What are Lyme Co-infections?
Lyme co-infections can be confusing. As someone who has suffered with Lyme issues in my younger years, I have seen many others go through the same symptoms that I did, with the root being Lyme, and Lyme co-infections. It was that experience that led me to start Creating Balanced Health, now known as CBH Energetics.
What many people don’t realize, (and neither did I) is that Lyme often comes with a host of Lyme co-infections, that can make the management of the disease more difficult.
In this article, I will explain what Lyme co-infections are, and the different types of bacteria and parasites related to the bacteria that causes Lyme, Borrelia burgdorferi. I will also share ways to identify their symptoms, and the various support options available. If you want a detailed version of holistic options, we have a blog post here.
Are you Living With Lyme? Apply to our Living with Lyme Giveaway here. Applications are ongoing, and we award one new winner every year at the end of May in honor of Lyme Disease Awareness Month!
If you are a practitioner, and want to learn more about Bioresonance, Lyme, and Lyme co-infections, visit our Bioenergetic Certification Course.
What is a Lyme Co-infection?
Before we dig into Lyme co-infections, let’s define a CO-INFECTION in general. Co-infections can be described as multiple infections at once.
Biomed Central describes these:
“Co-infection is the simultaneous infection of a host by multiple pathogen species, for instance multi-parasite infections. Co-infection also occurs as simultaneous infection of a single cell by two or more virus particles, which can arise incrementally by initial infection followed by superinfection.”
Lyme co-infections are other microbes that may cause symptoms, that are transmitted along with the Lyme bacteria. These co-infections can include bacteria, viruses, and parasites, and often are transmitted by the same tick bite that transmits Lyme disease. Lyme Disease is caused by the bacterial Borrelia burgdorferi (B. burgdorferi).
The most common co-infections include Babesia, Bartonella, and Ehrlichia. Others could include Anaplasma, and Mycoplasma.
We will discuss these individually in the article.
It’s important to note that author Stephen Harrod Buhner does not use the term “co-infections” but instead uses “arthropod-transmitted infectious group.”
We chat about that on our blog post, What is Lyme Disease?
Symptoms of Lyme Co-infections
The symptoms of Lyme co-infections can vary depending on the specific microbe. There are some common, often overlapping symptoms:
- Flu-like symptoms such as fever, chills, and fatigue.
- Headaches and migraines.
- Joint pain and arthritis.
- Muscle aches and weakness.
- Skin rashes and lesions.
- Digestive issues such as nausea and diarrhea.
- Neurological symptoms such as brain fog, memory loss, and confusion.
It’s important to note that these symptoms can also be present in Lyme disease, which is why co-infections can often be missed, or misdiagnosed. There are many other illnesses and syndromes that can look like the symptoms above.
While we’re on the topic of symptoms and illness, we always state that we do not diagnose or treat any disease or condition.
At CBH Energetics, we look at stress, overall, from an energetic perspective. We talk in terms of systems and resonance. Someone who resonates with the energetic pattern of Borrelia, or any of the other co infections patterns, may see stress on a report in:
- The Locomotor System.
- The Nervous System.
- The Lymph System.
- The Blood System.
- Cellular Metabolism.
- The Immune System.
- The Respiratory System.
All of your body systems can be affected by these microorganisms.
Thankfully, there are conventional AND holistic support for these Lyme co-infections, as well as many different types of testing, including Bioresonance!
If you are new to Bioresonance testing, jump here after finishing this article.
Conventional Treatment for Lyme Co-infections.
The treatment for Lyme co-infections will depend on the specific organism identified, (if it can be identified) and the severity of the symptoms the person may be feeling and showing. Antibiotics are often used to treat borrelia and bacterial co-infections, while anti-parasitic and antiviral medications may be used for other types of infections.
Bacteria and other microbes may stress an immune system already weakened by something else, and this leaves some people more susceptible to harsher symptoms.
Conventional treatments are best if administered early, and are said to be an “easy” treatment (1). There is much controversy over whether or not Lyme and Lyme co-infections can become a chronic issue. These are not discussed in this article.
I’ve prepared a quick rundown on the common co-infections you might see with Lyme.
Lyme Co-infections: Babesia.
