05/03/2026
DAILY DOSE OF EDUCATION
May is Lyme awareness month
"Lyme Disease" has become a "catch all phrase" for someone who has been diagnosed with a tick/vector born illness, whether acute or chronic.
The truth is there are numerous different organisms that can infect a person upon a tick bite (also, there are other insects that are thought, at this time, to possibly transmit these infections as well).
The most commonly known infection is borellia borgdafori. This is what standard testing looks for. This "comes from" the dreaded black legged tick, the deer tick. There are numerous other species of borellia. Of 52 known species, 20+ are of the "Lyme" family. I will post follow up post of various symptoms one might experience if infected with a tick/vector born pathogen.
Another commonly transmitted pathogen is Babesia, and just like Borellia, there are numerous species.
We also have, commonly found:
*Bartonella pathogens (various species)
*Ehrlichia (various species, which may also. be widely associated with Alpha Gal allergy, which i am currently exploring with the patients i treat with Auricular Medicine for Alpha Gal Allergy).
* Bartonella infection. Bartonella Henslae is responsible for cat scratch disease, its found in fleas and is also a co infection of many tick born infections.
Anaplasmosis, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, relapsing fever, and the list goes on.
These pathogens are "stealth" pathogens, we call this condition Gu syndrome (a "parasitic-like condition) in Chinese Medicine. Gu Syndrome can lead to Gui possession (this is a condition of suddenly, "not being yourself/ taken over, no longer in control. And, to many Lyme disease patients, this is exactly how they feel.
There are theories that micro organisms have the ability to secrete chemicals that cause their host to act in a certain way. Candida loves sugar and causes you to crave sugar).
Toxoplasmosis causes its host to appear more attractive, therefore increasing its reproductive potential.
This theory has been understood in Chinese Medicine for thousands of years, and by me for over a decade β€ I have now developed the systems to help you overcome these obstacles to health!
In my practice, I will assess you through several assessment methods. Chinese Medicine and Energy Medicine are body mind spirit focused, we understand the power of three, heaven, earth and the biota.
We used the Horowitz 38 point symptom checklist to determine if it would be likely that you're affected by an insect born pathogen, we also use bioresonance scanning and a form of kinesiology muscle testing to determine further sensitivity.
In general, the treatment of insect born illness is a clinical diagnosis, as we know, current testing has not been reliable. There are now FDA approved tests that look for a larger variety of pathogens and use different technology for detection. These are expensive tests and have to be ordered by a physician. Unfortunately, my scope of practice does not allow me to order labs (other states do allow Acupuncturist to order labs, maybe this will change in Virginia). If I determine that you have a clinical symptom picture and you're sensitive through bioresonance and muscle testing i will encourage you to test further with either iGENEX or Vibrant Wellness for the most accurate insight. You will need your physician get on board and have a bit of cash on hand to pay for the testing. I'm always open to discussion with other healthcare practitioners.
With that said, we do not have to wait for testing to begin gentle treatment. We begin with calming the emotional body (the limbic system), we gently begin to reset the nervous system. Either with the use of Acupuncture (which can be phenomenal), homeopathic preparations to reduce symptoms such as anxiety, fear, grief, stress, depression, trauma,, etc, or herbal formulations to calm then shen (consciousness/awareness), and provide, education in breathing practices for reducing panic and overwhelm. We also use frequency specific microcurrent to reset the vagus nerve, regulate the nervous system, reduce pain and induce a harmonic state overall.
Next, we look at "the toxic load" (the excess) and the person carrying that load (the terrain) .. what are your systems doing and not doing. Where do you need the most support? Lymphatics? Liver? Bladder/kidneys? Digestion? Cellular function? Mitochondrial function? See, all of these systems have to be functioning properly for the body to mount a proper defense of microbial infection. When they're not, the system pushes these pathogens out to the extremities to hold in latency for as long as they can (see previous post about latent pathogenic factors). Any symptoms experienced lend to the idea of a loss of latency, the body can't keep these pathogens at bay any longer. The routes of elimination aren't functioning and "dis-ease' manifests.
This is a critical step in this process. This step is foundational. There's a fine balance between clearing pathogens and building the systems innate immune response (I have written on this in previous posts). This is where professional guidance becomes so valuable π
It's within this step that we assess diet and lifestyle factors that may be contributing to the deterioration of the body's natural immune response. We also look at environmental factors that may be affecting recovery.a Unfortunately, we do live in a world of man made toxins, both chemical and energetic.
We will utilize specific formulations (herbal, supplemental and homeopathic), along with energetic practices, such as frequency specific microcurrent, bioresonance scanning and acupuncture, when appropriate, to regain the function of the organism.. aka you, your organs and your systems.
Next, as your system is ready we will move into the phase of pathogenic eradication. This is complex, with multiple factors in most cases. There are often multiple co-occurrences affecting the ability to heal. Unfortunately, in modern society there are a number of blockages to full healing, such as mold toxicity (you'd be surprised as to how many people are affected by this and the havoc that can be wreaked on the immune system when mold is a factor), dental issues (often a place of latency for pathogenic factors), MCAS (often triggered by environmental stressor, including mold), yeast and fungus infections, parasitic infection, hormonal dysregulation (as a causative factor and a result of a pathogenic factor), sleep issues, brain health, mitochondrial dysfunction (cell danger response) and of course the many viruses our immune systems have to launch a defense against daily (especially the controversial C VID). Again, this is a process. I do pride myself as a medical detective ;)
When we've managed the pathogenic load well, we will move into the recovery and clean up phase β€
This model isn't exclusive to Vector born illnesses, I can apply this to a wide variety of chronic health conditions, individually tailored to YOU. YOU are a unique human being, and what I love about the systems of medicine I practice is that we MUST look at every individual through a unique lense.
This process will obviously take time.. often there are years of infection and dysfunction to unwind. Some would say that for every year that you've been unwell, you can expect at least one month (often longer) to get well again. Don't lose hope!! With a committed practitioner and a commitment to do the work necessary, you CAN RECOVER!
Obviously, there is an expense in all of this. Unfortunately the traditional Western medical community, including "insurance" re imbursment doesn't cover the type of work I, and many other Lyme literate practitioners do. Practitioners, such as myself, have undergone extensive education and continued education that comes at a substantial cost. I have personally spent on the upside of $100,000 educating myself and establishing credentials to undergo such an endeavor as to helping patients unwind chronic health conditions. We are often passionate about this pursuit for various reasons, either our own personal experiences or those of someone we love. In my case, that is both, along with an innate, destiny born desire to study this kind of medicine/ healing work. An investment in yourself now will pay off in the long run β€
With all of this said, if you, or a loved one is suffering from chronic, undiagnosed conditions.. or if you have a diagnosis and your current treatment isn't working, please DO reach out asap to see how Jennifer Walton L.Ac Acupuncture Clinic can help you. We are growing our practice everyday to help you get back to living life to the fullest β€
Please share this post, as you never know who may be suffering in silence and could use some help β€
540-968-0872
