Sending prayers to police officers who fought for country and the vote happened. Each officer faught for their lives and the public during an non-succeesful Government take-over or thier life, many officeries were injured that day.
Melinda
“Forever chemicals” are synthetic compounds found in products like non-stick pans, waterproof clothing, dental floss and more items
Researchers have found a new link between exposure to “forever chemicals” — synthetic compounds found in non-stick pans, waterproof clothing, dental floss and more items — and one lifelong health condition.
A new study, published in the scientific journal Environment International, found that people exposed to two major environmental toxins — known as perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) — are more likely to be diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, or MS.
“We saw that several individual substances, such as PFOS and two hydroxylated PCBs [substances that arise when PCBs are broken down in the body], were linked to increased odds for MS,” Kim Kultima, who led the Sweden-based study, said in a press release.
“People with the highest concentrations of PFOS and PCBs had approximately twice as high odds of being diagnosed with MS, compared with those with the lowest concentrations,” she added.
According to the Mayo Clinic, multiple sclerosis is a chronic autoimmune disease that causes a breakdown of the protective covering of nerves, causing numbness, weakness, trouble walking, vision changes and other symptoms.
MS causes an interruption in communication between the brain and the rest of the body, and can eventually lead to permanent damage of the nerve fibers.
In this study, researchers analyzed blood samples from 900 people who had been recently diagnosed with MS, and compared them to samples from people who do not have MS.
Kultima and her team then measured the toxin levels in each group’s blood samples, using statistical models see how chemical exposure corresponded with the odds of developing MS. According to the study, people are often exposed to a mixture chemicals at the same time, so researchers also investigated how exposure to more than one toxin affected them.
“We could then see that an increase in total exposure was linked to higher odds of MS, even after adjusting for previously known lifestyle and genetic risk factors,” said Aina Vaivade, the first author of the study.
The final phase of the study also explored the relationship between genetics, chemical exposure and the odds of being diagnosed with MS.
Researchers found that people who carry a certain gene variant have a reduced risk of MS. People who carry the gene and participated in the study saw “unexpected increased odds” of being diagnosed with MS when they had higher PFOS exposure.
“This indicates that there is a complex interaction between inheritance and environmental exposure linked to the odds of MS,” Kultima added.
Melinda
Reference:
It’s almost a reflex: You have an ache or pain, so you reach for an over-the-counter (OTC) pain medication. But as routine as this behavior is, not everyone should casually take pain medications, as there can be potential negative interactions.
For example, people with kidney damage or reduced kidney function might not be able to use every OTC pain medication. Let’s look at why and what you can safely do for pain relief.
Before taking any pain medication, you should speak with your physician or a health professional to determine any possible interactions or risks that you might encounter.
For people with kidney disease, aspirin can increase the risk of bleeding. And in those with reduced kidney function, aspirin is not recommended unless prescribed by a physician. The recommended alternative can vary depending on the type and severity of kidney problems that you have.
Often, acetaminophen (Tylenol) is the preferred alternative. But it’s encouraged that you use the lowest dose possible that still manages pain or fever symptoms, decreasing doses gradually. And likewise, you should not exceed more than 3,000 milligrams per day.
Alternatively, if an OTC acetaminophen drug doesn’t control pain symptoms, a physician may suggest a temporary prescription alternative like tramadol. In its immediate release form, tramadol can be used in individuals with chronic kidney disease (CKD) or end stage renal disease (ESRD).
However, extended release dosing for tramadol is not recommended for people with advanced CKD or ESRD.
Similar to people with kidney disease, transplant recipients should only consider acetaminophen to manage post-operative pain symptoms. Again, best practices include using the lowest dose possible and never exceeding 3,000 milligrams per day.
The short answer to this question is, it depends. If a patient has kidney stones with no underlying renal issues, then any OTC pain medication can be used to manage the pain symptoms associated with passing a kidney stone.
This includes ibuprofen, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and acetaminophen. Multiple studies and reviews have consistently shown positive patient outcomes when using OTC medications of all types to treat pain associated with renal colic or passing a kidney stone.
However, if someone also has impaired kidney function and kidney stones, NSAIDs are not recommended. A physician will provide the best guidance, but typically, sticking with acetaminophen is the best choiceTrusted Source for managing kidney stone pain when you have kidney disease or impaired kidney function.
Misusing any pain medication can increase your risk of kidney damage. This includes aspirin, ibuprofen, acetaminophen, NSAIDs, and of course, prescription opioid medications. The most common risks center around consuming too high a dose or taking medications for longer than recommended.
But of all the OTC pain medication categories, NSAIDs pose the greatest risk of continuous kidney damage. Specifically, these medications can increase the risk of progressive kidney damage or sudden kidney failure.
A 2019 studyTrusted Source involving over 764,000 U.S. Army officers found that participants who were prescribed more than seven daily doses of NSAIDs per month had an increase in the potential for an acute or chronic kidney disease diagnosis.
Regardless of whether you have a diagnosed kidney disorder or have healthy kidney function, OTC medications should be used with care.
Excessive use by consuming too high a dose or for prolonged periods can lead to a variety of health problems throughout your body — including damage to the kidneys.
For people with kidney disease or impaired kidney function, avoiding NSAIDs unless directed by a physician is the safest way to avoid further harm. Instead, opt for acetaminophen and be sure to use the lowest dose for the shortest period to control pain symptoms.
And when in doubt, speak with a physician or health professional before taking an OTC pain medication.
I have Stage 3 Chronic Kidney Dieases and it is hard to deal with pain when you can’t take NSAIDS and choose not to take pain pills. Ice works well for the short term.
Melinda
Reference:
You’ve probably heard the term or worse yet suffer from Painsomnia yourself. If the term is new to you, here’s the short version. A person experiences insomnia due to pain preventing them from falling asleep or staying asleep.
“Sleep helps our bodies rest and heal, so good-quality sleep is vital for people with chronic illnesses. However, painsomnia can make a good night of sleep feel like a pipe dream. Fortunately, medical researchers are starting to learn more about the condition and how patients can cope.”
I have the type of Painsomnia that keeps me up after waking from pain and makes it impossible to go back to sleep. My sleep medicine has worn off by then and no it’s just pain against sleep, and sleep rarely wins.
I have tried several hacks to help go back to sleep with mixed results. I have an essential oil stick with a Lavander fragrance that’s supposed to relax you but I can’t tell it does any good. The one item that has worked this past week is Delta 8 gummies. I take one right after waking up and they do relieve stress and keep my mind from wondering allowing me to go back to sleep.
I have to point out that I’m living without pain medication right now so it can be a challenge when I have to sleep on my shoulders and hips. No back or stomach sleeping for me.
The MD Anderson Sleep Center recommends that people adopt new habits into their nightly routine. These habits help form the foundation for good sleep hygiene:
If you have trouble sleeping, your healthcare provider may prescribe sleep aids or encourage you to try over-the-counter medications. These drugs can help regulate your circadian rhythm and lull you into slumber. Melatonin supplements help regulate your sleep cycle.9
A study from Cureus journal found that ashwagandha, a medicinal herb, can help people fall and stay asleep.10
Prescription drugs may include benzodiazepines, which are often used to treat anxiety and insomnia. Before you try any new supplements or prescriptions, make sure to consult your healthcare provider.
Cognitive-behavioral therapy is a treatment that encourages people to rethink and change their behaviors. For people with insomnia, cognitive behavioral therapy may help,11
For example, a person without a sleep routine can work with a therapist to start better habits before bed. If anxious thoughts are keeping you up at night, cognitive behavioral techniques can teach you to stop those spiraling thoughts and focus on other, more restful thoughts.
If your painsomnia makes you feel helpless, those worries can make it even harder for you to get sleep. You may blame yourself or blame your body if you’re struggling with painsomnia. Cognitive behavioral therapy can help you cope with some of that frustration.
While hypnotherapy is not a proven cure for painsomnia, some researchers have found that hypnosis might improve insomnia.12Hypnotherapy is an alternative medicine where practitioners use hypnosis and the power of suggestion to guide patients through various concerns.
Hypnotherapy is not a replacement for your healthcare provider or your current medications. Some researchers describe hypnotherapy as a sort of placebo. In either case, hypnosis can lull you into deep relaxation. This relaxation may help people with painsomnia fall asleep.
Melinda
Ref:
https://www.verywellhealth.com/painsomnia-5093183
Repost
I wanted to share my painful two-year journey with you in hopes some of you will have the same problem and be a blessing to get treatment like I did.
Everyone’s migraine story is different. I had maybe a half dozen migraines when out of the blue they hit me like a hammer. First, it was one to two days a week and not completely debilitating. After a very short period of time, they escalated to four or five a week and did start to impact my life.
My doctor had me take Beta-Blockers at first to help, boy that was terrible. My blog pressure got so low, that I could hardly lift my arms and legs and was having trouble driving. He changed me to a different type of preventative medication and gave me a full supply of Sumatratophan injections.
I was at the height of my career and daily migraines were dramatically impacting my ability to keep my client appointments, I had to often reschedule meetings. It took a good hour after an injection to get back on the road to pick up with my day.
This nightmare went on for two years, I don’t know how I stayed sane and kept my job. Let alone remain a top performer at my company.
During a follow-up appointment, my doctor said he’s just read an article on the plane about how your Sinuses can cause migraines. He referred me to an Ear, Nose, and Throat doctor and I found my answer. I had a Deviated Septum which was pressing on the nerves and causing the migraines. A simple day surgery corrected the problem and I’ve had very few since then.
This is just a note about nose surgery. I don’t know how they do it today since my migraines were during the ’90s. My doctor did not believe in packing the nose. Basically, I had to use these long Q-tips and put Vaseline way back in my nose several times a day. This is my preferred method.
Please forgive me if this doesn’t flow very well, I wrote this the day after returning home from the hospital and my mind wasn’t so clear. I hope you all make sense to you.
Melinda
Repost
Chronic pain–defined as ongoing pain that continues for longer than six months–is a common complaint of patients with persistent Lyme disease.
The CDC estimates that 20% of Americans currently live with chronic pain. Estimates range from 10% to 36% of Lyme patients who are diagnosed and treated early are left with chronic symptoms.
For the past 40 years, the medical definition of chronic pain was more narrowly defined, including only those patients with actual or potential tissue damage.
Recently, with the help of researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine, the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) has made a subtle but important change to the medical definition of pain.
