Natural, Effective Support When You Are Bit By A Tick
Getting bit by a tick can be extremely concerning for anyone, but it’s terrifying for someone with a compromised immune system. A tiny tick can take down a strong 200 pound man, crippling him to a bedridden state of joint pain, exhaustion, sensitivity to light or brain fog with Lyme disease. Emerging Infectious Disease estimates an average of 329,000 new cases of Lyme disease are diagnosed annually, evidenced through tracking insurance claims of roughly 27 million people from 2005 to 2010. This is roughly one in a every thousand people presenting with Lyme disease, an astounding number. They say this number, “Emphasizes the substantial public health effect of this disease. Lyme disease is a considerable public health problem, both in terms of number of cases and overall health care use.”
Some say Medical Doctors, who work with these insurance claims, are often not catching Lyme disease, some even believing that Lyme disease doesn’t even exist, and that the number is larger when factoring in practitioners from the Naturopathic community.
Slate says, “The CDC doesn’t have epidemic thresholds for every disease and actually tends to frown on some of the media hair-splitting over the outbreak-epidemic line. The center’s online glossary states that ‘outbreak’ can actually be used interchangeably with ‘epidemic’ and that the former is often preferable merely because it’s a less frightening term.”
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There are some easy and simple things that can be done at home. If you are ever in a medical situaiton, it is best to seek advice from your medical doctor. Medical Doctors effectively treat Lyme with Doxycycline, an antibiotic in the Tetracycline class specific to Lyme. Antibiotics deplete the microbiome. A strong healthy microbiome is imperative to fighting disease. The tools listed below do not negatively impact the microbiome.
The faster you get the tick off, the better. If you see a tick attached, pulling it with tweezers, in a twisting motion is best. Meaning… grab the tick as far down at the skin as possible and without hesitating, begin spinning like the dial of a clock as you gently pull out the tick. This can be done with regular tweezers but is easiest, and most effective, with specific tick tweezers. A pair of tick tweezers, like these, or these, are most handy and inexpensive. A tick removal first aid kit, like this one, or this one can be handy for every aspect of possible tick removal. This one claims to ensure removal of the ticks head parts and has a fancy magnifying glass so you can be sure what you are seeing. Playing with the tick or grabbing it with tweezers and letting him slip out of your grip, even accidentally, can potentially case the tick to spit up into the body, releasing harmful pathogens. Losing grip on the tick and causing the need for two to three tries can do the same thing. Pulling the tick straight out is also said to have the tick spit up harmful pathogens into the person. Spending a few dollars on a proper tick removal devices is money well spent. Peace of mind is a valuable thing.
Anything you do, that could agitate the tick, can cause it to spit up into the person. It is important to be swift with removal. Aggitation techniques include smothering the tick with oil, even essential oils, petroleum jelly, lighting the tick on fire, or heating it with a lit match, pulling the tick straight out with tweezers.
The first 48 hours after being bit by a tick are the most imperative. The sooner the treatment, the better.
The Center For Infectious Disease Research and Policy reported the CDC did a study with 160 mice, testing them for time from bite to infection. Each mouse was exposed at the nymph stage, 91 contracted Borrelia mayonii. The mice were tested at hour 24, 48, and 72 hours after the tick became attached, feeding. The mice were tested again after the tick was finished and dropped from the mice, which usually occurred on day five after being bitten.
There was no sign of infection at hours 24 to 48 after the initial bite. At 72 hours, 31 percent of the mice tested positive for Lyme Disease. After the ticks fell off, completing their feeding cycle, 57 percent of the mice tested positive for Lyme Disease.
Lars Eisen, PhD, DCD research entomologist, and senior author of the study said, “Our findings underscore the importance of finding and removing ticks as soon as possible after they bite.”
Ticks like warm sheltered areas, which means they will be more likely in the armpit, behind the ear, in the groin or waistband area. Ticks climb up from the ground or fall on to the person from a tree, landing where they may.
Some say save the tick in a zip top bag to get it tested if Lyme Disease ever appears. Frankly, I think this is a waste of time. Time is of the essence, why wait for a lab, who may or may not be testing appropriately? It’s OK to get started, you are not at the mercy of someone else.
