Tag Archives: Lyme disease and ticks

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Lyme disease links between pain and addiction

January 11, 2017
Lyme disease links

Lyme disease links between pain and addiction alongside stress are a poor combination for any one to associate with

Lyme disease links between pain and addiction: Stressful obstructions

People who struggle with stressful medical conditions like Lyme disease links between pain, addiction and stress are more vulnerable to substance abuse this is according to the scientists at the National Institute of Health (NIH). Besides that, other statistics shows that individuals with chronic pain experience substance abuse rates at two-to-four times that of the general population. And from decades of experience, doctor Dalal Akoury MD, President and founder of AWAREmed health and wellness recourse center reiterates that there are several factors explaining their susceptibility some of which may include:

  • Ongoing need for medication
  • Ongoing health problems
  • Societal enabling
  • Lack of identification of potential problems

Stress is another factor that can predispose individuals who live with chronic pain to addiction. Researchers have identified a correlation between stress and substance abuse. Important facts about this link include:

  • Stress is a major contributor to the initiation and continuation of substance abuse.
  • Children who are exposed to severe stress are more vulnerable to substance abuse in adulthood.
  • 30-60% of individuals with substance use disorders meet the criteria for comorbid PTSD.
  • Patients with substance use disorders tend to suffer from more severe PTSD symptoms than PTSD patients without substance use disorders.
  • Animals that are not previously exposed to illicit substances become more vulnerable to drug self-administration when stressed.
  • Many of the same Neuro-circuits that respond to drugs also respond to stress.

Stress increases the release of corticotrophin-releasing factor (CRF), a hormone that catalyzes biological responses to stressors such as increased heart rate and metabolism. Abusing drugs also increases CRF levels and thereby heightens danger of relapse.

Stress also triggers the fight-or-flight moderating amygdala. When the amygdala perceives threats, it responds irrationally and hijacks the individual’s ability to think clearly. For people in recovery who stay sober by making wise choices, this emotional takeover can impair judgment and make resisting drugs harder.

There is yet another way that stress packs a double punch for people who suffer from Lyme disease. It exacerbates pain. A research team from Carnegie Mellon University found that chronic psychological stress is associated with the ability to regulate the body’s inflammatory response. This can lead to the development or progression of disease.

Lyme disease links between pain and addiction: Coping with stress

Mastering stress reduction skills is an important part of overall health and sobriety. In treatment many people find ways to incorporate relaxation strategies into daily life. Several include the following:

  • Singing
  • Massage
  • Spending time outdoors
  • Journaling
  • Yoga
  • Adopting a dog
  • Listening to music
  • Taking a walk
  • Drawing
  • Soaking in a hot bath

Other stress-management skills and techniques frequently taught in recovery programs include the following:

  • Avoiding hunger, anger, loneliness and fatigue
  • Engaging in community service
  • Journaling thoughts and feelings
  • Practicing positive thinking

Finally, with all these sufferings, it is only fair that you get help immediately and that is why doctor Akoury founded this facility to help you through your recovery process. All you need, is to reach out for her by scheduling an appointment today and all your concerns will be addressed professionally.

Lyme disease links between pain and addiction: Stressful obstructions

http://www.integrativeaddictionconference.com/wp-admin

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lyme-disease-pictures

Lyme disease obstructions of health and wellness

January 10, 2017
Lyme disease obstructions

Lyme disease obstructions of health and wellness if not addressed can be very irritating

Lyme disease obstructions of health and wellness: Addiction and Lyme disease

There is no doubt that everyone desire is to live life to the fullest enjoying every bit of it. In an attempt of achieving this, we often meet several obstacles on the way. Dealing with these obstacles is the biggest challenge humanity goes through and as a result of this, experts at AWAREmed health and wellness resource center under the leadership of doctor Dalal Akoury MD, are making every effort in ensuring that all the life hindrances are avoided or put under manageable controls hence the choice of this topic Lyme disease obstructions of health and wellness. That is to say, Lyme disease is one of the hindrances we experience in the process of seeking for the full enjoyment of life. It complicates life, even more, when it causes addiction into the patient system. This complication and how addiction is involved will form the basis of our discussion in this article. For us to do this it will be important that we have the general overview of Lyme disease, its causes, and even treatment.