The new definition, “An unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with, or resembling that associated with, actual or potential tissue damages,” is important as it includes the pain caused by an overstimulated nervous system, commonly associated with chronic pain.
This new more inclusive definition, if adopted by insurance providers, could have a positive impact on access to health care for disempowered and neglected populations.
If you suffer from chronic pain, you have likely been asked to rate your pain on a scale of 1-10. As much as you may dislike rating your pain, this information helps your medical provider gauge whether you are making progress with the current treatment plan, or not.
Having worked as a physical therapist for years, I found the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) works better than telling someone to simply “rate your pain on a scale of 0-10,” especially with children.
Because Lyme disease can affect every organ and system of the body, every patient may have a different set of complaints. While neck, joint and muscle pain are very common in early Lyme disease, there are many other types of pain when the disease becomes chronic.
For instance, allodynia is a type of pain that is caused by something that shouldn’t normally cause pain (eg. wind or light touch may feel like sandpaper or a burn.) Menstrual pain, bladder pain, testicular pain, bone pain, and widespread nerve pain are common in chronic Lyme patients.
When I explain pain to patients, I use the cup theory. Depending on your age, your brain, and your body, everyone has a different size cup—or a different capacity—for pain. We are each only capable of handling a certain amount of pain. Once your cup is full, you are essentially at a 10 out of 10 on your individual pain scale.
You may have a constant headache filling your cup 1/2 way (or 5:10 on your pain scale), and then your knee starts hurting pushing you up to a 7:10, and then your lower back spasms, and BOOM–your cup is full!
What I’ve found is that if we can help chronic pain patients empty their cup just a little, we can start to make progress. When my daughter was at her worst, I couldn’t get rid of her pain completely. However, if I could help lower her pain even a little bit, she was able to function. Here is some of what I learned along the way.
For six years, my daughter lived with chronic debilitating pain. Early symptoms included fever, neck stiffness and a migraine that would not subside. Two months later, she developed knee pain and swelling along with back and bone pain. Later, she said soles of her feet felt like she was walking on nails. Periodically, she suffered excruciating abdominal pain and nausea. And the list goes on…
The first year, she was too sick to leave the house, except for doctor and hospital visits. Luckily, as a Physical Therapist (PT), I could provide pain management treatment and modalities at home. Once she began to gain strength, after starting treatment for her infections, she started seeing an outpatient PT, who brought a whole new set of skills to the table. This also relieved me of my dual role as caretaker and healthcare provider—something I don’t recommend.
In the beginning, she was so weak I had to do everything for her. I would wheel her to the bathroom, bring her all her meals, help her get dressed–everything. The treatment I provided was limited to positioning for comfort, passive range of motion, gentle massage, hot/cold, taping/bracing, acupressure and craniosacral therapy. As she got stronger, she learned self-treatment techniques that she continues to use today.
Self-treatment approaches are generally low-cost and low-risk. You can do them on your own schedule in the comfort of your own home. It does require a commitment to changing your daily habits, but they can offer significant improvements in reducing pain and improving your quality of life.
Here are 12 things you can discuss as treatment options with your healthcare provider.
Most of the immune system originates in the gut. Literally, everything you put into your body is part of the healing process. Or not. You want to support the immune system without feeding inflammation. Fast food, artificial/processed foods, carbs, sugar, gluten, dairy and alcohol are common inflammatory triggers. In my mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS) series, I wrote about low histamine diets that help reduce the inflammation associated with MCAS.
When you’re in pain, it can be difficult to find a comfortable position. When my daughter was at her worst, she found it difficult to breath when she was lying flat. We added 4-inch wooden blocks under the feet at the head of her bed, and a large wedge pillow to elevate her head. When her back was hurting, it also helped to put a pillow under her knees.
You can get really creative with pillows. For instance, body pillows or “hug” pillows work well if you are a side sleeper.
While you are sitting, you may want to try out different size pillows or towel rolls for comfort. Putting a pillow on your lap to support your arms or one behind the small of your back may help. As a rule, you want to change positions every 30-60 minutes. This helps prevent pressure sores and muscle stiffness.
Some people find it worth their while to rent a hospital-type bed, where the head and/or feet can be elevated.
Wheelchairs, walkers, canes, bath/shower chairs, long-handled reachers (sometimes called grabbers) are all good examples of assistive devices. Items like tray tables, lap tables, bath caddies, tote bags or tinted reading glasses can also make life easier.
Other things designed for reducing pain may include ace bandage wraps, shoulder sling, wrist, knee or ankle braces and shoe orthotics. You may also find over-the-counter topical pain relievers or CBD oil to be helpful. There are stronger topical pain relievers available by prescription.
When you are sick you must be very conservative with energy expenditure. Modifying or changing your activities so they do not aggravate your symptoms is extremely important. Restricting, reducing, or spacing out your activities can help reduce pain and fatigue.
The key is to know your limits and stay within them. Pacing is similar to the concept of the “Spoon Theory” where you are only given a small supply of spoons to use each day—so use them wisely. When you are sick is not the time to try to push past the pain. In our house, we found sticking to a schedule that we affectionately call “Groundhog Day” helps to keep the pace.
Active range of motion (ROM) is a simple activity that almost anyone can do, whether lying down, sitting or standing. It helps to bring blood flow to the extremities and maintain or increase flexibility. The idea is to move every joint in the body through its full range. One example is to fully spread your fingers open, then fully close your fist. I recommend starting with the neck and working your way down to shoulders, elbows, wrists, torso, hips, knees, then feet.
If you are extremely de-conditioned, getting in/out of the shower and washing your hair may count as your active range of motion for that day. However, some people may be too weak or in too much pain to move at all. For these people, someone else must assist them with moving the extremities. We call this passive range of motion. While motion is important, the main goal is to make the pain better not worse.
Activity in any form can help improve mobility which may help reduce pain. Too much (or the wrong) activity can also make things worse. Once you are able, gentle exercise programs like, walking, stretching, yoga, tai chi, Pilates, and pool therapy can be a great benefit. To begin with, I recommend adding light weights (1-3 lb household items like broom handles or cans of soup work fine) to your ROM stretches.
“Sunlight Chair Yoga” is a type of adaptive yoga you may want to look at.
Yoga stresses the value of deep breathing. Deep breathing involves the diaphragm, a dome-shaped muscle that forms the floor to the lungs. Such breathing is also essential to meditation and mindfulness.
The key to diaphragmatic breathing is to focus on deep relaxation and making the exhale portion of your breath twice as long as the inhale.
Meditation and mindfulness can help reduce stress and physiological responses to stress, which in turn, can help reduce pain. I suggest starting with something like Jyothi meditation, which involves simply gazing at a candle.
Creating art, journaling, gardening, reading a good book, even just sitting outdoors and listening to the sounds of nature can help distract from pain. Research has shown that music helps the brain release dopamine our “feel-good” hormone. The important thing is to find something that, gives you hope, brings you joy or something you are grateful for each day.
For this I recommend getting a “moist” heating pad and ice pack from your local pharmacy and use as directed. Heat can help relax muscle tightness and improve circulation. Cold can reduce inflammation and numb an area of localized pain.
I usually recommend 10-20 min of moist heat for stiffness, and 10-15 min of cold for pain. Certain types of pain may respond better to one than the other, or you may find alternating hot/cold works best. (Note: If you have problems with blood clotting, bleeding or impaired circulation, you should check with your medical provider before using hot/cold.)
Epsom salt is a combination of magnesium, sulfur and oxygen ions known as magnesium sulfate. Most of the benefits of Epsom salt come from the magnesium, one of the most important minerals in the human body. A magnesium deficiency will create an electrolyte imbalance and can also lead to calcium and/or potassium deficiencies. Among other things, magnesium helps your body produce melatonin and certain neurotransmitters needed for sleep.
I suggest purchasing Epsom salt from your local pharmacy or other reputable supplier to ensure the highest quality and use as directed. Add the salt to a warm bathtub or foot bath. In as little as 15 minutes, it can help relax muscles, improve circulation, loosen joint stiffness, relieve pain and promote calm.
I like to add a few drops of lavender or use a diffuser for additional aroma therapy during bath time. If you don’t have access to a bath or don’t tolerate heat, magnesium can be purchased in gel form and rubbed on your skin.
If you’ve had or have Lyme, you are likely no stranger to insomnia. During the first year of my daughter’s illness, her symptoms would peak after midnight, making it impossible for her to fall asleep until around 6 a.m. Essentially, her days and nights were reversed.
I can tell you from experience, there are a lot of standard techniques for improving sleep hygiene that simply DO NOT work for Lyme patients. So, while you are trying to turn things around, my advice is to sleep when you are tired and nap whenever possible. Even if you can’t sleep, it’s important to lie down. You need at minimum 8 hours of rest every day. Also talk to your doctor about adding a low dose of melatonin.
Modalities to help improve strength, mobility, and flexibility can help to relieve pain temporarily. Over time, improved function may help reduce the underlying cause of the pain. I am a big fan of hands-on treatment by a trained professional.
The following is a partial list of therapies you might consider.:
Last but not least I do believe the key to happiness is laughter. Laughter reduces stress hormones like cortisol and releases endorphins, the body’s natural pain reliever. My simple advice is to avoid things that cause you stress, fear or anger.
Watch comedy or movies with happy endings. Stay connected with someone you can be honest with, one who listens and can make you laugh. Above all else, never give up hope.
LymeSci is written by Lonnie Marcum, a Licensed Physical Therapist and mother of a daughter with Lyme. In 2019-2020, she served on a subcommittee of the federal Tick-Borne Disease Working Group. Follow her on Twitter: @LonnieRhea Email her at: lmarcum@lymedisease.org .
Melinda
References:
Dahlhamer J, Lucas J, Zelaya, C, et al. (2016) Prevalence of Chronic Pain and High-Impact Chronic Pain Among Adults — United States. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2018;67:1001–1006. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6736a2
Aucott JN, Rebman AW, Crowder LA, Kortte KB. (2013) Post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome symptomatology and the impact on life functioning: is there something here? Qual Life Res. 22(1):75-84. doi: 10.1007/s11136-012-0126-6.
