Ticks, boreliosis (Lyme disease)

and natural methods of prevention or therapy (1)

Dr. Mirela Stranț, lecturer Ayurveda
Dr Paula Florea, Ayurveda lecturer
Nina Marin, Ayurveda lecturer

Hot season

It's summer again and after all this time indoors, nature is calling us into its midst. Spending time outdoors and in the middle of nature is a vital necessity both for our health but also for our emotional and spiritual regeneration.

Everything that is natural, beautiful, alive and surrounding us has profoundly rebalancing effects on our whole being. In parks, in gardens, in the woods or by the water's edge, all green areas exert a natural attraction on us.

In addition to the attention we need to pay to sensible sun exposure (necessary for vitamin D synthesis, hormone balancing and neurotransmitters) it is important to know that walks and outings to the green grass expose us to a lot of sunlight.to some extent the possibility of infestation with a parasite that can have some of the most unpleasant long-term consequences. This is Borelia, transmitted mainly by ticks.

However, there is no need to fall into the extreme of living "ina "glass globe" that perfectly insulates us from any unwanted interaction (neither healthy nor feasible) or to manifest a state of constant anxiety at the thought of going out into our own garden for fear of them. However, it's good to be wise and responsible, and make use of the many natural methods of protection (or treatment if needed) as well as some simple steps that can be taken when going outside, especially inan area known to be full of ticks.

Having said that, it is necessary to mention that not all ticks are carriers of this bacterium and also that not all will get the disease themselves.even if they have this microbe in their blood.

Useful information

In this article we will present more information about ticks, boreliosis, as well as methods to prevent tick bites and to remove them easily and safely from both humans and animals, what mistakes to avoid when removing them from the skin and natural methods to prevent and/or treat boreliosis if needed. It is recommended to consult a doctor/specialist in case oftriggered Lyme disease, but it's good to know some natural methods and especially to act early.

Lyme borreliosis is a ZOONOSIS.

Main transmission vector: Tick - especially genus Ixodes, secondary: mosquito common, lice or masks.

The tank - Mammals (sheep, deer, dogs, etc.)

Infected hostsMammals and Man

Along with Borrelia, the tick can also transmit other microbes: Bartonella, Mycoplasma, Chlamydia, Babesia, Anaplasma, Rickettsia, tick-borne encephalitis virus, Cytomegalovirus, Epstein-Bar, HHV-6 (Herpes virus 6).

Characteristics of ticks

The Ixodes ricinus tick is the most common tick. One of its characteristics is that before biting the host it secretes an anaesthetic substance in its saliva, which is why we feel nothing when it attaches itself to the body. As an adult it is large enough to be seen with the naked eye, but as a nymph it is very small (about the size of a poppy seed) and can easily escape unseen.

Ticks usually live in shady, moist soil and often attach themselves to tall grass, bushes, shrubs and low tree branches and attach themselves to a passing animal called a host. Meadows and gardens can harbour ticks, especially those on the edges of forests. Certain endemic areas are recognised in Romania, namely the counties: Arad, Cluj, Sibiu, Alba, Sălaj, Neamț, Botoșani. This does not rule out the possibility that there may be other areas at risk in our country, bearing in mind that the Borrelia Burgdorferi bacterium has wildlife as its natural reservoir. Ticks can also be transmitted from pets: cats, dogs, rabbits that have this parasite. Ticks prefer certain areas of the body where they are frequently found:

 behind the ears

 the nape and hairy skin of the head

 axillary

 in the groin and genital area

 behind the knees

As you can see, the tick attaches itself with front claws deep into the skin, entering the blood vessels with its head where it feeds directly. Their size increases as they feed on more blood. They do not fly or jump (they are parasitic insects of the scorpion and spider family).