Living with Arthritis
Lyme Disease and Arthritis
Author: Lydia Peru
Lyme disease is an arthropod-borne infection. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it is estimated that 23 thousand people were infected through tick bites in 2005.
Yale University conducted a clinical study on the evolution of Lyme related arthritis. It was found that 80 percent of the patients treated for Lyme soon displayed symptoms of arthritis, some within weeks, and many lasting for years. These cases ranged from minor symptoms to severe cases.
There are three stages of Lyme disease. The first may be a rash forming in the area of the bite, though that symptom is missing in about 20 percent of Lyme cases. As the disease spreads there may be fatigue, pain, and depression as well as other chronic illness symptoms. Long term untreated cases may result in cognitive and neurological symptoms.
Heres what we know about Lyme Disease. We start with a tick bite, and the transference of spirochetes into the host. About sixty percent of the time our body is able to contain and kill the infestation. That leaves a whopping 40 percent. Only about 20 percent of those infested know that they have a tick bite.
Some individuals who are exposed to the Borrelia organism do not develop Lyme disease. It is assumed that their immune response destroys the spirochetes. Others may not fully contain the organism, and dispatch the T-cells to complete the task. The question remains as to what damage has occurred to the host, including triggering the onset of arthritis.
It is questioned whether arthritis is caused by the Lyme disease organism, but the development of arthritis may occur in the aftermath. Spirochetes contain molecules that can attach to connective tissues, creating an inflammatory response.
The inflammatory mediators dispatched by the immune system are provoked by the presence of the Borrelia organism. It is not known if the organisms are capable of inducing the degrading of cartilage and erosion of bone. It has been determined that the presence of the Borrelia organism plays a major role in the development of Lyme arthritis.
The good news is that in cases where the Lyme organism is measurably decreased that the arthritis symptoms decrease as well. In ten percent of cases the arthritis remains. Why is this, is it because the organism still remains in the body, undetected? Perhaps it is caused by our own resistance to the treatment through antibiotics. The answers are not always clear. Continued research is needed to solve this mystery of Lyme arthritis.
We should not have to be victims of ongoing arthritis pain. We can find answers through research in both traditional and alternative therapies. Lyme disease may be the cause of many ongoing health issues. Learn the facts, find your answers at http://lymedisease.amireiki.com/
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