Lyme disease connections to chronic fatigue syndrome?

Answer 1

Lyme Disease Often Missed as a Cause of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Lyme disease is caused by a spiral shaped bacteria (spirochete) called Borrelia burgdorferi. They can be transmitted by tics, but also by mosquitoes. The spirochets have been called "the great imitators" because they can mimic virtually any disease, which is why they are often misdiagnosed. Anyone with chronic illness and especially those with chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia need to consider Lyme disease as the cause.

Patients with chronic Lyme disease most commonly have fatigue, joint and muscle pain, sleep disorders and cognitive problems (brain fog). In addition, infection with Borrelia often results in a low grade encephalopathy (infection of the brain) that can result in depression, Bipolar disorder, panic attacks, numbness, tingling, burning, weakness, twitching and is associated with neurological disorders such as multiple sclerosis, dementia such as Alzheimer's disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease). In addition, this infection often results in hormonal deficiencies, abnormal activation of coagulation and immune dysfunction, which potentiate the symptoms. Patients with chronic Lyme disease often complain of "strange" or "weird" symptoms that cannot be explained even after going to numerous doctors and often results in the patient being told that it must be psychological.