Neuroborreliosis

According to leading medical professionals, the tick is one of the most dangerous animals in the world. A tick can transmit its pathogens to the human organism with a single bite. According to recent studies, more and more people are developing a life-threatening one Neuroborreliosis.

What is neuroborreliosis?

At a Neuroborreliosis it is a dangerous infectious disease. A special type of bacteria is responsible for the occurrence of the individual symptoms.

Since the individual bacteria spread relatively quickly in the human organism, several organs are often affected by the infection at the same time. For example, neuroborreliosis can lead to permanent damage to the eyes.

In addition, the heart of the affected patient can also lose performance. In order to prevent the occurrence of neuroborreliosis, the possible causes must be combated reliably.

causes

As mentioned earlier, a Neuroborreliosis as the result of a tick bite in appearance. The bacteria responsible are transferred to the respective body during the bite.

In the Federal Republic of Germany, around 35 percent of all ticks are infected with the dangerous pathogen. Since many of the tick bites are not realized by the affected people, early treatment is not available in most cases.

In addition, only a small number of infected people develop clinical symptoms. To prevent multiple organ failure, for example, neuroborreliosis must be diagnosed as quickly as possible.

Symptoms, ailments & signs

In acute neuroborreliosis, the first symptoms appear a few weeks to a few months after an infected tick bites. The bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi causes inflammation of the meninges and the nerve roots of the spinal cord, which are associated with severe pain along the affected nerve tracts. The pain, which occurs especially at night, is often accompanied by impaired sensation, paralysis and paralysis.

Paralysis of the facial nerve occurs particularly frequently: the medical practitioner speaks of unilateral or bilateral facial paralysis. Typical signs of this are drooping corners of the mouth, incomplete eyelid closure and the inability to frown. Occasionally, taste disturbances can also occur. Inflammation of other cranial nerves can manifest itself as hearing loss or paralysis of the eye muscles.

Chronic neuroborreliosis develops over months or years. It is characterized by an inflammation of the brain and spinal cord, which progresses slowly and causes coordination disorders, unsteadiness of gait and urination disorders. Linguistic skills can also be impaired, and hearing can also decrease.

Occasionally, epileptic seizures occur as a result of neuroborreliosis, poor concentration, impaired consciousness and hallucinations can indicate an organic brain psychosyndrome. In some cases, the sick develop only very unspecific symptoms such as extreme tiredness, reduced performance and listlessness, which can easily be confused with depression.

Diagnosis & course

Diagnosing a Neuroborreliosis proves to be extremely difficult in most cases. Nevertheless, a corresponding examination can be carried out by the family doctor. As part of the investigation, the previous course of the disease will be examined more closely.

In order for a targeted therapy to be tackled, the patient must, among other things, name the symptoms that have appeared so far. For example, headaches can be the first sign of neuroborreliosis. It is not uncommon for the affected patients to also complain of a dominant feeling of physical weakness. Following the questioning, the attending physician palpates the affected person's lymph nodes.

A swelling in the area of ​​the lymph nodes can also be seen as a first sign of neuroborreliosis. As part of the physical examination, the attending physician can also identify possible bite injuries. If there is a first suspicion of neuroborreliosis, a blood test must be started. Neuroborreliosis can only be treated reliably after all examinations have been carried out.

Complications

Neuroborreliosis is already a complication of Lyme borreliosis, in which the brain and nerve tracts are infected with the Borreliosis bacterium. This complication occurs in around ten percent of Borreliosis infections. But even within this particular form of Borrelia infection, there are still different forms.

As a rule, neuroborreliosis can be cured well with appropriate treatment if the bacterium is completely eliminated. However, around five to ten percent of all people affected by neuroborreliosis can also contract an infection of the spinal cord and brain. In these cases, the course of the disease is even more complicated.

In these cases, the inflammatory processes usually last longer than six months. But even here there are still good chances of a complete cure for many sick people. However, chronic complaints can occur when the nervous system is severely impaired. This is particularly the case if, as a result of the infection, there are also autoimmune reactions of the immune system that are directed against the nervous system.

It is known that destroyed nerve cells can no longer be replaced. It can happen that permanent spastic gait and movement disorders as well as urinary and fecal incontinence develop. Perception, speech or hearing disorders are also observed. In some cases, chronic psychiatric symptoms or constant epileptic seizures occur.

When should you go to the doctor?

If a tick has bitten itself, the insect should be removed from the person's body with great care. It is important that the entire tick body is loosened. If there are complications or uncertainties about correct handling, a doctor should be consulted and the tick should be removed.

If health problems arise weeks or months after the insect has been bitten, action is required. Consult a doctor in the event of paralysis, sensitivity disorders or numbness. If the person concerned complains of problems with taste perception, impaired hearing or irregularities in the control of the eye muscles, a doctor's visit is necessary. Pain, feeling generally unwell, or irritable are signs of impairment that require investigation and treatment. A doctor should be asked for help in the event of coordination disorders, dizziness, unsteady gait or problems with the locomotor system.

