The Role of Botanical Medicine in the Prevention and Treatment of Lyme Disease

Abstract

Lyme disease is the most commonly reported vector borne illness in the US. The bacterial infection cause by Borrelia burgdorferi is transmitted via tick bite. Symptoms of Lyme disease included the characteristic bulls-eye skin rash erythema migrans (EM), which is only present 50% of the time and flu-like symptoms. As the disease progresses neurologic and/or cardiovascular symptoms may appear. Most cases of Lyme disease eventually result in intermittent or persistent arthritis involving one or more large joints, which may be proceeded by migratory arthralgia. Lyme disease has become a controversial topic as there have been disagreements over diagnosis, laboratory testing, and treatment plan. While the medical community debates these points, patients are left confused, and without proper treatment. Even though the majority of the cases in the US are from 14 states in the Northeast and Upper Midwest, it is important for physicians to be aware of the clinical presentation of Lyme and the possibility that a routine round of antibiotics may not resolve the patient’s infection. Botanical Medicine can have a role in the treatment of a patient with Lyme disease as both supplementary antibiotic capacity as well as allowing the practitioner to customize a treatment plan specific to that patient’s presentation. Botanicals can also play an important role for the patient who wants natural ways to prevents Lyme disease specifically through decreasing exposure to tick bites.