functional medicine
finding the root cause of your lyme
Functional medicine considers the individual patient’s lifestyle and also incorporates a system of finding the root cause of a disease or condition. These doctors form a partnership with the patient to look further into specific genetic testing, personal history and biochemistry to ask why this person is ill. The patient care plan is distinct and personal and treats the underlying genetic makeup of the individual rather than the disease. Common practices are stem cell therapy, IV treatments, biochemistry testing, food sensitivity testing, heavy metal detox, cortisol, and gut health tests.
There are different levels of Functional Medicine Doctors, and we recognize all levels (some amazing practitioners) don’t have a degree. It is easier to get a medical test, prescription, or insurance needs from one that has a medical license (MD, NP, DC or DO degree). We have tried many functional medicine treatments to help us to regain our health, so we wanted to share the ones that have been most effective for us.
Please note that this list is in alphabetical order and what works well for one of us does not always work for the other. You must investigate, do your own research, and talk to a doctor to see if it is worth any risks involved and if it is right for you. Everyone has their own healing journey, but we hope that some of these holistic approaches might help you too.
abc chiropractor
“ABC” stands for “Advanced Biostructural Correction.” This chiropractic technique allows you to see results almost immediately. It is focused around the idea that your posture is the center of all misalignments that cause the membrane around the brain and spinal cord (meninges) to be over-stretched. By “unwinding the spinal cord” and “unlocking the meninges” through spinal cord relaxation, ABC chiropractic relieves the musculoskeletal, neurological, and issues related to the immune system.
biological dentist
A biological dentist is a dentist who practices dentistry while understanding that what happens to the teeth and gums may have an impact on the rest of the body. Biologic dentists believe that placing metal and/or other foreign materials in the teeth and gums may have unintended consequences. These dentists can also reopen, investigate, and sanitize previous surgeries and dental work to look for unwanted bacteria and bone decay.
chelation therapy
Chelation therapy is a way to remove heavy metals from the bloodstream. The medicine binds to the metals and turns them into a form that can be processed by the kidneys and released in the urine.
chiropractor
Chiropractic adjustments can help your immune system and also relieve some of the aches and pains caused by Lyme.
cryotherapy
Cryotherapy is great for inflammation that comes with chronic Lyme. This treatment brings your body (or part of your body) temperature to approximately negative 250 degrees Fahrenheit (depending on the machine) over a three minute period, which causes the blood vessels to pump and move the toxins through the lymphatic system helping your body eradicate them.
functional md
A functional MD can administer extensive layers of blood tests and recommend specific supplements to work with specific needs. They can order some genetic testing on suspicious traits associated with the Lyme, look into other possible co-infections and disorders, address sleep and weight issues, create and administer specific IV drips, and work on the immune system as a whole. They can also prescribe medications if needed.
functional nutritionist
Typically they work alongside an MD to offer an added layer of nutritional expertise and help eliminate trigger foods and additives. Most will be an RD, DO, MD, DC, PA NP, LAC degree.
hyperthermia treatment
Hyperthermia treatment can be described as the opposite of cryotherapy as the body is slowly heated to a high temperature of 107 degrees Fahrenheit and left there to kill the Lyme bacteria. The whole treatment lasts about four hours. It is widely used in Europe as a way to treat Lyme but has not been accepted by the FDA and is in the clinical trial stage in the USA. This treatment reversed most of Mimi’s neurological damage caused by Lyme.
intravenous drips
Some suffering with chronic Lyme have vitamin and mineral deficiencies that cause symptoms like numbness, tingling, anemia, thyroid issues, and others that can be alleviated with various IV drips. An IV drip allows the nutrients to bypass the digestive system allowing you to absorb the full benefits of the drip immediately. This is especially beneficial for those also suffering from digestion issues. A functional medical doctor can create an IV drip for your specific deficiencies.
ketamine treatments
Ketamine is an anesthetic drug that can be administered intravenously for a few hours. A series of treatments is usually recommended depending on the severity of your pain and how long you experience relief after the treatments. It can reduce pain as well as depression in Lyme patients.
peptide injections
Peptides are chains of amino acids that help the body’s cells communicate with one another. Peptide injections play a large role in the immune system in combating Lyme and has the potential for great therapeutic benefit suffering from infection. These need to be administered daily.
stem cell replacement
Stem cells are delivered to the bloodstream through an IV and help promote the repair of damaged cells. This is an outpatient 3-hour surgical procedure.
synthetic or compounded bioidentical hormone therapy
Hormone therapy can help create a balance during Lyme treatment for those who have or develop a hormonal imbalance. Lyme disease in women can mimic approaching menopause regardless of their age. Ask for a specialist if initial blood work indicates suspicious hormone levels.