Could Lyme Disease be the Cause of Your Mysterious Symptoms?
When I was in my early 20s, I began experiencing chronic health issues including severe fatigue, mood swings, digestive problems, neurological symptoms, and heart palpitations. I went from doctor to doctor without getting any answers. Some of the doctors I saw tried to be helpful, but some told me my issues were “all in my head.” This frustrating experience continued for more than 5 years, when I was finally diagnosed with Lyme disease.
Maybe you’ve had a similar journey with mysterious health symptoms that doctors can’t seem to figure out. If so, it could be worth investigating to see if Lyme disease is at the root of your problems. Let’s discuss what Lyme disease is and how functional medicine can help.
What is Lyme Disease?
Lyme disease is a bacterial infection caused by bacteria of the Borrelia species (most commonly Borrelia burgdorferi in the US) and typically transmitted through the bite of a blacklegged tick. The Borrelia bacteria is known as a spirochete (spiral-shaped bacterium) and is similar to the bacteria that cause syphilis. While Borrelia burgdorferi is the most common cause of Lyme in North America, there are other species of Borrelia that are more prevalent in other areas of the world. Other tick-borne infections such as Babesia and Bartonella can occur in conjunction with Borrelia, which can be a complicating factor in diagnosis and treatment.
Some of the symptoms of an acute Lyme infection include:
Fever
Headaches
Flu-like symptoms
Joint pain
Muscle pain
Rash (often a bull’s-eye rash known as erythema migrans)
Fatigue
Chills and sweats
Neck stiffness
Sleep disruption
Facial palsies
If Lyme disease is caught in the acute stage, the standard treatment of antibiotics such as doxycycline is more likely to be effective. Unfortunately, Lyme is often missed in its early stages or mistaken for another illness, so it can become chronic.
Chronic Lyme can be debilitating both physically and mentally. Some of the symptoms of chronic Lyme disease overlap with acute symptoms, but there are some differences. Here are some signs and symptoms of a chronic Lyme infection:
Fatigue
Joint pain
Sleep issues
Neuropsychiatric problems such as anxiety, depression, brain fog, and mood swings
Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative diseases
Immune dysfunction and chronic inflammation
Cardiovascular symptoms such as palpitations and arrhythmias
Headaches
Skin discolorations
Sensory changes (numbness, tingling, burning, prickling sensation, etc.)
Muscle pain
Digestive problems
Orthostatic intolerance such as POTS
Many of the symptoms of Lyme disease are common symptoms of other conditions as well. This fact has led to Lyme being referred to as “the great imitator” as it is often misdiagnosed as another condition such as multiple sclerosis or a psychiatric disorder.
The prevalence of Lyme disease is increasing, and cases have been identified in all 50 US states. The CDC estimates that around 476,000 Americans are diagnosed with Lyme disease each year, but less than a tenth of those cases are officially reported.
How is Lyme disease diagnosed?
The traditional method for Lyme disease testing is a two-tiered blood testing strategy involving an ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) test and a western blot test. The ELISA measures levels of antibodies against Borrelia burgdorferi while the western blot goes a step further by measuring antibody levels as well as measuring reactivity to proteins found in the Borrelia bacterium. However, this two-tier approach can be unreliable, especially in the early stages of Lyme disease. Early diagnosis is many times based on recent history of tick bite and symptoms, especially the presence of the erythema migrans rash.
Despite the traditional testing methods not always being reliable indicators of Lyme infection, there are more recently developed tests that can be helpful for diagnosis. The immunoblot test is more sensitive (more able to correctly identify those with the disease) than the western blot and is available from lab testing companies like IGeneX. The EliSpot test measures T-cell (a type of immune cell) response to Borrelia and can be used to assess current Lyme disease activity in the body. This test is available from companies such as Infectolab.
How is Lyme disease treated?
The conventional approach to treating Lyme disease is typically limited to antibiotics such as doxycycline, amoxicillin, cefuroxime, or ceftriaxone. These can be given orally or via IV and the treatment usually lasts around two weeks but can be longer duration if symptoms are more severe.
While antibiotic treatment can be helpful in addressing Lyme disease, a functional medicine approach will focus on not just the Borrelia bacterium itself, but correcting other dysfunctions caused by the infection. A functional or integrative protocol for Lyme will often address diet and gut health, inflammation and immune system support, and proper detoxification as well as utilizing antibiotics or antimicrobial herbs. Co-infections such as Babesia and Bartonella may also be present and may need to be treated as well. Fortunately, there are herbal antimicrobial options as well as prescription medications that are effective in treating these organisms. Other holistic treatments including ozone therapy and hyperbaric oxygen therapy can also be an effective part of a protocol for Lyme and co-infections.
Lyme disease can be complicated and debilitating, but there are effective treatment options at any stage of the disease. If you are struggling with Lyme disease or think you may have symptoms of Lyme, a knowledgeable functional medicine practitioner can help you navigate diagnosis and treatment protocols. If you’re not sure where to start, we would love to help you! Visit our website at hopespringfunctional.com and sign up for a free discovery call to get started.
Sources and References
Schwartz AM, Hinckley AF, Mead PS, Hook SA, Kugeler KJ. Surveillance for Lyme Disease - United States, 2008-2015. MMWR Surveill Summ. 2017 Nov 10;66(22):1-12. doi: 10.15585/mmwr.ss6622a1. PMID: 29120995; PMCID: PMC5829628.
DeLong A, Hsu M, Kotsoris H. Estimation of cumulative number of post-treatment Lyme disease cases in the US, 2016 and 2020. BMC Public Health. 2019 Apr 24;19(1):352. doi: 10.1186/s12889-019-6681-9. PMID: 31014314; PMCID: PMC6480773.
Skar GL, Blum MA, Simonsen KA. Lyme Disease. 2024 Oct 1. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan–. PMID: 28613720.
Shor S, Green C, Szantyr B, Phillips S, Liegner K, Burrascano JJ Jr, Bransfield R, Maloney EL. Chronic Lyme Disease: An Evidence-Based Definition by the ILADS Working Group. Antibiotics (Basel). 2019 Dec 16;8(4):269. doi: 10.3390/antibiotics8040269. PMID: 31888310; PMCID: PMC6963229.
https://chriskresser.com/your-comprehensive-guide-to-lyme-disease/
https://drruscio.com/unusual-symptoms-of-lyme-disease/
https://www.hopkinslymetracker.org/