by Patients who are currently receiving medical care for flea- or tick-borne disease often bring us new symptoms and ask if they might be related to flea- or tick-borne infection. They are concerned that the role of infection might be downplayed or that their physician might simply not know much about the role of these infections in persistent symptoms. If patients are pursuing self-treatment, they might also be anticipating a negative experience in talking to a physician. Not to mention concerns about the risks of entering a medical office during the COVID-19 pandemic. People who feel sick and vulnerable do not want to risk more disease exposure.
On the other hand, physicians repeatedly share their concerns with us about patients who do not come to the doctor early in their disease process when they are most likely to benefit from very good treatments that are available. These individual experiences leave physicians feeling helpless and defeated when they have the tools to treat these conditions. These types of personal accounts are borne out in published research studies.
At Galaxy Diagnostics, we cannot provide you with medical advice, but we can and do urge you to see a healthcare provider for new symptoms that may or may not be related to your flea- or tick-borne infection. In our area of emerging infectious disease, we often have more questions than answers. One thing we know for sure is that many of the cases we provide testing for involve very complex disease processes.
Don’t Delay Seeking Diagnosis and Care from the Medical System
As many as 50% of patients have sought treatments from complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), according to a review of CAM education around the world. Providers in the healthcare system need to be aware of what these treatments are and what is known about them so that they can provide guidance to patients on safety and interactions. Information about CAM is taught in medical programs to varying degrees around the world.
Research from around the world has shown that pursuit of alternatives to mainstream healthcare too often results in delayed treatment for conditions as varied as breast cancer, vision loss, and HIV. All of these very serious medical conditions benefit in important ways from well-established, life-saving medical treatment.
Some patients may be concerned that their specific individual needs will get lost in the standardization of the medical system. However, there is no reason you cannot reap the benefits of the established healthcare system while continuing to seek more information about possible medical advances for less recognized diagnoses and new therapeutic options.
During the pandemic, delays are even more of a concern when it comes to flea- and tick-borne disease. Importantly, the early symptoms of both COVID-19 and flea- and tick-borne infections are often nonspecific and very similar. Early diagnosis and treatment of flea- and tick-borne infections should be considered following vector exposure and, as with COVID-19, may have an impact on long-term clinical outcomes.
Get New Symptoms Evaluated
Flea- and tick-borne diseases have a broad range of nonspecific signs and symptoms. For patients, it can seem as if flea- and tick-borne infections are causing every possible thing that could go wrong. Indeed, patients often develop a lot of expertise in how to treat their symptoms at home and so the development of a new medical condition may go unrecognized.
Variable, non-specific symptoms of tick-borne disease can also overlap with a very wide variety of other conditions. In this time of COVID-19 risks, it is more important than ever to consider causes other than flea- and tick-borne infections for persistent, nonspecific symptoms. If a patient has access to healthcare services, further testing and evaluation may clarify the diagnosis.
It is possible to have flea- and tick-borne disease and another chronic condition at the same time. Sometimes the two may be related, such as the development of a flea- and tick-borne disease and an autoimmune condition. However, these two conditions may or may not be related at all. In any event, you may benefit from standard treatments for well-recognized chronic conditions and should keep an open mind when pursuing medical evaluation.
If you have a new symptom that hasn’t already been evaluated by a medical provider, go ahead and have it checked out. Patients are sometimes concerned that physicians may miss the potential link between a symptom and flea- and tick-borne infections. For more suggestions on how to discuss this with your physician, check out our blog post: 5 Questions to Discuss with Your Physician When Bartonellosis Is Suspected.
Even if the patient thinks the physician has missed a potential connection with flea- and tick-borne infections, like bartonellosis (cat scratch disease) or Lyme borreliosis, the additional information may be helpful.
Seek Supportive Healthcare Providers
According to the 2012 National Health Interview Survey, almost half of patients using CAM in the United States do not share this information with their healthcare provider. Research indicates that, in the majority of cases, this omission doesn’t indicate any kind of conflict between the patient and the provider, but simply that the provider did not ask about the use of these treatments. We observe a similar limitation in provider education and practice where flea- and tick-borne diseases are concerned.
In many mainstream healthcare systems, patients have a choice of healthcare providers. If a provider is not able to answer your questions, find one who can. Do not avoid the benefits of mainstream healthcare diagnosis and treatment because of failed communications with a medical provider. Some patients may also find it helpful to coordinate their care with a team of medical providers who have expertise in different areas and are willing to exchange thoughts and ideas aimed at care tailored for your needs.
We are well aware that many flea- and tick-borne disease patients often see 5 or more doctors before receiving an accurate diagnosis and find the path to wellness. But we also see many success stories at Galaxy. We urge you to keep searching for a supportive and compassionate provider who will work with you to consider all possible explanations for your symptoms and is open to considering educational materials and experiences that you share.
Conclusion
While CAM options offer novel and often effective therapeutic options, established medical training and guidelines have proven positive outcomes for a broad range of conditions, especially some of the most life-threatening conditions for which early diagnosis is key to recovery. We encourage you to take advantage of both CAM services and the mainstream healthcare system as appropriate to ensure that you are receiving the best possible care from all sources.
References
Akhtar, K. et al. (2018). Use of alternative medicine is delaying health-seeking behavior by Bangladeshi breast cancer patients. European Journal of Breast Health, 14(3), 166-172. 10.5152/ejbh.2018.3929 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6092151/
Eze, B. I. et al. (2009). Traditional eye medicine use by newly presenting ophthalmic patients to a teaching hospital in south-eastern Nigeria: socio-demographic and clinical correlates. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 9, 40. https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6882-9-40 https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/1472-6882-9-40
Okome-Nkoumou, M. et al. (2005). Delay between first HIV-related symptoms and diagnosis of HIV infection in patients attending the Internal Medicine Department of the Fondation Jeanne Ebori (FJE), Libreville, Gabon. HIV Clinical Trials, 6(1). 38-42. 10.1310/ULR3-VN8N-KKB5-05UV https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1310/ULR3-VN8N-KKB5-05UV
Witt, C. et al. (2010). Future medical doctors need to be informed about CAM to ensure safe and competent patient care. GMS Zeitschrift fur Medizinische Ausbildung, 27(2), 22. 10.3205/zma000659 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3140356/
Sammy, M. (2020). Up to 42% of people who use this medicine don’t tell their doctors. MDLinx.com. https://www.mdlinx.com/article/up-to-42-of-people-who-use-this-medicine-don-and-8217-t-tell-their-doctors/7cf423OP21K7a93VsRoMP5
Jou, J., & Johnson, P. J. (2016). Nondisclosure of complementary and alternative medicine use to primary care physicians findings from the 2012 National Health Interview Survey. JAMA Internal Medicine, 176(4), 545-546. 10.1001/jamainternmed.2016.8593 https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2500061