Raja, Srinivasa N.a,*; Carr, Daniel B.b; Cohen, Miltonc; Finnerup, Nanna B.d,e; Flor, Hertaf; Gibson, Stepheng; Keefe, Francis J.h; Mogil, Jeffrey S.i; Ringkamp, Matthiasj; Sluka, Kathleen A.k; Song, Xue-Junl; Stevens, Bonniem; Sullivan, Mark D.n; Tutelman, Perri R.o; Ushida, Takahirop; Vader, Kyleq (2020) The revised International Association for the Study of Pain definition of pain: concepts, challenges, and compromises, PAIN 16(1):1976-1982 doi: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000001939
Living in constant pain can make you feel like you are alone and there is no one who understands what you are going through. Chronic pain conditions vary and each person living with chronic pain will have their own pain thresholds and triggers. At times, it may seem like there is nothing you can do, especially when traditional pain medication doesn’t have any effect. It is at times like this when people try other methods of medicating.
For some, different types of pains and symptoms can be managed or even eradicated with a few changes to your diet. It may seem futile however if nothing else is working you have nothing to lose by trying. Adapt what you do during your day-to-day life to see if different things affect your pain level. For example, many chronic pain patients credit the sun and warmth for lowering their pain levels. For this reason, it could be worth looking into how you can increase your vitamin D intake and get more sun into your life.
Many people find adding exercise into their lives can help with certain types of pain. Working up slowly to adding beneficial exercise to your daily routine as and when you can help you to look after your body despite your pain levels. Yoga, pilates, and simple stretching exercise will help you to remain fit and supple and in some cases decrease your pain levels.
There is no scientific evidence that links drastic diet changes with the eradication of pain from chronic pain conditions. However, it is thought that certain types of foods can inflame the body in different ways making pain worse. From cutting out dairy to reduce additional IBS symptoms or abdominal pain to avoiding nightshade foods to reduce pain and inflammation for Fibromyalgia, arthritis, and more.
There have also been suggestions that eating clean and switching to a more plant-based diet can help control pain levels. While fatty and processed foods aren’t healthy for anyone when overconsumed, there is nothing to lose by changing up your diet and eating a more natural diet, and reducing your meat, specifically red meat intake.
Many chronic pain sufferers will all tell you that sleeping is a problem. It’s a vicious circle to be told you need to get more sleep yet sleep is elusive due to your pain. But by creating as relaxing a sleep environment as can help you to relax even if you can’t sleep. Your body repairs itself during sleep and getting good quality sleep remains important despite your health condition.
Find your optimal sleeping temperature and noise level, try using a white noise app if you needed, and also use comfortable bedding. Set your limits for screen time and electronics and try to create a relaxing bedtime routine that indicates you are ready for sleep. This won’t always be possible but it is worth persevering to help you improve your sleep quality.
This is a collaborative post.
Melinda
Repost
It’s crazy to think I had two hand surgeries in December 2024 and tomorrow I’m having a shoulder replacement surgery. I will wear a sling three to four weeks and go right into Physical Therapy. OUCH!
I could not find the button to turn off comments, now your comment’s will be held in moderation. I’ll starting reading and replying once I’m able.
You’re appreciated and I’ll miss reading and chatting with you.. See you soon.
Melinda
Eight-year-old Ben Kuhl of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, was once an energetic preschooler who loved exploring nature. But four years ago, a tick bite on a family hike changed all that.
At the time, doctors told his parents that as long as Ben’s tick bite did not have a bull’s-eye on it, he would be fine. But it soon became evident Ben was not fine.
According to his mother, LeeAnn, by the time he was finally diagnosed with Lyme disease, it had spread to all of his organs, including his brain.
He is only able to talk on some days, his motor functions have worsened, and he has painful inflammation throughout his body.
“You mourn the life that he was supposed to have, so you mourn the parent that you were supposed to be,” LeeAnn said.
Click to watch this report from WBTW:
https://www.wbtw.com/video/myrtle-beach-parents-strive-to-help-son-with-lyme-disease/10908489
Melinda
By Dr. Daniel Cameron
What if you did everything right after a tick bite—and still ended up sick?
That’s what happened to a 37-year-old woman who followed medical advice after a hike in New York’s Hudson Valley. She removed an engorged tick and went to urgent care. The provider gave her a single pill—200 mg of doxycycline—and told her it would prevent Lyme disease.
Weeks later, she developed brain fog, crushing fatigue, and joint pain. It turned out she did have Lyme disease, and possibly other tick-borne infections too.
Her case raises important ethical questions: Are patients being told enough? Are they being protected—or falsely reassured? And are we doing right by those who follow the rules?
The CDC currently recommends a single dose of doxycycline after a tick bite in certain cases. The idea is simple: take the antibiotic early, and you might prevent Lyme disease from taking hold.
But there’s a catch: this one-pill approach was based on a small study published in 2001. It mostly looked at preventing the bull’s-eye rash—not the full illness.
What’s more, the study didn’t follow people long enough to detect cases of Lyme disease that develop without a rash, or cases involving co-infections like Babesia.
This woman wasn’t warned about the limits of the single-dose strategy. She wasn’t told that:
It may not prevent the whole disease—just the rash.
It doesn’t protect against other infections ticks can carry.
It only works in very specific situations (right kind of tick, right timing, right area).
If symptoms appear later, Lyme disease testing can be unreliable.
Because she believed she was protected, she waited too long to seek further care—and her test came back negative at first, adding to the confusion.
By the time she arrived at my clinic, her illness had worsened.
1. Patients Deserve Full Information (Autonomy)
She should’ve been told that the one-pill approach isn’t a guarantee. Without all the facts, she couldn’t make a truly informed choice.
2. Care Should Be Tailored, Not Just Protocol (Beneficence)
She lived in a high-risk Lyme area. The tick was attached long enough to transmit disease. She might have benefited more from a longer antibiotic course. Instead, a “one-size-fits-all” approach failed her.
3. False Reassurance Can Do Harm (Non-Maleficence)
Believing she was safe delayed her diagnosis and treatment. That delay caused more suffering—and made recovery harder.
4. The System Isn’t Fair for Everyone (Justice)
This strategy doesn’t work well for kids under 8, pregnant women, or people who don’t have easy access to care. It assumes everyone knows what kind of tick bit them—and can get treatment within 72 hours. That’s not realistic for many.
When she finally got to my office, we ran new tests. Her Lyme Western blot confirmed infection. She also had symptoms of Babesia, a parasite that doxycycline doesn’t treat. On top of that, she had orthostatic intolerance (POTS), which had never been linked to her tick bite before.
With a more complete treatment plan—including antibiotics and supportive care—she began to feel better. But the road was longer than it needed to be.
The idea of “just one pill” sounds great—but it can create a false sense of safety. When patients aren’t told the full story, they lose the chance to make informed decisions. And when symptoms are dismissed, the consequences can last for months or even years.
We need to do better. That means:
Because when it comes to Lyme disease, patients deserve more than a protocol. They deserve a plan.
Dr. Daniel Cameron is a nationally recognized expert in the diagnosis and treatment of Lyme disease. He is a past president of the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society and a co-aauthor of the ILADS Lyme treatment guidelines. This blog first appeared on his website, danielcameronmd.com. He can also be found on Facebook.
Melinda
Thank you for all the great feedback on the Blogger Highlight series, I’ve enjoyed meeting each blogger and sharing their site with you. This week I highlight Musings on Life with Fibromyalgia. Sarah is a tireless advocate for Fibromyalgia and she breaks down the chronic illness is a way that everyone can understand. She also shares her experiences and what’s she’s learned along her journey.
I’ve lived with fibromyalgia for around a decade now, made many mistakes along the way, but learnt a lot about how to manage the condition and this is what I’m keen to share with readers of this blog.
So, if you want to find out more about living with fibromyalgia and other chronic illness, how life can change and yet still be full of everyday joy, then that’s where this blog aims to help.
I hope at least some of my blog posts will resonate with you – happy reading!
Sarah
My favourite blog post is this one about journaling. I’ve always journaled on and off since my teenage years and I find it such a powerful tool, not just for dealing with chronic illness, but for navigating life’s challenges generally. There’s real magic that happens with a pen and a blank page and it’s often amazing what will spill out onto the page.
After being diagnosed fibromyalgia, I thought my life was over. Everything changed for me – job, finances, physical capabilities and relationships (through not being believed about this illness). I hit rock bottom. Fortunately, my doctor suggested a CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) course for chronic illness, which started to turn things around. I learned to meet myself where I was at the time (not where I used to be or where I wished I was) and create some new goals.
Slowly but surely, over a period of several years, I began to rebuild my life. I then began to read blogs about fibro and chronic illness and was both informed and inspired by the content. From there, I thought that blogging would be a good way for me to share what I have learned. My blog is about the stuff that I wish that I’d known when I was first diagnosed with fibro. We get a lot of good medical information from health professionals. But where I struggled was with things like, how can I still lead a meaningful life when everything has been turned on its head? What can I do so that I don’t just give up and spend the rest of my life sitting on the sofa wishing things were different? My hope is that through the blog, I can share all of this with others who might be feeling as lost as I was in the beginning.
Articles below have all been published in UK Fibromyalgia magazine.
February 2019 – Swimming, fibro and me
March 2020 – Gardening when you have Fibromyalgia
July 2019 – Reasons to Snuggle Up with a Book – the Value of Reading
2020 – Fibromyalgia Magazine – 20th Anniversary Issue
February 2020 – What I’ve Learned about Fibromyalgia from my Dogs
August 2020 – Fibromyalgia and the Perimenopause
September 2020 – My Experience of Lockdown Yoga
December 2020 – Chronic Pain and Rural Living
March 2021 – Benefits of Time Spent in Nature
April 2021 – Open Water Swimming when you have Fibromyalgia
April 2021 – Audiobooks
May 2021 – How Living with Fibromyalgia Might Change You as a Person
June 2021 – Childhood Symptoms that might have been Fibromyalgia
February 2022 – Navigating a Bad Fibro Day
July 2022 – Summertime Blues and Fibromyalgia – page 1 page 2
December 2022 – Anxiety, Fibro and the Festive Season
February 2023 – Experiencing Covid when you have Fibromyalgia
March 2023 – My Top Five Difficulties Living with Fibromyalgia
May 2023 – Reframing the Experience of Living with Fibromyalgia
She’s is also a contributor to The Mighty.
Stop by Sarah’s blog, read through her archives and be sure to say hello.
