Summer is here, and people are beginning to spend more time outdoors, enjoying the warmth and sunshine. However, Lyme disease has been consistently on the rise for several years. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Lyme disease to be affecting up to 300,000 people each year with the majority of the cases occurring in the Northeast. In fact, about 50,000 of these cases come from the state of Massachusetts alone. These worrying statistics make Lyme prevention and precautions necessary for everyone to know and utilize.
Lyme disease is contracted through the bite of a deer tick, transferring the bacteria called Borrelia burgdorferi. Typically, after the initial bite, a bull’s-eye shaped rash appears on the skin where the bite occurred. However, the bulls-eye rash does not always appear. Soon physical and neurological symptoms may begin, which can affect the nervous system, heart, and joints.
Ensure the safety of your family this summer by carefully reviewing this list of ways to prevent infection.
If you are concerned that you may have been infected with Lyme disease, free tests are available here!
Lyme has the ability to cause a large number of neurobehavioral and neurocognitive problems, including:
- Forgetfulness
- Memory loss
- Problems with information storage
- Information retrieval
- Word retrieval
- Understanding numbers
- Forgetting how to perform a task
- Dyslexia-like reversals
- Leaving out letters and or words
- Difficulty with writing
- Trouble organizing speech and/or writing
- Slowed, slurred or stammering speech
- Difficulty with concentration
- Difficulty reading or spelling
- Confusion
- Difficulty thinking
- Brain fog
- Attention deficit problems
- Distractibility
- Poor school or work performance
- Changes in vision, difficulty focusing, eye tracking and other visual functions
Emotionally, Lyme can cause:
- Mood swings
- Irritability
- Extreme agitation
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Malaise
- Loss of motivation
- Problems initiating activities and/or assignments or projects
- Sleep disturbance
- Difficulty falling asleep
- Difficulty staying asleep
- Obsessive compulsive disorders
- Aggressive behavior
- Impulsive behavior
- Violence
- Low tolerance for frustration p
- Panic attacks
- Suicidal thoughts
- Seizures
Neurofeedback can improve these symptoms effectively, making day to day life manageable for those suffering from Lyme disease. However, since our philosophy of treatment is “corrective care”, and since Lyme can be a progressive disorder, it is best to obtain definitive treatment from a good Lyme literate physician first.
Image from: http://www.lymedisease.org/lyme-basics/lyme-disease/symptoms/