With a significant increase in reported cases of Lyme disease over the years, it is now recognized as one of the fastest-growing infectious diseases in the country. In 2024, Lyme disease continued to show a high prevalence across the United States, particularly in northeastern and midwestern regions. According to recent estimates, approximately 476,000 people may be diagnosed and treated for Lyme disease annually in the U.S., which includes both confirmed cases and probable diagnoses based on symptoms.
Enhanced surveillance methods, introduced by the CDC in 2022, have improved case reporting accuracy, particularly in high-incidence areas, contributing to an observed increase in reported cases over the last two years. (Kugeler et al., 2024). Reporting and accessing reported Lyme disease cases has been made easier by CDC's tracking system.
According to the CDC, infected ticks are prevalent in various regions, including 42 out of 58 counties in California alone. It’s not just a North American issue; cases are popping up all over Europe, where similar ticks carry slightly different Borrelia strains, causing overlapping but unique symptoms. Local health departments continue to track and report Lyme disease cases, collecting and confirming diagnoses to contribute essential data for understanding the disease's trends over time.
Lyme Disease Ticks – More Than a Bite
Many people think Lyme is easy to diagnose with a tick bite mark or telltale rash. But in reality, diagnosing Lyme disease early is tricky. Not everyone sees or even gets a rash, and initial symptoms can look like just about anything – from fatigue to headaches, making it easy to miss. Diagnosing Lyme disease is further complicated by its inconsistent symptoms, which often resemble other conditions.
Experienced healthcare providers must rely on a combination of symptom history, tick bite history, and lab tests to confirm the diagnosis. Early indicators of Lyme disease include flu-like symptoms such as headaches, muscle and joint aches, low-grade fever, chills, fatigue, and swollen glands. And even once diagnosed, Borrelia is a master at hiding out in the body. If left untreated, it can spread, causing symptoms like muscle pain, joint aches, and even severe neurological issues.
Why Standard Treatments Don’t Always Work
Standard Lyme disease treatments include broad-spectrum antibiotics like amoxicillin or doxycycline. In many cases, these treatments are successful. But here’s the frustrating reality: around 10-20% of people continue experiencing lingering symptoms even after completing antibiotics. This is called post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome (PTLDS), and it’s one of the most debated and understudied areas in Lyme research.
Researchers have yet to pinpoint the exact reason for PTLDS. They suspect everything from leftover bacterial debris in the body and immune system dysfunction to bacteria that manage to dodge the antibiotic. Current antibiotics may not eliminate the infection, especially if Borrelia has developed resistance. More concerningly, long antibiotic treatments can mess with our microbiome, leaving us vulnerable to other health issues.
What’s Next in Lyme Disease Treatment?
To solve these challenges, A 2024 study published in Frontiers of Microbiology highlights scientists exploring new strategies and treatments, including:
- Combining Antibiotics: Researchers are exploring combinations of current antibiotics to see if pairing them up is more effective at hitting Borrelia from multiple angles.
- Alternative Antimicrobials: Non-traditional treatments like antimicrobial herbs are getting attention, and while they’re not universally accepted yet, studies are testing their effectiveness.
- Vaccines: For prevention, vaccine candidates like VLA15 are undergoing clinical trials. If successful, they could protect against Lyme, especially for people living in high-risk areas.
Combining antibiotics with alternative treatments, like acupuncture or anti-inflammatory agents, may offer relief for people with ongoing symptoms after Lyme disease treatment. This approach could help manage severe symptoms and improve the quality of life for those who continue to struggle with Lyme-related issues even after antibiotics.
Why Some Lyme Disease Cases Lead to Lingering PTLDS Symptoms
While antibiotics usually cure Lyme disease, about 10-20% of people continue to experience symptoms, like depression, memory problems, joint and muscle pain, and fatigue, even six months after finishing treatment. Health care providers play a crucial role in diagnosing Lyme disease and reporting cases to health departments and the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System.
Lyme disease diagnosed relies heavily on clinical diagnostics and blood tests. This condition, known as Post-Treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome (PTLDS), is gaining attention from alternative medicine, the media, and advocacy groups, even though research hasn’t proven that PTLDS is due to a lingering infection of the Lyme bacteria, B. burgdorferi.
For those with PTLDS, lingering symptoms may stem from a range of complex factors, from nervous system impacts to immune responses. Researchers are exploring several possible causes, including:
Issues with Nerve Functions
In some cases, patients with PTLDS report problems with nerve function, such as facial weakness, sensory issues, pain, and balance problems. These symptoms can severely impact day-to-day life, including work and relationships, with patients experiencing challenges similar to those with other chronic illnesses.
The causes of PTLDS are not well understood, making diagnosis and treatment difficult. PTLDS is only diagnosed if Lyme disease was confirmed by reputable testing initially, and extended antibiotics aren’t recommended for lingering symptoms beyond six months.
Chronic Inflammation
Some studies suggest that PTLDS may result from an overactive immune system or chronic inflammation rather than an active infection. Research has shown elevated levels of certain immune markers in early Lyme disease stages that persist in those with PTLDS. Still, culture tests for B. burgdorferi often come back negative, indicating no active infection. Some PTLDS patients have mild increases in inflammation markers, leading researchers to consider immune system-related therapies for potential relief.
Dysregulated Nervous System
Other possible PTLDS causes could include central sensitization—where the nervous system becomes hypersensitive to sensory input, a feature seen in chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia. Therefore, some treatments for these conditions may help PTLDS patients with similar symptoms.