Melinda
Hear is a clear message to everyone! Lyme Disease is not picky who the host person is, everyone is prime picking for Lyme Disease’s.
Singer Justin Timberlake has revealed that he has Lyme disease, describing it as “relentlessly debilitating” both mentally and physically.
In a heartfelt Instagram post, Timberlake explained that the diagnosis helped him understand why he was experiencing nerve pain, extreme fatigue, and sickness—even while performing on stage during his two-year Forget Tomorrow World Tour
Despite the challenges, he chose to continue touring, saying:
“I decided the joy that performing brings me far outweighs the fleeting stress my body was feeling. I’m so glad I kept going.”
He also shared that he had been reluctant to speak publicly about his health struggles, but wanted to be more transparent to avoid misinterpretation and to help others facing similar battles.
Timberlake joins a growing list of celebrities—including Justin Bieber and Bella Hadid—who have publicly discussed living with Lyme disease.
Melinda
More coverage:
My shoulder injury happened years ago, a Slap Tear for which I had injections for the pain for years. I was hopeful that it was on the mend when the pain let up and I stopped injections. That was until I took a tumble falling on the hardwod floor and land on the shoulder.
I dealt with the pain until I could no longer sleep on that side. I scheduled an appointment hoping that an injection would help. After looking at the Xray he said I needed surgery. He ordered a CT Scan to get more detail. The Radiologist who read the CT confirm there was more damage to the shoulder and surgery was recomended. They also found an area of arthritis in the shoulder.
I had two choices for surgery, the less invasive surgery was less painful and had a quicker recovery time. The second option included removing the arthritis. Though the less invasive sounded better but the arthritis would not be removed and would contiune to cause pain. I am having a right shoulder replacement, getting my head around at first was difficult, thinking abut the pain, three weeks in a sling and three months of Physical Therapy.
My mind has changed from thinking about the difficulties of the surgery, to living pain-free after the rehab is completed.
My surgery is 8/20/25 and I will be out of pocket until I can write without pain.
I’ll update you once we get closer to the date.
Melinda
I wrote this post many years ago, I think the last one written was #17. This was written during a difficult time when Fibro ruled my life. I haven’t had a bad flare in several months and I’m so thankful.
————-
I had to accept the loss of everyday control once diagnosed with Fibromyalgia. I go to bed with plans for the next day, when the morning rolls around, I can’t get out of bed. In the past, I would beat myself up, feel shame and anger.
A shower takes an hour, it’s painful and exhausting. Instead, I use hospital approved cleansing wipes to bathe on the days when I can’t handle the thought of a shower. I’m embarrassed to tell my husband.
I shaved my head yesterday, taking care of my hair takes too much energy. I’m housebound, only doctors see me. My husband doesn’t say anything but I imagine the negative thoughts he has. Why can’t his wife be normal like others, why can’t we go out to eat, why don’t we have sex, I’m fat………the thoughts can consume.
I can ask myself questions about why not shower every day, I don’t. It’s not productive, within my control and doesn’t help my health. Stress creates inflammation creates more pain.
I pray a lot every day.
Melinda
I’m very aware of the pain that migraines cause, they can disrupt your life. During the 90s I suffered from migraines almost daily and took medication and injections to help. My career was taking off and I was an excutive salesperson, calling on high-level executives for major corporations. I loved my job but my life changed when the migraines started. This went on for two years, two years of rushing home in between appointments to give an injection. Which effected your mental and physical state. I rested and made phone calls when I could.
You can read the whole story here. My story had a happy ending when the doctor discovered a bone in my nose was causing them. I got very lucky.
Migraine Awareness Awareness Month is observed in June. Migraines are mistakenly understood as severe headaches, but they are so much more than that. Migraines are actually a debilitating neurological disease. Even though migraines are a common headache disorder, they remain poorly understood and neglected. Many people go their entire lives without proper diagnosis and treatment. With care and treatment, migraines can become more manageable. Apart from inheriting the condition, some people can also get migraines through specific triggers. Interestingly, one can develop migraine at any stage in their life.
Migraines are a chronic neurological disorder that affects over a billion people across the world. Migraine symptoms include long-lasting headaches, characterized by severe, throbbing, or pulsating pain on one side of the head. The headache is often accompanied by light or sound sensitivity, nausea, or vomiting. Even though the symptoms can be very uncomfortable and impact the overall quality of life, people remain ignorant of the condition. Migraine is one of the top ten leading causes of years lived with disability worldwide. Around the world, the prevalence of migraine is approximately 10% of the entire population. More than half the patients who complain of severe and regular headaches, turn out to be migraines.
While migraines don’t have a definitive cause, certain factors can trigger the condition. These triggers include stress, irregular sleep schedules, caffeine or alcohol consumption, dietary triggers such as chocolate, cheese, and dairy products, hormone fluctuations, and more. That’s a long list!
The condition significantly impacts the individual’s personal, professional and social life. Migraines come without a warning and can be crippling. This is the main reason for an urgent need to diagnose and treat migraines correctly. It also helps patients to identify their migraine triggers and avoid these triggers as best as they can. There is also the need for more effective, personalized migraine treatment. Medical practitioners should also take into account the patient’s comorbidities, frequency and severity of attacks, and more. As you can see, patients and healthcare workers need to be more vigilant of migrant attacks and their treatments.
Be sure to talk with your doctor if you are having any type of headache on a regular basis.
Melinda
Repost
Pain happens, but when it sticks around for a long period of time or feels unbearable, nonaddictive pain medication may sound like a safer alternative to opioids.
Most people have experienced physical pain to some degree, whether it’s something more temporary, like stubbing your toe, or more chronic, like arthritis in your lower back.
How you treat pain depends on its cause and how badly it hurts. When pain is severe, healthcare professionals often prescribe medications called opioids.
Opioids are potent and considered some of the most effective pain medications available, but they come with an addiction warning. It’s natural to be wary of these drugs.
You have choices, however. Many nonaddictive pain medications are available — and even preferred — depending on your source of pain.
Opioids are medications originally derived from natural opioid compounds, extracts from the seed of the poppy plant. This group of drugs includes pain medications such as morphine, codeine, and thebaine.
Opioids can create an environment for addiction because they boost reward-specific transmitters in your brain, like dopamine. Over time, your body comes to rely on the opioid to trigger the release of these chemicals, leading to dependence, cravings, and tolerance.
Nonaddictive pain medication classes include:
NSAIDs are medications that manage pain by controllingTrusted Source the production of prostaglandins, compounds made by your body at sites of infection or tissue damage. By inhibiting prostaglandin production, inflammation, pain, and fever are reduced.
There are currently more than 20 different NSAIDs on the market. Some of the most common names include:
NSAIDs can be used for a wide range of pain management in conditions like:
Acetaminophen (Tylenol) is classified as a non-aspirin pain reliever and is a fever and pain reducer, though its exact mechanisms of action are unknown.
While acetaminophen is an active ingredient in hundreds of over-the-counter (OTC) products alone, it’s not necessarily the most effectiveTrusted Source for chronic pain management.
Acetaminophen has high safety ratings, however, and is the preferred pain management medication for mild pain.
Experiencing muscle spasms with an injury can add to already existing pain. Muscle relaxants help control spasms to take that variable out of the pain equation.
Whether or not muscle relaxants provide beneficial levels of pain management remains up for debate, however. A 2021 reviewTrusted Source found little evidence supporting pain management efficacy of these medications.
Common muscle relaxants include:
Corticosteroid medications manage pain by controlling inflammation and suppressing immune responses that might lead to inflammation. Typically prescriptions, corticosteroids are often used in conjunction with other medications, including opioids.
You may be prescribed these nonaddictive medications for conditions of bone pain, neuropathic pain, or pain that’s associated with an autoimmune condition.
Also known as antiepileptics, anticonvulsants are used for chronic pain management in conditions with neuropathic pain (pain associated with nerve damage).
Common conditions of neuropathic pain include:
The most common choices are gabapentin and pregabalin, which work by regulating your brain’s pain stimulus pathways.
Antidepressants are medications often used to help regulate mood, but they also have a place when it comes to pain management.
Like anticonvulsants, serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), and tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) may be beneficial for conditions of neuropathic pain.
Antidepressants with the most documentedTrusted Source pain management effects are duloxetine and amitriptyline.
When you need pain relief in an exact spot, local anesthetics like lidocaine can stop nerves in the injured area from sending pain signals to the brain.
Local anesthetics are common when you have an injury that might need stitches, for example, but doesn’t require you to be under full anesthesia.
Some local anesthetics are also available in topical forms for use on minor injuries, dental pain, or muscle aches.
Acetaminophen is the most commonly used non-opioid pain medication in the United States. It’s in more than 600 OTC and prescription medications and is taken in some form by approximately 52 million people every week.
Everyone’s perception of pain is different. What works well for you may not work at all for someone else.
Pain medication strength can be evaluated in a general sense, however, by using a statistical measure known as “the number needed to treat (NNT).”
The NNT is determined by how many people are given a pain medication before it’s seen to be effective. The lower the number, the more effective the treatment is considered.
According to the National Safety Council (NSC), opioids aren’t the most effective pain relievers in terms of the NNT scales. A combination of two nonaddictive pain medications — ibuprofen and acetaminophen — appears to be superior based on emerging research.
Even without this combination, the NSC data indicates that naproxen, an NSAID, has a higher NNT compared with common opioid postoperative pain prescriptions.
Even nonaddictive pain medications come with the risk of mild or serious side effects.
NSAIDs, for example may cause:
In rare cases, they can cause peptic ulcers or kidney and liver complications.
Acetaminophen has a similar list of adverse effects, including:
It can also cause potentially serious liver conditions that may lead to liver failure.
Just because a medication has a low addiction risk doesn’t mean it’s the right or better choice for your pain management needs. Every medication comes with potential side effects.
A healthcare team can help you decide which medications may be safest for you.
While “addiction” is a term often reserved for substances, like opioids, that can create chemical dependence, it’s still possible to experience substance misuse with other medications.
Living with chronic pain can be overwhelming. It can be tempting to take higher amounts or more frequent doses of pain medication to try and manage symptoms. Any use of nonaddictive pain medication that is against a doctor’s recommendations is misuse.
Nonaddictive pain medications come in OTC and prescription form. They’re alternatives to opioids, traditional medications known for their addictive potential.
Acetaminophen remains the most popular nonaddictive pain medication in the United States, but emerging research suggests it may be strongest when combined with ibuprofen.