Lyme disease is caused by Borrelia burgdorferi, which is carried by Ixodes scapularis or Ixodes pacificus ticks. These ticks are primarily found in the northeast, northwest and upper Midwest of the United State. However, such ticks are also found globally in bushy areas and their effects are the same for all patients. We can avoid Lyme disease by staying away from tick-infested areas. If this is not possible for whatever reason, outdoor enthusiasts should wear long pants tucked into their socks and a long-sleeved shirt tucked into their pants. In the event a tick bites you, it should be removed carefully without delay by inserting tweezers between the tick and the skin and lifting gently. Normally such tricks will have to be attached to the skin for at least 48 hours to transmit disease. When neurologic symptoms occur, they are probably triggered by the direct action of the bacterium and an immunologic reaction. People who live with Lyme disease face a daily battle marked by fatigue and pain. Ordinary tasks can become challenging and stressful leading some individuals resulting to self-medication with drugs and alcohol which are very addictive.

Lyme disease obstructions of health and wellness: Symptoms of Lyme disease

First recognized in 1975 when a group of children living near Lyme, Connecticut became ill with arthritis, Lyme disease has spread to nearly all 50 states and affects approximately 16,000 individuals each year. Within a few days to several weeks after being bitten by an infected tick, 80% of people develop a red, circular rash around the bite according to experts at the Mayo Clinic. The center of the rash may clear as it grows giving the appearance of a bull’s-eye pattern. The rash may feel warm, but it is usually not painful or itchy. Other symptoms in the early stage of Lyme disease may include the following:

  • Fatigue
  • Fever
  • Chills
  • Joint pain
  • Muscle aches
  • Headaches
  • Stiff necks
  • Swollen lymph nodes

Later stages of Lyme disease can become very serious resulting in debilitating and chronic symptoms including:

  • Arthritis in the arms and legs
  • Memory loss
  • Numbness in hands, arms, legs, and feet

Lyme disease is usually treated with antibiotics taken for three to four weeks. Antibiotics are usually taken by mouth, but in severe or advanced cases of Lyme disease, they may be given by injection. If treatment begins at the early stage of the disease, a complete cure is likely and any delay, recovery may take longer and symptoms may last for months or even years which is why seeking professional redress with doctor Dalal Akoury is very important for you.

Lyme disease obstructions of health and wellness: Addiction and Lyme disease

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Prevention of Lyme Disease

March 5, 2014

Prevention of Lyme Disease-It is possible

Prevention

whatever it take avoid such places and prevent Lyme disease from attacking you and family

As it is always said that prevention is better than cure, it will be very important to take keen interest in the prevention of this problem. The best way to prevent Lyme disease would be to avoid areas where deer ticks live, especially wooded, bushy areas with long grass. You can reduce your risk of getting Lyme disease by taking some simple precautions like:

  • Wear long pants and long sleeves. When walking in wooded or grassy areas, wear shoes, long pants tucked into your socks, a long-sleeved shirt, a hat and gloves. Try to stick to trails and avoid walking through low bushes and long grass. Keep your dog on a leash.
  • Use insect repellents. Apply an insect repellent with a 20 percent or higher concentration of DEET to your skin. Parents should apply to their children, avoiding their hands, eyes and mouth. Keep in mind that chemical repellents can be toxic, so follow directions carefully. Apply products with permethrin to clothing or buy pretreated clothing.
  • Do your best to tick-proof your yard. Clear brush and leaves where ticks live. Keep woodpiles in sunny areas.
  • Check yourself, your children and your pets for ticks. Be especially vigilant after spending time in wooded or grassy areas. Deer ticks are often no bigger than the head of a pin, so you may not discover them unless you search carefully. It’s helpful to shower as soon as you come indoors. Ticks often remain on your skin for hours before attaching themselves. Showering and using a washcloth may be enough to remove any unattached ticks.
  • Don’t assume you’re immune. Even if you’ve had Lyme disease before, you can get it again.
  • Remove a tick as soon as possible with tweezers. Gently grasp the tick near its head or mouth. Don’t squeeze or crush the tick, but pull carefully and steadily. Once you’ve removed the entire tick, dispose of it and apply antiseptic to the bite area.