Doing a tick check every evening, at a minimum, is best. Ticks are most active during their breeding seasons, Spring and Fall. The Spring is the most active time to see ticks feeding.
Blot the area where the tick was attached with rubbing alcohol or tea tree oil immediately after removing the tick.
Watch for symptoms such as fever, aches, pains, flu-like symptoms and a bull’s-eye rash. If they appear, treat. If you’re highly concerned, it does’t hurt to increase probiotic foods and do a round of homeopathy for Lyme Disease. It is not necessary to experience symptoms to treat for a potential Lyme infection. Putting your health in your own hands is empowering. Not all cases of Lyme Disease present with any of or all of these symptoms. Again, not all cases of Lyme Disease present with a bulls-eye rash or any sort of rash. Taking the homeopathic remedy for Lyme is said to be most effective and can be used for any age. The Banerji Protocol for Lyme is Ledum palustre 200C. Having this remedy on hand, sitting on a shelf, just in case, is wise, wise, wise. It is shelf stable forever. Taking Ledum, according to the Banerjis is done by taking one dose every three hours on day one. One dose is four tablets. Then for the next week, take a dose two times each day. Then for the following month, take a dose twice weekly. Then for the next month, take a dose once each week. Some people who have had Lyme Disease for years, unknowingly, while suffering immensely, extend the first day treatment for a week, with enormous results. The rest of the protocol is done the same. Having many bottles of Ledum on hand is peace of mind that is incomparable. If it’s the wrong remedy, it’s just not going to work.
Taking Lyme Disease herbs is potentially supportive to a struggling system. If Lyme Disease does not exist, taking these herbs will do no harm. It’s an error that shows no ill effect. Click here for a combination pack of anti Lyme herbal support. Having these Lyme Disease herbs on hand, if needed, is wise.
Adding building and protective foods such as probiotic foods, in the highest doses tolerated, can potentially build the system, making it unpleasant for bacteria and parasites. Click here to learn how to make kraut juice at home. Click here to lean the symptoms of too much. Click here to learn how to make Liposomal C, which is often used to flush out free radicals. Taking one to two tablespoons every hour is used effectively by some.
Starting an iodine protocol is said to be most effective as no bacteria or parasite thrives in the presence of iodine. Click here to read more. Click here for iodine used for Lyme.
Seed ticks are very small and difficult to remove. Fully engorged, they are about the size of a strawberry seed. Placing packing tape over the area of embedded seed ticks, and pulling it off, is the best way to remove hard to see seed ticks.
Don’t stress over it, stress and worry can cause more damage than we think. Put it out of your hands, into the One who controls the situation. Doing our best is all you can do. Even if a person has contracted Lyme Disease, and has been in a Lyme state, doing the above listed things are most supportive. Adding a rebuilding protocol, such as GAPS, is undeniably powerful.
This author has been living with Lyme successfully for over 8 years. To see a CDC graph showing the recent numbers on tick bites and Lyme, click here.
*Nourishing Plot is written by Becky Plotner, ND, traditional naturopath, CGP, D.PSc. who sees clients in Rossville, Georgia. She works as a Certified GAPS Practitioner who sees clients in her office, Skype and phone. She has been published in Wise Traditions, spoken at two Weston A. Price Conferences, Certified GAPS Practitioner Trainings, has been on many radio shows, television shows and writes for Nourishing Plot. Since her son was delivered from the effects of autism (Asperger’s syndrome), ADHD, bipolar disorder/manic depression, hypoglycemia and dyslexia, through food, she continued her education specializing in Leaky Gut and parasitology through Duke University, finishing with distinction. She is a Chapter Leader for The Weston A. Price Foundation. becky.nourishingplot@hotmail.com
“GAPS™ and Gut and Psychology Syndrome™ are the trademark and copyright of Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride. The right of Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright, Patent and Designs Act 1988.
2 Comments
Can you give me the supporting literature for the use of Ledum palustre 200C for Lyme?
It is part of the Banerji Protocol, feel free to contact them to find out their long history with this method.