All types of pain medications come with possible side effects. A healthcare team can help determine which medication is best for your needs.
If you or a loved one are concerned about addiction or substance misuse, you can speak to someone 24/7 by calling the SAMHSA National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357.
Melinda
Reference:
Joint pain is very common during menopause and may be related to lower levels of estrogen. Exercising frequently, eating anti-inflammatory foods, and other actions may help reduce the pain.
If you experience hot flashes, shifts in mood, and joint pain, you’re not alone. These are some of the most common symptoms for people going through menopause.
It’s estimated that more than 50%Trusted Source of women experience arthralgia (joint pain) or arthritis during menopause and, for 21%, either condition is one of the more significant menopausal signs.
Menopausal-related joint pain can be caused by changes in hormonal levels, but other factors may also play a role. There are a variety of home remedies that may help reduce joint pain, and OB-GYN and primary care doctors can also help you decide if you’re a good candidate for hormone replacement therapy (HRT) or other medications.
You’ll notice we use the binary term “women” in this article. While we realize this term may not match your gender experience, this is the term used by the researchers whose data was cited. We try to be as specific as possible when reporting on research participants and clinical findings.
Unfortunately, the studies and surveys referenced in this article didn’t report data on, or may not have included, participants who were transgender, nonbinary, gender nonconforming, genderqueer, agender, or genderless.
According to 2010 research, it’s believed that a reduction in estrogen levelsTrusted Source during menopause may cause joint pain.
Estrogen helps to protect joints and reduce inflammation. It also affects the function of muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Having the right balance of estrogen is necessary for ideal joint performance.
The development or progression of arthritis may be another reason for chronic joint pain during menopause. The risk of osteoporosis and osteoarthritis increases during menopause. This increased risk is also likely related to hormone changes.
Learn more about the possible connections between arthritis and menopause.
You may experience:
According to the 2010 research, one of the best ways to treatTrusted Source your menopause-related joint pain may be moving more. Movement and stretching help reduce pain and stiffness. Regular exercise can also help maintain a moderate weight or prevent weight gain that may put added stress on the bones and joints.
Other things that may help your pain include:
Treating other menopause-related symptoms and signs, such as fatigue, insomnia, and depression, may help as well.
Research indicates that women are particularly likely to develop musculoskeletal pain during perimenopause, but the odds of moderate to severe musculoskeletal pain increase with age through postmenopause.
Your joint pain may be chronic, especially if you develop arthritis. HRT may help to improveTrusted Sourcethe outcomes for those with a variety of menopause symptoms, including joint pain. More research into the risks and benefits of this is still ongoing.
If you’re experiencing joint pain during menopause, you may benefit from talking with any of the following:
If you experience chronic joint pain, you may also wish to join a chronic pain support group.
The joint pain you experience may not go away even after menopause. You may experience it for the rest of your life, but there are ways to manage the discomfort.
If you have rheumatoid arthritis, you may feel pain in the wrist, fingers, and toes, but you can also experience pain in other areas, including the knees, elbows, ankles, and neck.
Some supplements that people report to improve joint pain include fish oil, collagen hydrolysateTrusted Source, and curcumin (often found in turmeric). A doctor may recommend different supplements, like vitamin D, based on your specific health conditions.
You’re not alone if you experience stiffness, swelling, or shooting joint pain during menopause. Lower estrogen levels may be partially responsible for the discomfort, but a combination of other factors, including arthritis, may also contribute.
If you experience joint pain during menopause, it can help to get regular exercise and eat anti-inflammatory foods. If you experience chronic pain, you may want to talk with a doctor or other healthcare professional about medication options, including HRT.
Melinda
Reference:
Cortisone shots can help relieve joint inflammation. You may experience minor side effects.
Cortisone shots are injections that help relieve pain and inflammation in your joints, muscles, or connective tissue. They’re commonly used to manage symptoms of painful inflammatory conditions, such as:
Cortisone shots are fast-acting and can provide significant short-term pain relief for weeks to months. Although cortisone shots are generally safe, they do come with some potential risks.
Keep reading for an overview of everything you should know about cortisone shots.
A cortisone shot helps relieve pain by reducing inflammation in a certain part of your body. The cortisone is delivered into the affected area with a thin needle.
Cortisone is a type of molecule known as a corticosteroid, a precursor to the hormone cortisol. Cortisol is produced by your adrenal gland and plays many roles in your body, including suppressing the activity of your immune system.
Inflammation is your immune system’s way of protecting your body from injuries, foreign substances, or anything else potentially damaging. Inflammation releases various substances, including the hormones bradykinin and histamineTrusted Source. These hormones irritate nerves and send pain signals to your brain.
A cortisone shot reduces levels of molecules that stimulate inflammation. This can improve joint function and reduce stimulation of your nerves which leads to pain.
These shots often take effect within a few days, though some can be effective within a few hours, and can provide pain relief for up to several months depending on:
Cortisone and other corticosteroid shots are used to treat a wide variety of inflammatory conditions involving joints, muscles, or connective tissues.
Corticosteroid injections can cause short-term improvements in frozen shoulder and shoulder impingements.
A 2015 study in American Family Physician found that over a period of 8 to 16 weeks, corticosteroid injections are more effective for managing frozen shoulder than oral corticosteroids, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and physical therapy. But the study found that the outcome between groups isn’t significant after a year.
Cortisone shots are often used to treat knee or hip osteoarthritis.
For the knee, pain relief typically lasts for 1 to 2 weeks but may last up to 4 weeks.
Carpal tunnel syndrome is compression of your median nerve that often causes tingling or pain in your hand.
A 2017 reviewTrusted Source of studies suggests that corticosteroids can lead to short-term relief in about 45 out of 100 people.
Trigger finger is the locking of a finger caused by inflammation of the tendons.
The 2015 study mentioned earlier found 54 to 86 percent cure rates after corticosteroid injections.
Bursitis is inflammation of small fluid-filled sacs called bursae found around your joints.
Cortisone injections may help reduce this inflammation temporarily. Corticosteroid injections for the bursa around the head of your femur provide greater pain relief at 6 weeks and 3 months than physical therapy and pain relievers, but not after one year.
Cortisone can travel into your bloodstream and cause full-body side effects.
According to a 2019 review of studiesTrusted Source, the amount of cortisone that gets absorbed into your blood seems to vary significantly between people. But both joint and epidural injections can have effects that last for weeks.
There’s also some evidence from a 2020 study that a single shot can increase your risk of developing infectious diseases, such as the flu.
In rare cases, an improperly performed injection can lead to nerve damage.
The most common side effects of steroid injections include:
Rarer but potentially serious side effects include:
Cortisone shots typically cost roughly $100 to 300 but can be more than $1,000. Your insurance may cover some or all of the cost.
The exact cost that you pay out of pocket for a cortisone shot varies widely between clinics and depends on:
Medicare reports that patients pay an average of $84 for injections of therapeutic substances, such as cortisone, when performed at a non-hospital facility. The average price at a hospital is $146.
Here’s what you can expect when you get a cortisone injection:
Supplementary treatment options vary depending on your particular issue. Some options may include:
A doctor may be able to recommend alternative treatments for your condition. For some issues like chronic knee pain, surgery may be the best option.
Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection is an experimental treatment that may help you manage joint pain. More research is needed to understand their potential benefit.
Hyaluronic injections are also sometimes used to treat knee pain when cortisone shots aren’t effective.
Cortisone shots are used to treat a wide variety of inflammatory conditions affecting your joints or other parts of your musculoskeletal system. They’re generally safe, but they can cause side effects that either affect the treated area or your whole body.
Discuss the pros and cons with a doctor beforehand. Depending on your condition, there may be alternative treatment options that have fewer side effects or are cheaper.
Melinda
Reference:
HARTFORD, Conn. — An invasive tick species in Connecticut has been found to carry the bacteria that can cause ehrlichiosis in humans, a discovery that has alarmed state biologists as the tick continues to increase its spread throughout the state.
Longhorned ticks, an emerging invasive species in the state, have now been found to carry the bacteria that causes ehrlichiosis. The bacteria, while rare in Connecticut, has been found in the state for a while, according to Dr. Goudarz Molaei, a state entomologist with the Connecticut Agriculture Experiment Station.
Between 2001 and 2019, the number of cases of the bacteria increased from 142 to 2,093, a roughly 15-fold rise. Only two erlichiosis cases were recorded in Connecticut between 2008 and 2018, however, 28 cases were reported in the state between 2019 and 2023, according to CAES data.
“This is concerning because before we only saw this bacteria present in the lone star tick, this is the first case detected in the longhorned tick,” Molaei said. “What is concerning about this is that the longhorned tick doesn’t need a mate to reproduce. So it has the potential to spread quickly and we already are seeing that as its population increases.”
Longhorned ticks primarily reproduce through a process called parthenogenesis, where females can lay viable eggs without mating to reproduce. This means a single female tick can create an entire population without a male partner, increasing the risks of rapid spread, Molaei said.
“This is very unusual and something we don’t see too often,” Molaei said. “So far this is the only tick in the United States that has this ability to reproduce without a mate. In other animals like arthropods and certain vertebrae, parthenogenesis has been reported, but it’s still very rare.”
Molaei said that a rise in ehrlichiosis cases is expected in the future. The bacterial infection can be a serious illness, though most cases are not fatal with prompt treatment. Untreated, it can lead to severe complications like organ damage, brain problems and even death. There is no vaccine available, but antibiotics are the traditional course of treatment, he said.
The invasive ticks are not native to the United States and are considered an exotic species. They originally were found in tropical environments in Asia before being detected in the U.S. in 2017. Since its initial discovery, the longhorned tick has expanded into at least 21 states, primarily in the East and Northeast, as well as the District of Columbia, according to CAES. The species was first detected in Connecticut in 2018.
In both its native and invasive range, the longhorned tick is known to transmit a wide variety of pathogens, Molaei said. Researchers have found evidence of infection in field-collected specimens in the U.S. with pathogens that cause Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, babesiosis, Bourbon virus disease and theileriosis. However, it is still unknown if the tick can spread many of these disease agents.
