you were a kid for example) and not know that you have it. It can then emerge and become symptomatic years later.
Lyme Fight Foundation – Our Local Advocates
We are lucky here in the Sacramento region to have the Lyme Fight Foundation. They are an up and coming organization that is promoting awareness and providing assistance for those suffering with Lyme disease. Testing and treatment is often very expensive and, due to lack of recognition of this issue by conventional medical providers, insurance does not help much with the cost.
Lyme Fight Foundation recently made a generous donation to one of my very sick patients to pay for testing so that we could determine if she is suffering from a tick borne illness. The testing came back positive, now we have a diagnosis! Thank you Lyme Fight for helping some of our most vulnerable and sick patients get answers and help. Lyme Fight will be holding a fundraising and awareness event in May – stay tuned for details! Please join us!