Lyme Disease Questions and Answers
1. Is there a certain length of time that a tick has to be attached to your body before the Lyme bacteria can be transmitted?
• 24 hours is the best chance for not receiving the Lyme bacteria. Make sure that you remove the tick carefully, you do not want to squeeze any saliva into your blood as you remove it. The Canadian Lyme Disease Foundation shares a few methods of removing ticks here.
2. How long can you have Lyme disease and not know about it?
• Lyme disease can go undetected for many years in your body without being noticed. When your immune system is compromised due to other factors that is usually when it will attack and start breaking down your different systems
3. Is there hope that Kevin can recover completely or will he always have side effects?
• Kevin may always have a compromised immune system due to the damage that the Lyme has done but with a proper diet and life style he will hopefully be able to live a functioning life with little notice to any difficulties. People that have overcome their battles will talk about feeling like themselves again.
4. Is it possible to get it from sources other than ticks?
• There is some research that says you can pass Lyme disease through blood transfusions and through a placenta to a fetus from a mother. There are also some studies that suggest that there are other insects that carry small traces of the bacteria but it is rare that it will give you Lyme disease unless your immune system is very compromised beforehand or you are already very sensitive to that insect ex. Mosquito.
5. Does it affect the whole immune system or just physically?
• Yes, and yes. Lyme disease compromises the immune system making it hard for your body to fight off the bacteria or any other bacteria that enters your body. When your immune system is compromised like that, then it will affect you physically. Our bodies are so beautifully designed it blows me away! It is all connected so if one part of our body is suffering soon the whole body will begin to suffer.