“What is also unusual about this species is that we have shown this tick is capable of attaching and detaching with partial blood feeding,” Molaei said. “Most ticks will stay on a host until they are fully engorged, so this increases the risks of disease transmission. Unfortunately these ticks co-exist with lone star ticks, and to make the matter worse, both of these ticks feed on white tail deer. Deer can act as a reservoir for the bacteria that causes ehrlichiosis. Longhorned ticks can pick up the bacteria after feeding on an infected deer.”
The tick species is now found scattered throughout Fairfield and New Haven counties, according Molaei. However, their range is expected to increase its range further northward. Last year, the ticks were identified in Fairfield, New London, Middlesex and New Haven counties, according to data from CAES.
“As the climate changes, we expect to see this species further north into New England and Canada,” Molaei said. “We are fortunate that. at least for the time being, the population is rather patchy in Fairfield and New Haven counties. It is not widespread yet, but eventually it will become more widespread, and that is where the concern increases.”
Melinda
Reference:
Meghan Bradshaw was just 25 when severe joint pain appeared seemingly overnight.
Once active and independent, she found herself unable to walk, dress, or function on her own. She returned to her mother’s care while doctors struggled to explain her condition.
After two years of misdiagnosis and ineffective treatments for rheumatoid arthritis, Bradshaw finally received clarity. She tested positive for Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses.
That diagnosis came after she turned to OrthoCarolina, where her orthopedic team helped connect her with a specialist who identified the root cause of her symptoms. Though the diagnosis came with its own challenges, it offered the one thing she had been missing: hope.
Over the next six years, Bradshaw underwent 18 joint replacements and reconstructions at OrthoCarolina, including procedures on her shoulders, elbows, hips, knees, hands, and meniscus. Her care was guided by a team of four orthopedic specialists who worked together to create a patient-centered, personalized treatment plan tailored to her needs.
“When I was finally diagnosed with Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases, it felt like I had a chance to fight again,” said Bradshaw. “The doctors at OrthoCarolina didn’t just treat my joints – they helped restore pieces of my life I thought were lost forever. Every surgery brought me closer to feeling like myself again.”
OrthoCarolina’s collaborative care model played a critical role in her recovery. Surgeons, physical therapists, and staff maintained open communication with Bradshaw throughout each stage of treatment. Shared decision-making, comprehensive education, and clear expectations helped her feel confident and supported at every step.
“Meghan’s case of Lyme arthropathy was one of the most advanced that I’ve encountered,” said Dr. Glenn Gaston, a hand specialist at OrthoCarolina. “She showed extraordinary resilience throughout her entire journey. Our goal wasn’t just to restore joint function, but it was also to help give her life back.”
Today, Bradshaw calls herself the “Bionic Woman,” a title she embraces with pride. But her story doesn’t end with recovery. It has evolved into advocacy.
After earning her master’s in public health from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, she became a national voice for Lyme disease awareness. As Government Relations Manager for the Center for Lyme Action, she has met with more than 100 members of Congress to push for improved education, diagnosis, and care for tick-borne illnesses.
“I’ve turned my pain into purpose,” Bradshaw said. “Every time I share my story, it’s for the people still searching for answers, just like I was.”
Marking a decade since her first symptoms, Bradshaw’s journey continues. This May, during Lyme Disease Awareness Month, her voice stands as a testament to the power of perseverance, the value of accurate diagnosis, and the life-changing impact of compassionate, expert care.
Melinda
Reference:
https://www.lymedisease.org/18-joint-replacements-in-6-years/
Arthritis is a condition that causes joint pain, inflammation, and stiffness. Though there’s no cure, you can use natural treatments such as heat and cold therapy to slow its progression and manage symptoms.
Heat and cold therapy are common treatments for arthritis due to their ability to alleviate pain, discomfort, and stiffness in joints, muscles, and soft tissues. The treatments may help to improve mobility, increase flexibility, and boost blood circulation, which may bring you immediate relief. Heat and cold therapyTrusted Source may also be slightly beneficial in improving function and quality of life.
You can use a combination of heat and cold therapy based on your symptoms and which treatments you find most effective, convenient, and enjoyable. Depending on time, convenience, and preference, you may add some of these therapies to your routine. Aim to do heat or cold treatments a few times daily.
Continue reading to learn more about the various types of heat and cold therapy. These simple treatments may relieve arthritis symptoms and help you to feel better.
Cold therapy, or cryotherapy, decreases blood flow to the affected area, which can reduce swelling and inflammation. It may have a numbing effect and help to relieve pain. However, it may exacerbate muscular tension.
In general, cold therapy is best for painful, inflamed joints, making it the best option for acute pain, inflammation, or swelling. It may be beneficial to do cold therapy after exercise or physical activity that causes discomfort. For best results, elevate the affected area.
Do not use cold therapy if you have poor circulation or a sensory condition such as diabetes that inhibits your ability to detect particular sensations. Talk with your doctor before using cold therapy if you have cardiovascular or heart disease.
To prevent nerve, tissue, and skin damage, do cold therapy for a maximum of 20 minutes. Continually check to make sure you can feel sensations in the affected area.
Apply a bag of frozen food, a bag of ice, or an ice pack to the affected area. You can also freeze a wet towel or sponge before applying it to the affected area. Wrap a towel around your ice pack to protect your skin.
Apply the pack for up to 20 minutes at a time. Stop the treatment if your skin begins to feel numb.
Check out some of the best ice packs for joint pain here.
Use an ice cube to massage the affected area. You can make a large ice block by freezing water in a paper cup.
Have a towel handy to absorb excess moisture.
You can take a full or partial ice bath to reduce inflammation and muscle pain. Stay in an ice bath for a maximum of 15 minutes.
For an option that’s less extreme than an ice bath, take a cold bath or shower. According to a 2017Trusted Source study, cold mist showers may help to reduce pain in people with chronic inflammatory arthritis.
There are several types of heat therapy, called thermotherapy, options for arthritis. Heat therapy improves circulation and causes your blood vessels to expand. This helps your body to deliver more blood, oxygen, and nutrients to the affected area, which may reduce inflammation, stiffness, and pain. Heat therapy may also improve mobility, which makes it easier to relax, loosen up, and move.
If a heat therapy session causes swelling, redness, or inflammation avoid further treatments until your symptoms subside. Avoid using heat therapy during a flare-up or the acute stage of an injury. Talk with a healthcare professional before using heat treatments if you have heart disease or high blood pressure.
Do not use heat therapy if you have any of the following conditions:
Hot showers may be beneficial to prepare for exercise or the day ahead. They may alleviate stiffness, improve mobility, and increase flexibility. Make sure the water isn’t too hot, especially if you have any cardiovascular concerns.
Apply a hot water bottle, electric heating pad, or homemade heating pad to the area of concern for up to 20 minutes at a time. For a full-body treatment, use an electric blanket.
This therapy is not suitable for people who have diabetes, have impaired sensation, or have had a stroke.
Swimming and exercising in warm water allows you to build muscle strength, improve flexibility, and increase mobility while reducing compression to your joints. This may help to ease discomfort and alleviate stiffness.
If you live near a warm body of water, take a dip in a natural setting. Otherwise, find a heated pool in your area. Aim to spend at least 20 minutes in the water.
Take a warm bath to relax and release tension or pain. For more benefits, add ingredients such as baking soda, Epsom salts, or essential oils. You can bathe for up to 2 hours.
You can use a dry sauna, infrared sauna, or steam room to improve circulation and alleviate stiffness.
The results of a 2018Trusted Source review suggest that consistent use of a dry sauna is beneficial for people with rheumatoid arthritis as well as chronic pain syndrome. It may also help athletes to improve performance.
You can stay in a dry sauna or steam room for up to 15 minutes though you may want to begin with shorter sessions. Give yourself plenty of time to cool down in between sessions.
If you’re pregnant, talk with your doctor before using a sauna or steam room.
This treatment may help to boost circulation, receive tension, and alleviate stiffness.
To do a paraffin wax treatment, dip your hands or feet in hot paraffin wax and cover the area with plastic or a towel. After 20 minutes, remove the wax. Pay attention to how your skin reacts and look out for any adverse reactions.
Many people find it beneficial to alternate between heat and cold therapy. You can switch between hot and cold therapies throughout the day. Usually, it’s best to wait at around 20 minutes between sessions, though you can also alternate between hot and cold water in the shower. Always start and finish with a cold treatment.
Talk with your doctor before alternating between full-body treatments such as an ice bath and a sauna or hot tub.
If you’re looking for remedies for arthritis to add to your existing treatment routine, heat and cold therapy are great options. You can use hot and cold therapies to manage symptoms of arthritis and improve your overall comfort.
Heat treatments help to relieve stiffness, improve circulation, and increase flexibility. Cold treatments alleviate pain and inflammation, which make them useful to do following physical activity. The effect of heat and cold therapy may only last a few hours, though over time they may help to reduce the severity of pain and keep symptoms at bay for longer.
Choose the remedies that yield the best results and add them to your self-care routine. Always make sure to protect your skin since hot and cold therapy have the potential to cause skin damage. Talk with a healthcare professional before starting any new therapy, especially if you have any additional medical conditions or take medications.
Melinda
Reference:
Fibromyalgia Awareness Month is important to me because I have it and know others that do. One of the biggest challenges Fibromyalgia patients face is there are so many different symptoms and they mimic other illnesses. That’s one reason it can years to get a proper diagnosis.
Fibromyalgia is a chronic, complicated disease that affects millions of men and women throughout the world. A musculoskeletal illness produces widespread severe pain with symptoms like increased skin sensitivity, muscular rigidity, difficulty sleeping, memory and attention problems, excessive weariness, and headaches.
It is a challenging condition to identify because there isn’t a single test that can detect and treat it, and the symptoms get frequently misdiagnosed as attributed to other illnesses. Many people feel that the condition is psychological and not genuine due to a lack of research and the difficulties in defining the variables that cause it. Furthermore, there is no permanent relief for the suffering.
As a result, the keys to combating Fibromyalgia are awareness and financing. The goal of this day is to raise awareness about the condition and to encourage further research into finding a cure. The day’s observances greatly minimize the level of threat and the likelihood of being afflicted. When we try to learn more about a disorder like fibromyalgia, we realize just how far we’ve come in terms of innovation and advancement. Observing National Fibromyalgia Awareness Day allows us to reflect on our accomplishments.
Another huge challenge of having Fibromyalgia is it’s invisible, you don’t look sick unless you’re having your worst day. Most of the time you look fine and that is where the misunderstanding about the illness starts with friends and family. You can’t predict how you’ll feel tomorrow let alone next week, so you make plans, only to have a flair day and can’t get out of bed or can’t think straight and have to cancel your plans.
