Integrative Approach to Lyme Disease Treatment Offers Patients Hope for Recovery

November 26, 2014 - Grand Blanc, MI - Lyme disease may be 10 times more common than previously thought, according to the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society (ILADS), making it the fastest growing tick-borne disease in the United States. While treatments to combat this complex infection are still being developed and refined, more and more people are turning to alternative and integrative medicine approaches to restore and maintain their health.

One local physician, Dr. Mark Morningstar, DC, PhD, of the Natural Wellness & Pain Relief Center, advocates an integrative, whole body approach to Lyme disease. According to Morningstar, about 40% of all patients who develop acute Lyme disease will go on to suffer from residual, chronic symptoms long term. When asked about integrative treatment for Lyme disease, Dr. Morningstar says that, "many patients with this chronic Lyme infection, also called post-Lyme disease syndrome, are often treated for many other diseases before figuring out the correct diagnosis. There are often diagnosed with fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis, rheumatois arthritis, gout, and even neurological disorders like schizophrenia and manic depression. There are some experts who believe that many cases of autism are actually pediatric Lyme."

While many physicians who treat Lyme disease strictly use antibiotic approaches, Dr. Morningstar elects to use more natural therapies. "Many herbal and homeopathic treatments do a very good job at helping patients get over the symptoms of Lyme disease, without suffering the side effects of antibiotics. In many cases antibiotics are necessary, however, treatment still needs to focus on the patient and building their body up so that they don't always need to be on an antibiotic to stay better," says Morningstar.

Many of the therapies employed by the Natural Wellness & Pain Relief Center include spinal manipulation, dry infrared sauna therapy, IV nutrients, herbal protocols, homeopathic preparations, chelation therapy, and bio-identical hormone replacement. Dr. Morningstar concludes, "chronic infections usually rob your body of vital nutrients in order to sustain themselves. This results in various hormone and mineral imbalances that must be corrected if the patient is going to recover. We try to look at the entire picture when creating the most comprehensive treatment approach for each patient."

The Natural Wellness & Pain Relief Center is a multidisciplinary, integrative medicine clinic located in Grand Blanc. They have been actively treating patients with Lyme disease using integrative approaches for nearly a decade. There Dr. Morningstar serves as the Director of Rehabilitation and Neurology.