Supporting Lyme Disease Recovery with Nervous System Regulation Tools
Living with Lyme disease can often lead to chronic dysregulation of the nervous system, affecting everything from mood to cognitive functioning.
A holistic approach is essential in treating Lyme disease because it addresses the complex interactions between physical, neurological, and immune systems, helping to manage diverse symptoms and support overall recovery.
Neurofeedback: Calming the Brain
Using QEEG–guided neurofeedback, we can identify specific areas of the brain impacted by Lyme and train those areas to function more optimally. Neurofeedback enhances brainwave balance, leading to improvements in mood regulation, focus, and cognitive clarity—all areas often affected by Lyme disease and other tick borne diseases.
For example, deer ticks are responsible for carrying the bacteria that cause Lyme disease, and climate change impacts their habitats and activity levels, which in turn affects human exposure to the disease. By “training the brain,” neurofeedback creates lasting changes that support emotional and neurological stability.
My BrainBehaviorReset® program combines brain-based tools, therapeutic interventions, and lifestyle modifications to help individuals with Lyme regain emotional stability, reduce symptoms, and support overall well-being. Backed by my 30 years as a mental health professional, this 6-month program combines brain-based tools, therapeutic interventions, and lifestyle changes to calm the brain, regulate the nervous system, and support overall well-being.
It is a multi-dimensional and holistic approach designed to reset and regulate the nervous system. It combines brain-based therapies like neurofeedback and PEMF with lifestyle changes, providing personalized guidance in essential areas such as diet, exercise, sleep, and detoxification. This comprehensive approach helps individuals with Lyme to optimize their recovery by targeting both brain health and physical resilience, supporting the nervous system on every level.
Effective Lyme support doesn’t stop at therapeutic interventions. A balanced diet, regular exercise, quality sleep, and detoxification strategies are essential components of the BrainBehaviorReset® program. These lifestyle changes help individuals support their immune system, reduce neuroinflammation, and enhance energy levels, creating a foundation for lasting recovery and a regulated nervous system.
Together, these tools form a holistic approach that empowers Lyme patients to take charge of their health and well-being, improving their quality of life and offering a pathway to nervous system stability. Ready to explore a more complete way of managing Lyme? Let’s take that step together—click here to learn more.
Zafar K, Azuama OC, Parveen N. Current and emerging approaches for eliminating Borrelia burgdorferi and alleviating persistent Lyme disease symptoms. Front Microbiol. 2024 Sep 13;15:1459202. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1459202. PMID: 39345262; PMCID: PMC11427371.
Kugeler KJ, Earley A, Mead PS, Hinckley AF. Surveillance for Lyme Disease After Implementation of a Revised Case Definition — United States, 2022. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2024;73:118–123. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7306a1.
Dr. Roseann is a mental health expert in Neurodivergence who is frequently in the media:
- Living with Lyme (Podcast) Neurofeedback and biofeedback for PANS/PANDA
- Parenting Prism Podcast Understanding Lyme Disease
- The Mack Talks Podcast Topic: Fighting the Stigma on Mental Health & Lyme Disease with Dr. Roseann
Always remember… “Calm Brain, Happy Family™”
Disclaimer: This article is not intended to give health advice and it is recommended to consult with a physician before beginning any new wellness regime. *The effectiveness of diagnosis and treatment vary by patient and condition. Dr. Roseann Capanna-Hodge, LLC does not guarantee certain results.
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Dr. Roseann is a Children’s Mental Health Expert and Licensed Therapist who has been featured in/on hundreds of media outlets including The Mel Robbins Show, CBS, NBC, PIX11 NYC, Today, FORBES, CNN, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Business Insider, Women’s Day, Healthline, CNET, Parade Magazine and PARENTS. FORBES called her, “A thought leader in children’s mental health.”
She coined the terms, “Re-entry panic syndrome” and “eco-anxiety” and is a frequent contributor to media on mental health.
Dr. Roseann Capanna-Hodge has three decades of experience in working with children, teens and their families with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism, concussion, dyslexia and learning disability, anxiety, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), depression and mood disorder, Lyme Disease, and PANS/PANDAS using science-backed natural mental health solutions such as supplements, magnesium, nutrition, QEEG Brain maps, neurofeedback, PEMF, psychotherapy and other non-medication approaches.
She is the author of three bestselling books, It’s Gonna Be OK!: Proven Ways to Improve Your Child's Mental Health, The Teletherapy Toolkit, and Brain Under Attack. Dr. Roseann is known for offering a message of hope through science-endorsed methods that promote a calm brain.
Her trademarked BrainBehaviorResetⓇ Program and It’s Gonna be OK!Ⓡ Podcast has been a cornerstone for thousands of parents facing mental health, behavioral or neurodevelopmental challenges.
She is the founder and director of The Global Institute of Children’s Mental Health, Neurotastic™Brain Formulas and Dr. Roseann Capanna-Hodge, LLC. Dr. Roseann is a Board Certified Neurofeedback (BCN) Practitioner, a Board Member of the Northeast Region Biofeedback Society (NRBS), Certified Integrative Mental Health Professional (CIMHP) and an Amen Clinic Certified Brain Health Coach. She is also a member of The International Lyme Disease and Associated Disease Society (ILADS), The American Psychological Association (APA), Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA) National Association of School Psychologists (NASP), International OCD Foundation (IOCDF).
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