The cause of the symptoms must be determined so that treatment can be initiated. Abnormal language skills give cause for concern. A doctor must be consulted immediately if there is a reduction in language skills, as this is a special warning from the organism. A doctor is also required if the emptying of the bladder is irregular. Fatigue, a lowered mood, and listlessness are other signs that should be investigated.

Treatment & Therapy

Early treatment of a Neuroborreliosis proves to be fundamentally important. This is the only way to prevent serious consequences.

If the neuroborreliosis is still at an early stage, treatment with an appropriate antibiotic can be carried out. In modern medicine, people primarily rely on preparations that contain the active ingredient penicillin. If there is an intolerance to the active ingredient penicillin, an alternative active ingredient can also be used.

The active ingredient azithromycin is enjoying growing popularity. Pregnant women should also avoid treatment with the active ingredient penicillin. Since neuroborreliosis is often recognized very late, the active ingredients already mentioned no longer work reliably. For this reason, therapy with a special antibiotic must be considered.

The active ingredients contained in each case are often administered intravenously. In order to achieve the best possible result, the respective preparations should be taken over a period of at least four weeks. There are no special rules of conduct for contact with other people. In principle, neuroborreliosis cannot be transmitted from person to person.

Outlook & forecast

The prognosis for neuroborreliosis is good if it is diagnosed and treated at an early stage. In about 90 percent of the cases, antibiotic therapy lasting at least two weeks works well and relieves the affected person completely or at least largely of his symptoms. Residual symptoms such as fatigue quickly, pain, memory disorders or neurological limitations are reported by 5 to 30 percent of patients after an infection - depending on the study. As a rule, everyday and professional life is not impaired or not significantly impaired, and life expectancy is not reduced by neuroborreliosis that is recognized and treated at an early stage.

Facial paralysis that occurs as part of the disease disappears in most cases after one to two months; in five percent of patients it persists longer or permanently. The disease can take a severe course if the meninges are affected by the inflammation (meningitis). In this case, in addition to a pronounced feeling of illness, impaired consciousness up to a coma can occur; if left untreated, meningitis can lead to death. Possible long-term consequences of surviving meningitis are speech and movement disorders, perception disorders, incontinence or seizures. Occasionally, meningitis also results in psychiatric disorders such as pronounced mood swings or depression.

prevention

As a result of the possible complications, one must Neuroborreliosis always be prevented. As part of prevention, tick bites should be avoided. For this reason, long clothing should be worn on excursions. Pants must also have a waistband. Corresponding ointments usually do not prevent a tick bite.

Aftercare

Despite considerable neurological problems, the course of neuroborreliosis is almost always benign with appropriate therapy. However, after successful treatment with antibiotics, follow-up examinations should be carried out over a longer period of time. These consist mainly of regular monitoring of clinical symptoms. If this worsens, a new examination of the CSF is often required.

Detailed differential diagnoses can also clarify whether it is still the after-effects of Lyme borreliosis or another neurological disease. In connection with neuroborreliosis, the so-called post-Lyme disease syndrome is often reported in the medical literature. However, scientific studies show that such complaints have nothing to do with the Lyme disease.

Corresponding follow-up measures in these cases relate to other diseases that have to be specifically diagnosed in each individual case. In any case, it has been shown that prolonged treatment with antibiotics usually does not change the existing symptoms of the disease. On the contrary, these measures are often harmful to the organism. In individual cases they can even be fatal.

However, they may be neurological symptoms such as depression that appeared for the first time after neuroborreliosis and are therefore associated with it. In rare cases, however, complications such as stroke occur in the context of neuroborreliosis. Follow-up care is always based on the severity of the complication.

You can do that yourself

If signs of Lyme disease are noticed, a doctor should be consulted. If neuroborreliosis has already developed, effective self-help measures can usually no longer be used. However, the sick can support medical therapy by complying with the doctor's specifications regarding personal hygiene and physical exertion.

Most often, the doctor will recommend a stress-free lifestyle with a healthy and balanced diet. If physical complaints such as movement disorders or neurological problems occur, the patient needs appropriate aids. In addition to the medication prescribed by a doctor, various natural remedies can also be used. Pain-relieving devil's claw and aloe vera, for example, have proven effective. These funds are applied to the bite site in the form of ointments and primarily help against the pain at the point of origin of the disease. Infections in the body can only be treated with drugs. The sick person should carefully observe the signals from the body so that the medication can be regularly adjusted to new symptoms.

In the later stages of the disease, therapy focuses on accepting the condition and its possible health consequences. Younger people in particular often suffer from depression and anxiety after an infection, which must be dealt with as part of psychological treatment.