Lyme disease is one of those diseases that can be treated if it’s caught early. If it isn’t, “bacteria can lead to severe brain and heart problems” for individuals with the disease.

Posey was scheduled to be in an off-Broadway show called “This,” but will instead stay home to build up her health. We wish her the best.

Image: Zuma Press

Post from: Blisstree

Parker Posey Has Lyme Disease

The five types of tick-borne diseases are:

• Babesiosis
• Ehrlichiosis and Anaplasmosis
• Lyme Disease
• Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever
• Tularemia

Of course, prevention is the best medicine. If you can’t avoid areas where ticks live, there are some steps you can take to reduce the risk of being bitten:

• Avoid sitting directly on the ground or fallen logs
• Avoid sitting on stonewalls or woodpiles
• Walk in the center of trails
• Wear light-colored long pants and long sleeves
• Wear white closely knitted socks when outside and tuck your pant legs inside
• Tuck your shirt into your pants
• Wear light colored gloves
• Wear a hat

Once you’re home from your hike, it’s time for a tick check.

First, know what you’re looking for. Deer ticks are usually very tiny, approximately the size of a fleck of black pepper.

• If possible, have someone else inspect you
• Be sure to check your hairline

If you find a tick:

Don’t just grab at it with tweezers and pull, don’t put anything on it, such as Vaseline or alcohol. Instead, follow these directions:

• Use fine pointed tweezers and grasp the tick as close to the mouth parts as possible
• After removing the tick, call/see your doctor as soon as possible
• Try saving the tick in a plastic container for testing

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Images: Newscom.com and Stock.xchng

Post from: Blisstree

Hike Over? Time for Your Tick Check

1. Topical NSAID As Effective As Tablets For Knee Pain
2. Numbing gel eases pain from mammograms
3. Pregnancy and migraines
4. The pain of pleurisy
5. Company’s calling: For Grace’s founder, Cynthia Toussaint speaks out
6. Legitimate patients with chronic pain vs drug seekers
7. Gastric bypass/kidney stone connection?
8. 10 causes of chronic pain in seniors
9. Ticks that cause Lyme disease found in new regions across Canada
10. A blogger tells how leg pain signaled ovarian cancer

What do you think of those choices? Do any of them surprise you as being popular?

Post from: Blisstree

Weekly round up for the week ending July 25

Let’s see, L is for lovers…

and it’s also for:

Lupus: Lupus is one of the autoimmune diseases and although it affects both men and women, many more women get it than men. If you click on the link above, you can read more about it and find some web sites that may be helpful.

Lumbar spinal stenosis: Back pain can be very debilitating and lumbar spinal stenosis is one of the back problems that can cause a lot of pain. It is the narrowing of the spinal canal and this narrowing compresses the spinal nerves, causing pain.

Lyme disease: Untreated Lyme disease can cause chronic pain and disability. You can read more about it if you follow these links:

• Lyme disease
• 10-year battle with Lyme disease pain

Image: iStock

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Post from: Blisstree

ABCs of pain: L is for…

A quick look at the statistics for the week show that these are the 10 most popular posts for Help My Hurt visitors:

1- This one makes the top 5 consistently: Press release: Lupus Foundation of America Launches Website Message Boards to Connect People With Lupus

2- This one was just posted yesterday and already has over 550 page views: Narcotic and opioid myths – it’s time to smarten up

3- This one is a give-away and you have until July 14th to enter so you still have time: Pain Relief book give away

4- This post is a very timely one that should be read by everyone who lives or visits areas that have mosquitoes and reports of the disease: Lyme disease

5- All I can say about this one is: OUCH!:  A fractured testicle? Pity poor Diamondbacks’ catcher Chris Snyder

6- There’s a lot of interest in Olympic cyclist Kristin Armstrong:  Company’s calling – Olympic cyclist Kristin Armstrong talks about her osteoarthritis

7- This smoking one was read quite often: Smokers have more back pain

8- As was this marijuana one: Marijuana may be effective for neuropathic pain

9- Another Lyme disease post came in number 9: 10-year battle with Lyme disease pain

and number 10 was a bit of a surprise to me: Another celebrity ortho injury: Kenny Chesney

Thanks for stopping by!

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Post from: Blisstree

Topt 10 posts of the past week

According to the CNN article 10-year battle with pain highlights Lyme disease debate, Mandy Hughes has been fighting Lyme disease for 10 years, from the time she was infected at the age of 19. The article’s author wrote that Mandy’s story is the basis of a documentary called “”Under Our Skin,” which takes a look at the leaders of the Infectious Diseases Society of America, a national medical group that represents health care professionals who specialize in infectious diseases. The society’s purpose, according to its Web site, is to improve health care in areas related to such diseases.”

The article also provides some good links for you to learn more about Lyme disease.

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Post from: Blisstree

10-year battle with Lyme disease pain

The long-lasting effects of untreated Lyme disease include chronic pain in the joints and muscles, as well as nerve problems. It can become debilitating and can even cause death. So, the best thing is to know how to prevent it and what to watch for.

What causes Lyme disease?

A tick like this spreads the bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi, which causes the disease. In the United States, Lyme disease is most common in rural and suburban areas in the northeastern and midwestern states. It is also found in other parts of the United States, as well as in Europe, Asia and Australia.

     Click here to read more.

Image: Newscom

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Post from: Blisstree

Lyme disease

American Stroke Month by the American Heart Association.

ALS Awareness Month, visit the Muscular Dystrophy Association’s ALS site

Better Sleep Month by the Better Sleep Council.

Lupus Awareness Month by the Lupus Foundation of America, Inc.

Lyme Disease Awareness Month by the Lyme Disease Foundation.

Melanoma/Skin Cancer Detection and Prevention Month by the American Academy of Dermatology.

Mental Health Month by Mental Health America.

National Arthritis Month by the Arthritis Foundation.

National Celiac Disease Awareness Month by the American Celiac Disease Alliance.

National Neurofibromatosis Month by the Children’s Tumor Foundation.

Tuberous Sclerosis Awareness Month by the Tuberous Sclerosis Alliance.

I hope these are helpful to know.

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Post from: Blisstree

11 health observance months for May