Tick-Borne Disease

Ticks are parasites that can transmit debilitating diseases to humans and animals. Disease transmission occurs through tick bites. In the United States, ticks cause a number of diseases including Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Colorado tick fever, babesiosis, ehrlichiosis, and tick paralysis.

Lyme disease is transmitted by white-footed mice to ticks, when the ticks feed on them. Ticks, in turn, pass on the disease to humans. This disease is primarily caused by deer ticks. The infection is transmitted only if the tick has been attached to the host for thirty-six to forty-eight hours. Early symptoms include an expanding “bull’s eye” rash, fever, fatigue, headache, stiff neck, facial palsy, joint pains, and numbness. Late-stage symptoms include arthritis, numbness, temporary memory loss, confusion, and lack of concentration.

Ehrlichiosis is primarily transmitted by the Lone Star tick. Its symptoms include fever, headache, muscle and joint pains, and vomiting. A rash may or may not appear. Babesiosis is generally transmitted by the deer tick. Its symptoms include fatigue, discomfort, fever, headache, and muscle pain. This disease can prove fatal if it is not treated immediately.

Rocky Mountain spotted fever is caused by several species of ticks, and its symptoms include rash, high fever, and flu-like symptoms. If this disease is ignored or not treated properly, it can cause death. Colorado tick fever is primarily caused by the Rocky Mountain wood tick. It is also characterized by a rash, high fever, and flu-like symptoms. In severe cases, bleeding or heart problems may occur.

Tick paralysis is caused by several species of ticks. Its early signs are fatigue and numbness. It can lead to convulsions and facial paralysis, and if untreated it can even cause death. Unlike treatment for other tick borne diseases, treatment for tick paralysis is very simple, involving only the complete removal of the tick.

Individuals visiting or inhabiting tick-prone areas can prevent tick bites by taking some simple precautions. These precautions include regularly mowing lawn grass, clearing leaves and bush, treating pets and their environments with tick-killing pesticide, wearing light-colored clothes and enclosed shoes, and treating clothes with repellent before wearing them.

However, there is no reason to panic if a tick is found attached to the skin of a host. It must be carefully removed with tweezers or a commercial tick removal tool and preserved in a sealed container or bag. It is also necessary to watch out for symptoms of tick-borne disease for about a month and seek medical help immediately if any symptoms appear. All tick-borne diseases can be cured easily if treated in their early stages.

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Diagnosis and Treatment of Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia is a chronic, widespread, debilitating disease that often manifests as diffuse pain, constant muscle aches and overwhelming fatigue. Although it affects about 2-6% of the general population (about five million people), fibromyalgia is not a contagious disease. Women are about 9 times more likely to be diagnosed than men, and it is most prevalent in prevalent in people between 20-50 years of age.

Fibromyalgia usually displays a variety of symptoms including generalized aches and pains, increased sensitivity of the skin, chronic fatigue, weakness or dizziness, muscle stiffness or joint pain and migraine headaches. Symptoms of fibromyalgia vary greatly between individuals but almost all suffer from an associated sleep disorder. Depression, anxiety, irritable bowel syndrome, numbness and tingling of the extremities and heightened sensitivity to stimuli may also be present.

Currently, there is no known specific cause of fibromyalgia. Popular opinion suggests a disorder in pain perception and processing in the pathways to the brain. Research has shown that fibromyalgia patients have elevated levels of substance P (involved with enhanced pain perception) and a lower than normal production of natural stress hormones. Another theory revolves around a sleep disturbance as the cause, because many fibromyalgia patients cannot attain deep sleep. Still other theories have implicated reduced immune system function, environmental toxins, abnormal hormonal fluctuations, viral causes, genetic links and dysfunctional neurotransmitters. Although exciting new research is constantly being done, the cause of fibromyalgia remains elusive and has the medical world stumped.

Diagnosis of fibromyalgia is based on a specific set of criteria, including a physical examination or observation, and the symptoms described by the patient. Ruling out other possible diseases is key. Currently, there are no conclusive laboratory tests to identify fibromyalgia but for diagnostic purposes, there has to be a history of diffuse pain lasting longer than three months. Another diagnostic requirement is the presence of at least 11 "tender points" out of a possible 18 and these are typically located at elbow and knee joints, the neck, shoulders, lower back and hips...

