Basic knowledge

 

Chronic infections and Lyme disease

It is very important to distinguish an acute from a chronic infection. In general, one speaks of an infection when microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, fungi or parasites colonize the body, multiply and trigger inflammatory reactions. Among the better-known is a bacterium named Borrelia, which is mostly transmitted by ticks and causes Lyme disease.

Chronic infections

In chronic or recurrent infections, the state of the immune system and the internal environment is crucial. Unhealed infections can permanently overload the immune system. If, due to chronic infection, the immune system is treated for a long time with untargeted antibiotics, antivirals, antifungals, antiparasitic agents, and the like, it may lead to other problems such as bacterial resistance, virus mutation, chronic parasitic carriers, or a disturbance of the intestinal flora.

The following infections are treated most frequently in the Alpstein Clinic:

  • Chronic bacterial infections: cystitis, sinusitis, bronchitis, tonsillitis, prostatitis, etc.
  • Chronic viral infections: Epstein Barr viruses (EBV), cytomegaloviruses (CMV), herpes viruses, varicella (chickenpox), hepatitis viruses, etc.
  • Chronic fungal infections: foot, nail and skin fungus, vaginal fungus, oral thrush, intestinal fungus, mold fungus (aspergillosis), etc.
  • Chronic parasitic infections: toxoplasmosis, oxyures, amoebas, intestinal fluke (fasciolopsiasis), etc.

 

Our approach for chronic infections

In the case of chronic infections, causal research is important, whereby it is crucial to:

  • identify the pathogen
  • exclude coinfections
  • identify disturbing factors influencing the internal environment, such as food intolerance, intestinal dysbiosis, hyperacidity, and similar
  • create the immune and cell metabolism status
  • exclude vital substance deficiencies
  • detect pollution
  • determine chronic sources of infection in the dental area
  • identify vaccine and drug interactions
  • detect external and internal stress factors
  • ascertain electromagnetic radiation and geopathy exposure
  • etc.

After we have grasped the complexity of the disease, we discuss together the multifactorial causes of the chronic infection. By doing so, we are gradually trying to eliminate possible causes. The focus lies in regulating the inner environment via the intestinal structure, change in diet and the initiation of detoxification. The patient needs patience to do this, because restoring the inner environment and the immune system is often a long process. Laboratory parameters are regularly checked in order to monitor the course of therapy and to readjust it again.

Our therapeutic approach for chronic infections

The following therapeutic procedures are used in the Alpstein Clinic for chronic infections:
 
  • Whole-body hyperthermia
  • Colon hydrotherapy with reflorisation
  • Nutritional advice and diet change after testing
  • Ozone treatment (intravenous, local, rectal, vaginal)
  • Infusion treatment
  • Detoxification (DMPS, EDTA, drainage)
  • Microimmunotherapy, e.g. for virus drainage
  • Vital field therapy for vaccine and drug elimination
  • Leech therapy
  • etc.

The combination of various therapies improves cell metabolism and the immune system can restore normal infection defense.

Lyme disease

Lyme disease is an infectious disease that can be acute or chronic. It is triggered by bacteria which are mainly transmitted by a tick sting – commonly mistakenly called a tick bite. Lyme disease is the most common tick-borne disease in the Northern Hemisphere. In the Alpstein Clinic, we often see chronic Lyme disease, the main distribution area of which is Europe and North America.

The symptoms of Lyme disease can be multifaceted, which can make it difficult to diagnose and differentiate from other diseases. The sooner the illness is recognized, the better and faster the healing prospects. We classify Lyme disease into three stages, based on symptoms, in order to support an even more precise treatment approach.

Stage 1

Circular or ring-shaped, red skin appearance at the site of the tick sting after days or weeks, also known as migrating redness or erythema migrans. Important: The migrating redness may be absent in some cases.

Further general symptoms can occur including:

  • headache, joint and muscle pain
  • weakness
  • fever
  • swollen glands

 

Stage 2

Flu-like symptoms a few months after the tick sting

Infection, which can affect not only the skin, but also other organs such as:

  • the nervous system (neuroborreliosis) – nerve root inflammation, meningitis, paralysis of facial nerves (facial palsy), etc.
  • the heart – myocarditis and pericarditis
  • the eye – middle eyelid inflammation (uveitis)

 

Stage 3

Occurs months to years after the tick sting, leading primarily to:

  • Lyme arthritis, which means recurrent inflammation in the joints
  • Increasing impact on the nervous system

 

Our approach for Lyme disease

Our treatments for Lyme disease vary depending on the stage of the disease and any other underlying diseases. Only a small proportion of patients suffer from Lyme disease after a tick sting. Therefore, it is important to determine the current state of health. The following diagnostics are used for this purpose:

  • Specific laboratory tests for Lyme disease:
    • Antibody detection for Borrelia: ELISA
    • Confirmation test: Immuno-blot or Western blot
    • LTT Borrelia: evidence/treatment course monitoring of active Lyme disease
  • Exclusion of other tick-borne diseases, such as bartonella henselae, ehrlichiosis, rickettsia, babesia, tick-borne encephalitis (TBE)
  • Co-infections like Epstein Barr viruses (EBV), cytomegaloviruses (CMV), herpes viruses, chlamydia etc.
  • Dark-field: assessment of the inner environment
  • Food intolerances
  • Immune status, through blood and stool examination
  • Vital substance analysis
  • Pollution levels
  • Determination of chronic sources of infection in the dental area
  • etc.

Important to know: Borrelia can spread intra- and extracellularly, i.e. multiplying inside and outside the body cell. Since the antibiotic is only directed at the extracellular destruction of Borrelia, it does not make sense to use conventional antibiotic therapy as a sole and long-term therapy. We therefore rely on a multifactorial treatment, as with chronic infections.