Prevention of Lyme disease-How to reduce Tick bites

  • Avoid tick-infested areas, such as leaf litter under trees. Avoid brushing against long grasses and brush on edges of paths. Don’t sit on stumps or fallen logs.
  • Wear light-colored long pants and long sleeves so you can easily see any ticks.
  • Tuck shirt into pants and tuck pants into socks.
  • Use DEET on skin and treat clothing with spray containing permethrin.
  • Do a thorough tick check upon returning inside and for several days following exposure.
  • Check bedding for several days following exposure for ticks that drop off.
  • Ticks, especially nymphal ticks, are tiny. Find and remove them before they bite.

Prevention of Lyme disease-What to do if you are bitten

  • Use fine-point tweezers or a special tick-removing tool. Grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible. If you don’t have tweezers, protect your fingers with a tissue.
  • Pull the tick straight out with steady, even pressure to view a Tick’s Mouth and why it is so important to pull out the tick correctly.
  • Avoid squeezing the tick, breaking it, or allowing any blood to remain on your skin.
  • Place the tick in a small plastic bag or vial with blades of grass, leaf, or moist (not wet) piece of tissue.
  • Label the bag with your name, date, site of bite and how long tick was attached.
  • Have the tick identified and tested by a lab, health department or veterinarian.
  • Wash your hands, disinfect the tweezers and bite site.
  • Educate yourself about tick-borne diseases and consult a doctor to see if treatment is warranted.

Considerations for Prophylactic (Preventive) Treatment

  • The tick infection rate in the area where you acquired the tick. An area may still labeled as “no risk” despite lack of scientific studies.
  • The relative risk of transmission, depending on whether the tick was a nymph or adult, duration of attachment and how it was removed.
  • Whether the tick tested positive for a tick-borne infection.
  • The Lyme germs may spread widely in the body, including to the brain, within hours/days.
  • The cost of prophylactic treatment vs. risk of infection.
  • The risks and benefits of prophylactic treatment vs. risks of infection.

Other protective ways

  • Reduce ticks on your property by
  • pruning trees
  • clearing brush
  • removing litter
  • Mowing grass short, and letting it dry thoroughly between watering.
  • Move shrubbery and overgrowth farther away from areas frequented by people.
  • Make your property unattractive to animals that are hosts to ticks by:
  1. Eliminating birdfeeders, birdbaths, and salt licks;
  2. Erecting fencing around the property;
  3. clearing away woodpiles, garbage, and leaf piles;
  4. Removing stonewalls that provide homes to wildlife.
  5. Have your property chemically treated.
  6. You can kill ticks on your property by applying chemicals. Seek professional advice before application. Carefully timed applications increase effectiveness.

Also Consider These Important Facts:

  • If you tuck pants into socks and shirts into pants, be aware that ticks will climb upward to hidden areas of the head and neck, so spot-check clothes frequently.
  • Clothes can be sprayed with DEET or treated with permethrin. Follow label instructions carefully.
  • Upon returning home, clothes can be put in a high temperature dryer for 20 minutes to kill any unseen ticks.
  • Any contact with vegetation, even playing in the yard, can result in exposure to ticks. Frequent tick checks should be followed by a whole-body examination and tick removal each night. This is the single most effective method for prevention of Lyme disease.

Prevention of Lyme Disease-Safely removal Tick

If you DO find a tick attached to your skin, do not panic. Not all ticks are infected, and your risk of Lyme disease is greatly reduced if the tick is removed within the first 36 hours. To remove a tick, ensure that you:

  • Use a pair of pointed tweezers to grasp the tick by the head or mouth parts right where they enter the skin. DO NOT grasp the tick by the body.
  • Pull firmly and steadily outward. DO NOT jerk or twist the tick.
  • Place the tick in a small container of rubbing alcohol to kill it.
  • Clean the bite wound with rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide.
  • Monitor the site of the bite for the next 30 days for the appearance of a rash. If you develop a rash or flu-like symptoms, contact your health care provider immediately. Although not routinely recommended, taking antibiotics within three days after a tick bite may be beneficial for some persons. This would apply to deer tick bites that occurred in areas where Lyme disease is common and there is evidence that the tick fed for more than one day. In cases like this you should discuss the possibilities with your doctor or health care provider.

Prevention of Lyme Disease-It is possible

 

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