Is There Finally Going to be a Cure For This Misunderstood Disease?

Hundreds of thousands of people could one day get their lives back…

For decades, doctors haven’t been able to agree on how to treat it. Patients have suffered in the meantime, some even resorting to dangerous alternative treatments in their desperation to get well. But mainstream medicine might finally have an answer for people who continue to suffer from Lyme disease, which is often misunderstood.

Many doctors still insist that the symptoms are the result of lingering inflammation, and not persistent infections, but evidence has been mounting against them. Researchers have just identified “persister” Lyme disease bacteria that can survive traditional treatment --- and they’ve also found a cocktail of antibiotics they believe can clear the infections. Here are the details...

Most Misunderstood Illness

Many doctors still insist persistent Lyme disease symptoms are a syndrome caused by lingering inflammation. Others are adamant the disease can survive conventional antibiotic treatment and cause persistent infection. Regardless of how we define longstanding Lyme disease symptoms, many people who’ve been treated for the disease remain ill and it can destroy their quality of life.

Patients with persistent Lyme disease often suffer from joint pain and swelling, severe fatigue and achy muscles. They may also experience memory problems, brain fog and difficulty concentrating. The symptoms can be so vague and broad they are often confused as manifestations of fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue syndrome.

New Evidence for Persistent Disease

The CDC receives about 30,000 reported new cases of Lyme disease each year, but estimates bring actual numbers closer to 300,000. Up to 20% of those people remain ill despite receiving antibiotic treatment, and the most recent research is pointing to persistent infections as being a leading cause.

According to the study, a small portion of the bacteria can switch to a slow-growing or dormant state during antibiotic attacks. These bacteria don’t metabolize the antibiotics, allowing them to survive and continue the infection.

A New Potential Treatment

A study published last month in Discovery Magazine identified the slow-growing “persister” Lyme bacteria in mouse models. Researchers found they could eradicate the difficult bacteria using a cocktail of three antibiotics: daptomycin, doxycycline and ceftriaxone. The combination hasn’t been tested on humans, but those in charge of the study hope to see that next step soon.

The most recent treatment guidelines offered by the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) recommends using doxycycline, amoxicillin or cefuroxime to treat late-stage disease. The IDSA doesn’t recommend combining antibiotics, and it doesn’t recognize persistent Lyme disease as a continued infection.

The IDSA views persistent symptoms as the result of lingering inflammation, possibly an autoimmune response to the disease. Instead of more antibiotics, it recommends these patients seek out qualified rheumatologists to help manage their symptoms.

Sufferers of persistent Lyme disease symptoms may soon have hope for real and lasting recovery. If post-treatment symptoms are indeed caused by persister bacteria and the three-drug cocktail passes human trials, hundreds of thousands of people could potentially get their lives back. We’ll keep you posted as more on this potential breakthrough becomes available.

~ Here’s to Your Health and Wellness