Babesia is a parasite that infects red blood cells. The species of Babesia are divided into 4 different categories. Babesia microti is a common co-infection and part of the clade 1 category (2). There are over 100 species of Babesia.
Some of the scientific literature states that Babesia is transmitted by the same tick that carries Lyme disease, the Ixodes tick. This is the same vector that also transmits B. burgdorferi. It’s often called a “malaria-like” illness, because it can cause similar symptoms to malaria.
There is some anecdotal studies that claim Babesia can be transmitted through blood transfusion and placenta (3, 4).
The symptoms of Babesia can include fever, chills, fatigue, sweats, and muscle aches. Because Babesia is a parasite that affects red blood cells, it can also cause anemia, which can lead to shortness of breath and other respiratory issues. This is also termed “air hunger.”
This may resonate as an iron imbalance on your Bioresonance report.
Babesia can be difficult to diagnose because it can be mistaken for other illnesses. Here are some common themes in conjunction with a Babesia co-infection:
- Night sweats.
- Air hunger.
- Headaches, including frontal type headaches.
- Cognitive issues.
- Digestive issues.
- Trouble focusing on daily actions.
As you read on, you will see that there are commonalities between all of these microbes, and even mold toxicity.
Lyme Co-infections: Ehrlichia.
Ehrlichia is a bacteria that infects white blood cells. I’ve read that this bacteria is transmitted by the same tick that carries Lyme disease, and also by the lone star tick. It’s commonly found in the southeastern and south central regions of the United States, according to the Merck Manual. The symptoms of Ehrlichia can ALSO include fever, headache, fatigue, and muscle aches.
They include (5):
- Fever.
- Chills.
- Muscle aches.
- Weakness.
- Nausea and/or vomiting.
- Cough.
- Headache.
- Malaise.
In some cases, Ehrlichia can cause a more serious illness called Ehrlichiosis, which can lead to more serious health issues.
Lyme Co-infections: Bartonella.
Bartonella is yet another bacteria that can cause a range of similar symptoms, including fever, swollen lymph nodes, headache, fatigue, and joint pain. You may have heard of it as Cat Scratch Fever. Dr. Neil Nathan, author of Toxic: Heal Your Body from Mold Toxicity, Lyme Disease, Multiple Chemical Sensitivities , and Chronic Environmental Illness, states that Bartonella is an opportunistic organism (6)
This means that this microbe may impact a compromised immune system, as it will see an opportunity to thrive.
Similar to the other microbes, one might experience brain fog, sore throat, digestive issues, hallucinations, headaches, and joint pain.
Other symptoms may include (6):
- Bell’s palsy.
- Trembling sensations.
- Pelvic pain.
- Anxiety.
- Emotional instability.
It’s a bacteria that can go into the cell, also called an intracellular bacteria. Just like the other co-infections, there are many species of Bartonella. Bartonella henselae causes the well known “cat scratch fever’ and Bartonella Quintana causes “trench fever.”
Many researchers and physicians consider this organism as opportunistic, in that it affects those whose immune system is challenged, in a far greater way than those whose immune system is robust. A challenge to the immune system can happen with Lyme, mold or an overall large toxic burden.
Even childbirth is considered stressful and a challenge to the immune system.
Bartonella can come from biting insects, and cats can carry it as well. It can be difficult to diagnose because it can cause a range of symptoms that can be mistaken for other illnesses.
According to Dr. Neil Nathan, Bartonella may look like mold illness, and may overexcite the nervous and immune systems.
Lyme Co-infections: Rickettsiae
This group of bacteria are associated with Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, namely the bacteria Rickettsiae rickettsia. These bacteria also have an affinity for the inside of blood vessels, otherwise known as endothelial cells, and if the resonating pattern of rickettsiae appears on a Report from CBH Energetics, (CBH stands for Creating Balance Health ), you may see the Blood dial under stress.
The stress on the blood vessels can change the barrier of the blood vessel which is the ling of the vessel. This may lead to altered vascular permeability, and overall inflammation. One may experience fever, symptoms related to the central nervous system (this could also resonate with stress on a report), and the person may also experience headache, cardiovascular issues and a rash (7).
