Mold And Lyme Disease
In our third article of our mold series, we bring Lyme disease into the discussion. In this article, we discuss what Lyme disease is, what Lyme disease early symptoms look like, how Lyme disease and mold illness (CIRS) are similar, and how the combination of mold and Lyme disease can affect the body’s function.
Photo by Christian Erfurt on Unsplash
What Is Lyme Disease?
Lyme disease is a condition spread through the Borrelia burgdorferi, and rarely, Borrelia mayonii bacteria(1). These bacteria are often spread through a tick bite. Ticks get the bacteria through biting infected animals, such as deer or mice, and they can then spread the bacteria to humans through biting them as well. In the Eastern United States, it is often a deer tick that spreads Lyme disease, and in the West, it’s often the western blacklegged tick. The longer the tick is attached to its subject, the greater the risk of disease transmission. Research has found that Lyme disease can also be passed from a pregnant mother to a fetus through her placenta, which is known as congenital transmission of Lyme disease (2).
Lyme Disease Early Symptoms
Lyme disease is a multisystemic disease and can be found in many different organs. However, it’s very hard to test for and to culture. Lyme disease early symptoms are prolific and much more than the classic bull’s eye rash most people know and recognize. They include gastrointestinal symptoms, cardiac/pulmonary symptoms, musculoskeletal symptoms, neurological symptoms, neuropsychiatric symptoms, and reproductive symptoms (3). Interestingly, there is quite a bit of overlap in mold and lyme disease symptoms.
How are Mold Illness (CIRS) and Lyme Disease Similar?
Both mold and Lyme disease symptoms are caused by a dysregulated immune system and the overproduction of pro-inflammatory cytokines, a protein produced by the immune system. mold illness and Lyme disease can also trigger the same inflammatory pathways in the body. When these immune system responses are used appropriately, they can help to kick things into gear to fight pathogens and then calm to restore homeostasis in the body. However, in conditions like Lyme disease and mold sickness, they go into overdrive. When the bacteria (Lyme disease) or mycotoxins (CIRS) remain in the body, the person's system remains inflamed, leading to a dysregulated immune system and many life-changing mold and Lyme disease symptoms.
How Do Mold and Lyme Disease Affect the Body?
As is often the case in functional medicine, it’s hard to pinpoint a single culprit to a chronic health condition. This is certainly the case for someone battling mold and Lyme disease symptoms. When a person has Lyme and is exposed to mold mycotoxins, their bodies can weaken significantly. The same thing can happen if a person has CIRS and is then exposed to Lyme. If a patient has one of these conditions, they become more susceptible to the other, creating a cascade of negative effects in the body.
Considering Mold Exposure in Unresolved Cases of Chronic Lyme
If a patient experiences Lyme disease early symptoms and then declines into a state of chronic issues, mold illness needs to be considered. Mold suppresses the immune system, which makes resolving any type of infection in its presence difficult. We often find that Lyme patients are unable to fight off the infection unless they address any potential mold exposure. Only then can the immune system rebound from both mold and Lyme disease.
Differentiating Sickness from Exposure to Mold and Lyme Disease
In navigating these tricky waters, it may be helpful to know that Lyme disease early symptoms tend to have a bit of a see-saw pattern. For example, Lyme patients may have a good few days and then regress for the next couple of weeks. On the other hand, mold symptoms tend to be more consistent. A mold patient may experience fatigue and brain fog every day before they are finally treated.
Mold patients may also notice an improvement in symptoms when they travel and leave the source of mold, such as a workplace or home. However, those who have mold colonization in their sinus cavity or mucosal membranes may not notice this difference.
The Impact of Mold and Lyme Disease On the Digestive Tract
The combination of mold and Lyme disease can have a devastating effect on the digestive tract. Mold makes its way to mucous membranes in the body via the respiratory and digestive tract, eventually making its way to the lower gut mucosa (4). This leads to bowel dysfunction and nutrient absorption issues. Even upon the manifestation of Lyme disease early symptoms, the illness can destroy the gut’s bacterial community (microbiome) as well as the endothelial lining of the bowel. As the gut is destroyed by mold and Lyme disease in tandem, mold has a gateway to continue to expand and release more harmful mycotoxins, causing further damage to the body.
In summary, the harm caused by mold and Lyme disease can be substantial and requires the attention of a knowledgeable practitioner. If a patient already has mold toxicity, they are more affected by Lyme disease. If mold or Lyme is suspected in an individual, they should be tested for BOTH conditions and treated appropriately.
Early diagnosis and treatment are critical for stopping the progression of sickness from mold and Lyme disease. It is also important to note that, because mold can slowly impact the body without noticeable symptoms, it may be difficult to detect Lyme disease early symptoms at first. It’s also possible for a person to be treated for Lyme, appear to have a recovery, and then have a recurrence of Lyme symptoms once exposed to a water-damaged building. Full recovery is dependent on being proactive about Lyme disease early symptoms and seeking qualified professional help.
While mold and Lyme disease can be overwhelming to deal with, we emphasize that there is hope! If you suspect that you have one or both of these conditions, please contact us. We can help.
