Let’s recap what we’ve learned about Lyme disease treatment in December shall we?
As we come to the end of the month, we must look at all of our resources that can better support Lyme disease treatment. This means educating ourselves about the best ways to manage Lyme disease arthritis in the winter, what to look for in a Lyme disease specialist, and knowing if deer ticks are active during colder months.
Read further for more details.
7 Ways to Better Manage Lyme Disease Arthritis This Winter
During the winter months, the deer tick species that carries Lyme disease goes dormant. Well, when the temperature drops below freezing, they go dormant. As you may already know, the colder temperatures do not make your Lyme disease arthritis go dormant.
Just the opposite can happen. The colder weather can enhance the pain of your Lyme disease arthritis symptoms.
There is no one specific explanation for why symptoms seem to worsen in the winter months. Some claim it is because winter brings a drop in barometric pressure, which causes tissues to expand and put more pressure on the nerves around joints. And some claim it is because colder weather causes us to tighten our muscles and stiffen our bodies.
Further, some say the cold weather slows blood circulation, and this leads to muscle tightness. Also, winter weather can negatively affect mood. For example, if you feel more depressed in the winter, and because depression can lead to body aches and pains, this could be another reason for increased Lyme disease arthritis pain.
The key to managing your Lyme disease arthritis this winter includes multiple steps that you can start taking today.
What to Look For In a Lyme Disease Specialist
Getting a diagnosis for Lyme disease can be difficult. Any doctor can order a test to determine if you have been infected by a tick carrying the Lyme bacteria. Unfortunately, the tests used by general doctors are not sufficient and are often inaccurate.
This puts you in that dreaded cycle of experiencing devastating symptoms, but your doctor tells you it is not related to Lyme disease. But you know your body, you know your symptoms, you’ve done the research, and you know you have Lyme disease.
Most likely, you are right.
After getting no help from a doctor who knows very little about Lyme disease, it is time to seek help from a Lyme disease specialist.
Are Deer Ticks Active During Colder Months? What to Know
There is one number you should remember when it comes to figuring out if deer ticks are active, 32, the number indicating if the temperature outside is freezing.
If it is above 32 degrees, it is considered to be above freezing, and at this temperature or higher, deer ticks can be active. According to some, 35 degrees is the magic number when it comes to ticks being active.
We know this is not good news. For so long, it was thought that deer ticks died during colder temperatures. To learn that they only become dormant is quite distressing. We want any insect that can cause life-altering, physically devastating illnesses like Lyme disease to die, die, die.
But, just because deer ticks can be active during colder months, you don’t have to stay locked up in your house to avoid an encounter with one of them.
There are things you need to know about how to avoid getting a tick bite or Lyme disease during the winter.
Final Thought
What we’ve gathered here is Lyme disease information – symptoms and facts – that can help those affected better live their day to day. To add to this, it’s valuable to know about living with Lyme disease during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The coronavirus scare has been challenging for all Americans. News reports are contradictory, making it hard to understand the who, what, when, why, and how of the coronavirus (COVID-19). And because the statistics change daily, we can’t get a good idea on how many people have been affected by the virus.
If you’re already coping and living with Lyme disease diagnosis, then the last thing you need is to contract coronavirus on top of Lyme. And like most Lyme disease sufferer do, you have so many unanswered questions:
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- What life-threatening risks of COVID-19 infection do people living with Lyme disease face?
- Can I visit my Lyme management specialist? What about seeing a doctor for alternative Lyme disease treatments?
- Is Lyme considered an “emergency service” and if so when necessary, can urgent care help? Will I be turned away from medical treatment?
- Can coronavirus make my Lyme disease worse?
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In an effort to help improve the understanding and awareness of this infectious disease, we are answering common questions and providing some coronavirus clarity. Let’s start with learning more about infection prevention, transmission, and mitigation of coronavirus disease.