This bacteria goes through cycles of virulence. Symptoms can be mild or severe, depending on the stage of virulence. The bacteria may be more virulent after overwintering in a tick, according to Stephen Buhner, author of Healing Lyme, which happens to be on our Top Ten List of Books on Lyme.
This bacteria does cause a “rash” which is really blood vessel damage (8).
After reading all of this, you probably never want to ever see a tick!
My goal at CBH Energetics is to always instill hope.
Hope is something I clung to when trying to get to the bottom of what was happening to me, when I was so sick. I would not be the person I am today, without Bioenergetics. You can read my story here.
There are many things you can do when faced with a tick, or if you are concerned about Lyme and Lyme co-infections.
Tick Prevention is one of them!
I love the outdoors, and love to walk my dog, but my experience has left me extremely cautious! Ticks can quickly turn an enjoyable hike into a nightmare for me.
Tick prevention is crucial to protect yourself and your loved ones from the harmful effects of tick-borne issues. Ticks are small, and in the larvae stage, they are the size of a grain of sand! Some are often referred to as “seed ticks” because of their size.
To prevent tick bites, it is essential to take some precautionary measures.
- Avoid walking through tall grass or dense vegetation, where ticks are most commonly found. If you must walk through these areas, wear long-sleeved shirts and pants, and tuck your pants into your socks to prevent ticks from crawling up your legs. Some people do want to use insect repellent, but it contains DEET, or picaridin or other substances that may be harmful to your Nervous System. There are many natural sprays on the market, that may include oil of lemon eucalyptus.Our pet account, PetMedella has a great instagram post on making a tick spray for your dog, that’s fine for you too!
Check that out here!
- Check yourself and your pets for ticks. Ticks can attach themselves to any part of the body, but they’re commonly found in warm, moist areas, such as armpits, groin, and scalp. If you find a tick on your skin, use fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick close to the skin’s surface and pull upward with steady, even pressure. Avoid twisting or jerking the tick as this can cause the mouthparts to break off and remain in the skin. After removing the tick, clean the bite area with soap and water or a specific preparation.
Tick prevention is crucial to protect yourself and your loved ones from tick-borne microbes. Taking the necessary precautions, such as wearing protective clothing, using safe “repellents,” and checking for ticks, can go a long way in preventing tick bites!
Natural Remedies for Lyme Co-infections.
In addition to conventional medical treatments, there are also natural remedies that can help support the immune system and reduce symptoms. Some examples include:
- Probiotics: These can help improve gut health and support the immune system. The gut contains 70% of your immune system.
- Herbal supplements: Certain herbs such as garlic, oregano, and cat’s claw have antimicrobial properties that can support your body.
- Nutritional supplements: Vitamins such as vitamin C, vitamin D, and zinc can help support immune function.
- Homeopathic remedies: we test for and carry all of the Series Therapy kits from Deseret Biologicals, and these include homeopathic preparations for Borrelia, Babesia and more.
- Consider tissue salts, like our Bio Cell Salts, that contain 12 essential minerals for cellular function. These salts are safe, and supportive for a variety of everyday issues and chronic ones as well.
We do insist on testing before any remedies are sold, even probiotics! There are so many factors that play into supplements, that to suggest a list of herbals to take, would not be in integrity here at CBH. We always say, test, don’t guess!
Living with Lyme Co-infections
Living with Lyme co-infections can be challenging, but it’s important to remember that there are many supportive measures you can take, and the information and discussion around this is growing.
It’s important to prioritize self-care, such as getting enough rest, eating a healthy diet, and staying active within your limits. You may feel fatigued, and achey, and it can be frustrating not to feel like your old self.
It can also be helpful to connect with others who are going through similar experiences. There are many online support groups and forums where you can connect with others who understand what you’re going through.
If you are considering Bioresonance for any tick issues, consider the most comprehensive test, the Full Scan.
Sources:
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3520031/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK430715/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6231644/
- https://www.cdc.gov/lyme/resources/toolkit/factsheets/Pregnancy-and-Lyme-Disease-508.pdf
- https://www.merckmanuals.com/en-ca/home/infections/rickettsial-and-related-infections/ehrlichiosis-and-anaplasmosis
- Toxic: Heal Your Body from Mold Toxicity, Lyme Disease, Multiple Chemical Sensitivities , and Chronic Environmental Illness
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK430881/