When people think you look fine and you’re not they can take it personally, that’s why it is important to share the basics of the illness and tell them that when you have to cancel on short notice it has nothing to do with them or not wanting to see them.
One suggestion for those newly diagnosed is to take your loved one or family member to a doctor’s appointment. This made a huge difference for me with my mental illness. My husband got to hear everything from the doctor’s mouth and got a better understanding of what I was dealing with. We also tell our doctor symptoms we don’t talk about every day and this is another time your loved one can understand all the ways Fibromyalgia affects your life.
Another way you can help is to participate in a Clinical Trial for Fibromyalgia, Keep your eyes open for news about trials in your area. It’s always possible you’ll get a drug that helps you in some way vs a placebo. It’s a 50% chance. The key is to understand the risks and or interactions with your other medications.
Go easy on yourself. If the house isn’t as clean as you’d like, don’t worry about it. Work a little at a time or call a house cleaning service if you can.
Melinda
References:
https://www.nationaldaystoday.com/national-fibromyalgia-awareness-day/
I was thrilled to hear that Aromalief had released two new scents, Vanilla and Unscented Pain Relief creams. Annabel, the founder of Aroalief sent me the scents to try, I have a new favorite in the Vanilla scent which I apply several times a day for my Arthritis. I have used many Aromalief Pain Relief creams over the years, and they have never disappointed me
This post contains Affiliate links which means I make a small commission that supports my coffee habit when you use the links. They do not cost you more and take you directly to the Aromalief website.
The Aromalief Pain Relief creams are Vegan and made of all-natural ingredients from Mother Nature herself. The scents themselves are light, just a hint, including the menthol. Many menthol products have an overwhelming smell, you will not find that in Aromalief Pain Relief creams.
The Unscented is perfect for those who are sensitive to fragrance. The only scent left behind is a hint of menthol. It is not overwhelming like many menthol products.
To visit the landing page for the Vanilla and Unscented Pain Relief creams, click HERE.
Made with some of the world’s purest ingredients:
OUR STORY
Hi, I’m Annabel! Welcome to Aromalief, a brand dedicated to helping women like you to beat pain. I started Aromalief in 2018 to help my mom that was in pain. After wasting money on several products, I decided that my mom deserved better.
With the help of a naturopathic chemist, we developed formulas that are clean, easy to apply, and smell like rich essential oils. The experience of using Aromalief is like applying a luxurious body cream and not your grandfather’s pain releiver.
Aromalief is a women-owned business and their products are made in America.
Goldman Sachs
96% of Customers Say It’s the Best Pain Relief They Have Tried
Since 2017, Aromalief has helped thousands of women to alleviate their pain without side effects and in amazing scents.
Our creams are made for confident, kind, and caring women with chronic pains.
In health,
Melinda
Living in constant pain can make you feel like you are alone and there is no one who understands what you are going through. Chronic pain conditions vary and each person living with chronic pain will have their own pain thresholds and triggers. At times, it may seem like there is nothing you can do, especially when traditional pain medication doesn’t have any effect. It is at times like this when people try other methods of medicating.
For some, different types of pains and symptoms can be managed or even eradicated with a few changes to your diet. It may seem futile however if nothing else is working you have nothing to lose by trying. Adapt what you do during your day-to-day life to see if different things affect your pain level. For example, many chronic pain patients credit the sun and warmth for lowering their pain levels. For this reason, it could be worth looking into how you can increase your vitamin D intake and get more sun into your life.
Many people find adding exercise into their lives can help with certain types of pain. Working up slowly to adding beneficial exercise to your daily routine as and when you can help you to look after your body despite your pain levels. Yoga, pilates, and simple stretching exercise will help you to remain fit and supple and in some cases decrease your pain levels.
There is no scientific evidence that links drastic diet changes with the eradication of pain from chronic pain conditions. However, it is thought that certain types of foods can inflame the body in different ways making pain worse. From cutting out dairy to reduce additional IBS symptoms or abdominal pain to avoiding nightshade foods to reduce pain and inflammation for Fibromyalgia, arthritis, and more.
There have also been suggestions that eating clean and switching to a more plant-based diet can help control pain levels. While fatty and processed foods aren’t healthy for anyone when overconsumed, there is nothing to lose by changing up your diet and eating a more natural diet, and reducing your meat, specifically red meat intake.
Many chronic pain sufferers will all tell you that sleeping is a problem. It’s a vicious circle to be told you need to get more sleep yet sleep is elusive due to your pain. But by creating as relaxing a sleep environment as can help you to relax even if you can’t sleep. Your body repairs itself during sleep and getting good quality sleep remains important despite your health condition.
Find your optimal sleeping temperature and noise level, try using a white noise app if you needed, and also use comfortable bedding. Set your limits for screen time and electronics and try to create a relaxing bedtime routine that indicates you are ready for sleep. This won’t always be possible but it is worth persevering to help you improve your sleep quality.
This is a collaborative post.
Melinda
You’ve probably heard the term or worse yet suffer from Painsomnia yourself. If the term is new to you, here’s the short version. A person experiences insomnia due to pain preventing them from falling asleep or staying asleep.
“Sleep helps our bodies rest and heal, so good-quality sleep is vital for people with chronic illnesses. However, painsomnia can make a good night of sleep feel like a pipe dream. Fortunately, medical researchers are starting to learn more about the condition and how patients can cope.”
I have the type of Painsomnia that keeps me up after waking from pain and makes it impossible to go back to sleep. My sleep medicine has worn off by then and no it’s just pain against sleep, and sleep rarely wins.
I have tried several hacks to help go back to sleep with mixed results. I have an essential oil stick with a Lavander fragrance that’s supposed to relax you but I can’t tell it does any good. The one item that has worked this past week is Delta 8 gummies. I take one right after waking up and they do relieve stress and keep my mind from wondering allowing me to go back to sleep.
I have to point out that I’m living without pain medication right now so it can be a challenge when I have to sleep on my shoulders and hips. No back or stomach sleeping for me.
The MD Anderson Sleep Center recommends that people adopt new habits into their nightly routine. These habits help form the foundation for good sleep hygiene:
If you have trouble sleeping, your healthcare provider may prescribe sleep aids or encourage you to try over-the-counter medications. These drugs can help regulate your circadian rhythm and lull you into slumber. Melatonin supplements help regulate your sleep cycle.9
A study from Cureus journal found that ashwagandha, a medicinal herb, can help people fall and stay asleep.10
Prescription drugs may include benzodiazepines, which are often used to treat anxiety and insomnia. Before you try any new supplements or prescriptions, make sure to consult your healthcare provider.
Cognitive-behavioral therapy is a treatment that encourages people to rethink and change their behaviors. For people with insomnia, cognitive behavioral therapy may help,11
For example, a person without a sleep routine can work with a therapist to start better habits before bed. If anxious thoughts are keeping you up at night, cognitive behavioral techniques can teach you to stop those spiraling thoughts and focus on other, more restful thoughts.
If your painsomnia makes you feel helpless, those worries can make it even harder for you to get sleep. You may blame yourself or blame your body if you’re struggling with painsomnia. Cognitive behavioral therapy can help you cope with some of that frustration.
While hypnotherapy is not a proven cure for painsomnia, some researchers have found that hypnosis might improve insomnia.12Hypnotherapy is an alternative medicine where practitioners use hypnosis and the power of suggestion to guide patients through various concerns.
Hypnotherapy is not a replacement for your healthcare provider or your current medications. Some researchers describe hypnotherapy as a sort of placebo. In either case, hypnosis can lull you into deep relaxation. This relaxation may help people with painsomnia fall asleep.
Melinda
Ref:
Chronic pain–defined as ongoing pain that continues for longer than six months–is a common complaint of patients with persistent Lyme disease.
The CDC estimates that 20% of Americans currently live with chronic pain. Estimates range from 10% to 36% of Lyme patients who are diagnosed and treated early are left with chronic symptoms.
For the past 40 years, the medical definition of chronic pain was more narrowly defined, including only those patients with actual or potential tissue damage.
Recently, with the help of researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine, the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) has made a subtle but important change to the medical definition of pain.
The new definition, “An unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with, or resembling that associated with, actual or potential tissue damages,” is important as it includes the pain caused by an overstimulated nervous system, commonly associated with chronic pain.
This new more inclusive definition, if adopted by insurance providers, could have a positive impact on access to health care for disempowered and neglected populations.
If you suffer from chronic pain, you have likely been asked to rate your pain on a scale of 1-10. As much as you may dislike rating your pain, this information helps your medical provider gauge whether you are making progress with the current treatment plan, or not.
Having worked as a physical therapist for years, I found the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) works better than telling someone to simply “rate your pain on a scale of 0-10,” especially with children.
Because Lyme disease can affect every organ and system of the body, every patient may have a different set of complaints. While neck, joint and muscle pain are very common in early Lyme disease, there are many other types of pain when the disease becomes chronic.
For instance, allodynia is a type of pain that is caused by something that shouldn’t normally cause pain (eg. wind or light touch may feel like sandpaper or a burn.) Menstrual pain, bladder pain, testicular pain, bone pain, and widespread nerve pain are common in chronic Lyme patients.
When I explain pain to patients, I use the cup theory. Depending on your age, your brain, and your body, everyone has a different size cup—or a different capacity—for pain. We are each only capable of handling a certain amount of pain. Once your cup is full, you are essentially at a 10 out of 10 on your individual pain scale.
You may have a constant headache filling your cup 1/2 way (or 5:10 on your pain scale), and then your knee starts hurting pushing you up to a 7:10, and then your lower back spasms, and BOOM–your cup is full!
What I’ve found is that if we can help chronic pain patients empty their cup just a little, we can start to make progress. When my daughter was at her worst, I couldn’t get rid of her pain completely. However, if I could help lower her pain even a little bit, she was able to function. Here is some of what I learned along the way.
For six years, my daughter lived with chronic debilitating pain. Early symptoms included fever, neck stiffness and a migraine that would not subside. Two months later, she developed knee pain and swelling along with back and bone pain. Later, she said soles of her feet felt like she was walking on nails. Periodically, she suffered excruciating abdominal pain and nausea. And the list goes on…
The first year, she was too sick to leave the house, except for doctor and hospital visits. Luckily, as a Physical Therapist (PT), I could provide pain management treatment and modalities at home. Once she began to gain strength, after starting treatment for her infections, she started seeing an outpatient PT, who brought a whole new set of skills to the table. This also relieved me of my dual role as caretaker and healthcare provider—something I don’t recommend.
