As a practitioner with extensive training and experience in Lyme disease, I have had record numbers of calls and messages coming in already this spring. With Lyme disease on the rise nationally and here in Ohio, we all need to know what to do in case of a tick bite. This can actually apply to any insect bite with an odd rash or resulting new symptoms. THE TOP KEY to remember is that EARLY INTERVENTION / PREVENTION is BEST!
1.NEVER burn off a tick or use essential oils or anything but a tweezer to remove it! Giving the tick any seconds to respond can be inviting it to spit its Lyme causing bacteria into your bloodstream. You will want to place the tweezers at the very base of the tick, grasp it firmly and PULL briskly STRAIGHT UP! Don’t twist the tweezers. I have seen many different suggestions for pulling out a tick and this is the ONLY way approved by ILADS – the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society.
2. Place the tick in a ziplock plastic baggie or other tightly sealed container so that you can send it off to be tested.
3.As soon as you remove the tick, apply clove, garlic, or cinnamon bark essential oil to kill anything left at the surface by the tick. This needs to be done immediately for best effectiveness. Continue to apply the oil until all signs of any rash are gone. DO NOT APPLY ESSENTIAL OILS WHILE THE TICK IS STILL ATTACHED. This may make it move out but it will also spit its contents into you first and this is what we need to avoid.
When to treat for Lyme
IF you have the classic bulls eye rash or a red circle, or unusual red rash of any sort go to your doctor right away and ask for Doxycycline for 30 -60 days or azithromycin 21 days. Many doctors are not educated around this and may try to give you a one pill dose ( NOT effective) or 7-10 days worth. You may need to be assertive and bring the ILADS guidelines to them. https://www.ilads.org/patient-care/ilads-treatment-guidelines/. Then make an appointment to come see me so we can talk about follow up to the antibiotics and safe effective herbal treatments to make the antibiotics more effective without developing resistance. These safe herbs also work well on their own for those who prefer to not take antibiotics.
- If you develop one or more symptoms such as fever, flu like illness, fatigue, crying, heart palpitations, air hunger, sudden joint pain or muscle pain, unusual anxiety, dizziness, behavioral changes in children, nausea and vomiting, stomach pains, headaches, insomnia, strange rashes, neuropathy ( nerve pain) or any unusual symptoms ask your doctor for Doxycycline 60 days or Azithromycin 21 days. JUST KEEP IN MIND THAT THE ANTIBIOTICS USED ALONE fail for 20-40% of people. So for those individuals the symptoms will come back 1-12 months later and they will then be diagnosed with an atypical autoimmune or syndrome type illness. To avoid this risk altogether, make an appointment to come see me so I can walk you through the best follow up plan and advise you on herbal remedies that can work on their own, or will help the antibiotics work better and prevent resistance and persistent illness.
New Tick Bite Appointment
I am pleased to announce that we are now offering a 45 minute “New Tick Bite Appointment” for new and existing clients. This appointment will be for any new tick bites that have happened within the last 4 weeks.
For $125 you will get:
- 45 min appointment to discuss more in depth any question or concern you have regarding your recent tick bite and/or Lyme disease.
- Guidance for what symptoms and best treatment protocols to be aware of.
- Scheduling for these appointments will be prioritized to get you in as fast as possible.
If you have no symptoms at all but want to be on the safe side call me here at Foundations Wellness Coaching (513) 301-7406. I have excellent natural and effective acute Lyme remedies that WORK. They can be used with or without antibiotics to keep you from ever getting into a late stage lyme disease struggle.