Individual cases of fibromyalgia have a wide variability, but many patients also suffer from other disorders as well. These comorbid syndromes commonly include chronic clinical depression, lyme disease, chronic fatigue sydrome, premenstrual syndrome, restless legs syndrome, spinal disorders, or hypothyroidism. There are also many factors that can aggravate fibromyalgia. Severe weather changes, nutritional deficiencies, over-exertion, increases in stress levels, allergies and cold weather have all been shown to contribute to flare-ups.

Treatment of fibromyalgia has historically been inadequate at best. There is no cure for the disease and therapies are usually aimed at alleviating the symptoms and improving quality of sleep. Medications commonly prescribed for fibromyalgia include conventional analgesics, low-dose antidepressants, muscle relaxants and sleep-inducing agents. Alternative therapies that have shown some promise include acupuncture, chiropractic care, physical therapy, meditation or relaxation techniques and a gentle aerobic exercise program. Other important considerations to prevent fibromyalgia from flaring up include a regular sleep routine, emotional and physical stress reduction, good social support networks and strategies to conserve energy and minimize triggering factors.

Fibromyalgia can be a very difficult disease to live with because of its chronic, disabling nature and the presence of widespread skepticism. There is often no objective evidence of physical illness and the disease is very poorly understood. Sufferers of fibromyalgia face accusations of laziness or feigning illness. Social activity and recreation is often be avoided and the patient's career is usually affected as well. Although fibromyalgia can affect every aspect of its victims' lives, it does not have to be as devastating as it once was. With advanced scientific research and promising new treatments waiting in the wings, anything's possible.

Disclaimer: The information presented here should not be interpreted as or substituted for medical advice. Please talk to a qualified professional for more information about fibromyalgia.

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The Symptoms And Understanding Of Lyme Disease

Although once thought to be a form of arthritis that attacks children, lyme disease is actually a condition in which a bacterial infection has gotten into your blood stream. Unlike other types of conditions that have similar symptoms, lyme disease is transmitted to you by a dear tick. It was first discovered in 1975 when a group of children that was unreasonably large seemed to be suffering from arthritis. That led doctors to do a bit of unearthing and found that it was actually a bacterial infection that had caused the outbreak.

The bad news is that lyme disease is no longer found in just that one town of Lyme, Connecticut. Today, it is found in nearly every state in the United States with a concentration in New York, Minnesota, New Jersey and in Wisconsin. The disease has spread world wide as well as spreading into other types of animals. Not only can you get it from deer, but also from skunks, foxes, mice, moles, squirrels and horses (to name a few.) These conditions are most commonly found in animals that are in wooded areas or in grassy fields.

What Are The Symptoms?

Anyone that is exposed to these conditions can actually be put in dangers way of getting lyme disease. It is essential, then, that you understand the symptoms that it brings out. The tell tale sign of lyme disease is that of a rash, but not just any rash. This rash usually starts out with a small red spot where the tick has bitten. It then grows and expands significantly over the next days or even weeks. Usually, it will form a circle or a triangular shape on your skin. Sometimes, there is a red ring that is surrounding an area that is clear at the very center of the bite mark. This is called an erythma migrans and it affects at least 70 percent of those that will end up with lyme disease.

Other symptoms are also evident. If you are not treated by a doctor for your condition, you can develop conditions in which you have flare ups of arthritis like conditions. Your joints can become swollen and painful. Sometimes this will last for days, other times for months at at ime. It doesn’t have to be the same joint affected each time either. About 15 percent of patients that have lyme disease end up with this symptom. Yet another symptom is that of an attack of the nervous system. Here, you can experience other illnesses like meningitis or even temporary paralysis of facila muscles. Limbs and the circulatory system can become weakened or lessened in their abilities.

What is common is the fact that individuals will experience some pain that seems to be that of arthritis. Although lyme disease has been mistaken in the past for arthritis, don’t make this mistake. The symptoms and conditions of this condition can worsen, severely and can leave you with a lot of pain and eventually the breakdown of joints.

Greg Marsh is an acclaimed writer on medical matters, and has written extensively on the subjects of Rheumatoid Arthritis, Rheumatology and Rheumatism.

You can read more of Greg’s articles about Rheumatoid Arthritis at http://www.whugu.com

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