In the beginning, she was so weak I had to do everything for her. I would wheel her to the bathroom, bring her all her meals, help her get dressed–everything. The treatment I provided was limited to positioning for comfort, passive range of motion, gentle massage, hot/cold, taping/bracing, acupressure and craniosacral therapy. As she got stronger, she learned self-treatment techniques that she continues to use today.
Self-treatment approaches are generally low-cost and low-risk. You can do them on your own schedule in the comfort of your own home. It does require a commitment to changing your daily habits, but they can offer significant improvements in reducing pain and improving your quality of life.
Here are 12 things you can discuss as treatment options with your healthcare provider.
Most of the immune system originates in the gut. Literally, everything you put into your body is part of the healing process. Or not. You want to support the immune system without feeding inflammation. Fast food, artificial/processed foods, carbs, sugar, gluten, dairy and alcohol are common inflammatory triggers. In my mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS) series, I wrote about low histamine diets that help reduce the inflammation associated with MCAS.
When you’re in pain, it can be difficult to find a comfortable position. When my daughter was at her worst, she found it difficult to breath when she was lying flat. We added 4-inch wooden blocks under the feet at the head of her bed, and a large wedge pillow to elevate her head. When her back was hurting, it also helped to put a pillow under her knees.
You can get really creative with pillows. For instance, body pillows or “hug” pillows work well if you are a side sleeper.
While you are sitting, you may want to try out different size pillows or towel rolls for comfort. Putting a pillow on your lap to support your arms or one behind the small of your back may help. As a rule, you want to change positions every 30-60 minutes. This helps prevent pressure sores and muscle stiffness.
Some people find it worth their while to rent a hospital-type bed, where the head and/or feet can be elevated.
Wheelchairs, walkers, canes, bath/shower chairs, long-handled reachers (sometimes called grabbers) are all good examples of assistive devices. Items like tray tables, lap tables, bath caddies, tote bags or tinted reading glasses can also make life easier.
Other things designed for reducing pain may include ace bandage wraps, shoulder sling, wrist, knee or ankle braces and shoe orthotics. You may also find over-the-counter topical pain relievers or CBD oil to be helpful. There are stronger topical pain relievers available by prescription.
When you are sick you must be very conservative with energy expenditure. Modifying or changing your activities so they do not aggravate your symptoms is extremely important. Restricting, reducing, or spacing out your activities can help reduce pain and fatigue.
The key is to know your limits and stay within them. Pacing is similar to the concept of the “Spoon Theory” where you are only given a small supply of spoons to use each day—so use them wisely. When you are sick is not the time to try to push past the pain. In our house, we found sticking to a schedule that we affectionately call “Groundhog Day” helps to keep the pace.
Active range of motion (ROM) is a simple activity that almost anyone can do, whether lying down, sitting or standing. It helps to bring blood flow to the extremities and maintain or increase flexibility. The idea is to move every joint in the body through its full range. One example is to fully spread your fingers open, then fully close your fist. I recommend starting with the neck and working your way down to shoulders, elbows, wrists, torso, hips, knees, then feet.
If you are extremely de-conditioned, getting in/out of the shower and washing your hair may count as your active range of motion for that day. However, some people may be too weak or in too much pain to move at all. For these people, someone else must assist them with moving the extremities. We call this passive range of motion. While motion is important, the main goal is to make the pain better not worse.
Activity in any form can help improve mobility which may help reduce pain. Too much (or the wrong) activity can also make things worse. Once you are able, gentle exercise programs like, walking, stretching, yoga, tai chi, Pilates, and pool therapy can be a great benefit. To begin with, I recommend adding light weights (1-3 lb household items like broom handles or cans of soup work fine) to your ROM stretches.
“Sunlight Chair Yoga” is a type of adaptive yoga you may want to look at.
Yoga stresses the value of deep breathing. Deep breathing involves the diaphragm, a dome-shaped muscle that forms the floor to the lungs. Such breathing is also essential to meditation and mindfulness.
The key to diaphragmatic breathing is to focus on deep relaxation and making the exhale portion of your breath twice as long as the inhale.
Meditation and mindfulness can help reduce stress and physiological responses to stress, which in turn, can help reduce pain. I suggest starting with something like Jyothi meditation, which involves simply gazing at a candle.
Creating art, journaling, gardening, reading a good book, even just sitting outdoors and listening to the sounds of nature can help distract from pain. Research has shown that music helps the brain release dopamine our “feel-good” hormone. The important thing is to find something that, gives you hope, brings you joy or something you are grateful for each day.
For this I recommend getting a “moist” heating pad and ice pack from your local pharmacy and use as directed. Heat can help relax muscle tightness and improve circulation. Cold can reduce inflammation and numb an area of localized pain.
I usually recommend 10-20 min of moist heat for stiffness, and 10-15 min of cold for pain. Certain types of pain may respond better to one than the other, or you may find alternating hot/cold works best. (Note: If you have problems with blood clotting, bleeding or impaired circulation, you should check with your medical provider before using hot/cold.)
Epsom salt is a combination of magnesium, sulfur and oxygen ions known as magnesium sulfate. Most of the benefits of Epsom salt come from the magnesium, one of the most important minerals in the human body. A magnesium deficiency will create an electrolyte imbalance and can also lead to calcium and/or potassium deficiencies. Among other things, magnesium helps your body produce melatonin and certain neurotransmitters needed for sleep.
I suggest purchasing Epsom salt from your local pharmacy or other reputable supplier to ensure the highest quality and use as directed. Add the salt to a warm bathtub or foot bath. In as little as 15 minutes, it can help relax muscles, improve circulation, loosen joint stiffness, relieve pain and promote calm.
I like to add a few drops of lavender or use a diffuser for additional aroma therapy during bath time. If you don’t have access to a bath or don’t tolerate heat, magnesium can be purchased in gel form and rubbed on your skin.
If you’ve had or have Lyme, you are likely no stranger to insomnia. During the first year of my daughter’s illness, her symptoms would peak after midnight, making it impossible for her to fall asleep until around 6 a.m. Essentially, her days and nights were reversed.
I can tell you from experience, there are a lot of standard techniques for improving sleep hygiene that simply DO NOT work for Lyme patients. So, while you are trying to turn things around, my advice is to sleep when you are tired and nap whenever possible. Even if you can’t sleep, it’s important to lie down. You need at minimum 8 hours of rest every day. Also talk to your doctor about adding a low dose of melatonin.
Modalities to help improve strength, mobility, and flexibility can help to relieve pain temporarily. Over time, improved function may help reduce the underlying cause of the pain. I am a big fan of hands-on treatment by a trained professional.
The following is a partial list of therapies you might consider.:
Last but not least I do believe the key to happiness is laughter. Laughter reduces stress hormones like cortisol and releases endorphins, the body’s natural pain reliever. My simple advice is to avoid things that cause you stress, fear or anger.
Watch comedy or movies with happy endings. Stay connected with someone you can be honest with, one who listens and can make you laugh. Above all else, never give up hope.
LymeSci is written by Lonnie Marcum, a Licensed Physical Therapist and mother of a daughter with Lyme. In 2019-2020, she served on a subcommittee of the federal Tick-Borne Disease Working Group. Follow her on Twitter: @LonnieRhea Email her at: lmarcum@lymedisease.org .
Melinda
References:
Dahlhamer J, Lucas J, Zelaya, C, et al. (2016) Prevalence of Chronic Pain and High-Impact Chronic Pain Among Adults — United States. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2018;67:1001–1006. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6736a2
Aucott JN, Rebman AW, Crowder LA, Kortte KB. (2013) Post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome symptomatology and the impact on life functioning: is there something here? Qual Life Res. 22(1):75-84. doi: 10.1007/s11136-012-0126-6.
Raja, Srinivasa N.a,*; Carr, Daniel B.b; Cohen, Miltonc; Finnerup, Nanna B.d,e; Flor, Hertaf; Gibson, Stepheng; Keefe, Francis J.h; Mogil, Jeffrey S.i; Ringkamp, Matthiasj; Sluka, Kathleen A.k; Song, Xue-Junl; Stevens, Bonniem; Sullivan, Mark D.n; Tutelman, Perri R.o; Ushida, Takahirop; Vader, Kyleq (2020) The revised International Association for the Study of Pain definition of pain: concepts, challenges, and compromises, PAIN 16(1):1976-1982 doi: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000001939
I had many adventures in my head and wrote my first Bucket List in 2015, it was invigorating to have it in writing yet I was struggling with Chronic Lyme and IV Therapy, my joy didn’t last until I went into remission years later.
A sincere thank you and a big hug for all the well wishes. I love hearing from you, you bring a smile on days when there are none. It will take a while but “I’ll Be Back”. XO Warrior
BUCKET LIST STARTED 2015
Tango Lessons
Visit Germany where my family lived before coming to America
Dive again, in 1999 I had panic attack and have not tackled fear
Enjoy Argentinian Wine Country, Twin P will escort me
Be a RAINN Advocate Speaker for Child Abuse and Rape
Volunteer for RAINN to offer support to women while going thru Rape Kit process
Currently starting charity focused on children’s education, providing basic supplies to women/children in shelters and growing community awareness
Provide pastoral support as Ordained Minister with a focus on dying children and the elderly.
Swim with Manatees, Dolphins, and Sharks, Sharks only while in a cage.
Ride a Camel and Elephant in a native environment, treated ethically.
See every inch of Australia. Australia is several countries in one.
Hot air balloon ride French countryside.
See coral reef bleaching on the Great Barrier Reef, why bleaching? Natural, overfishing, or chemical.
Visit countries safe for American women traveling alone. To build confidence, I like to travel alone to foreign destinations. Germany, Istanbul, India, Dubai, and Alaska, have a good start.
Learn to rescue animals who coexist in our neighborhoods, like ducks, rabbits, owls, bobcats, and coyotes.
See fine Turkish rugs being made
Uganda to see Silver Back Gorillas
My organs save a life
I think seeing photos of past adventures will jack up my motivation.
Melinda
lookingforthelight.blog 
