Why should I worry about tick associated disease in Michigan?
Ticks are tiny, and they’re designed to be sneaky so that their hosts are unaware of the tick’s tiny bite. Michigan is like any other state which has deer, mice, or birds which act as hosts for ticks. Anyone can get a tick transmitted disease.
Diseases transmitted by ticks can be contracted in any outdoor environment – at a backyard barbecue, golfing, hiking or playing in the park. Often the victim is unaware that they were bitten.
FYI – Wood ticks are larger and do not appear to transmit tick borne diseases. It’s the small ones that can suck the life out of you (so to speak). Tick related illness, such as Lyme, can have a devastating impact on your life.
What are the symptoms of a tick associated disease?
The disease, like the tick, is sneaky. Even if you didn’t see a tick bite you, evidence can be found several weeks after exposure. There are several stages of tick related disease. There is an acute and a chronic phase. Symptoms can first include fever, rash, acute meningitis and heart problems. Then, in the chronic stage, people can develop arthritic conditions, cognitive dysfunction including neurological disease, and even adult attention deficit disorder. Lyme may be transmitted in pregnancy to fetal offspring and can result in learning disabilities.
It’s important during active disease that patients are treated, because debilitating secondary infections can occur. If you suspect you have a tick associated disease, please call (248) 681-0360 or contact us via email for an appointment. It’s very important to address it as quickly as possible.
What can Dr. Markowitz do?
He can diagnose your disease, because he’s familiar with the symptoms. One of his own family members contracted it 15 years ago. Dr. Markowitz is a Lyme literate physician. His expertise in tick related disease places him far ahead of the learning curve of most Michigan physicians.
His treatment includes traditional and innovative approaches. Using expertise and antimicrobial therapy, he can select the most effective, least toxic medicine for your particular tick associated condition.
Lyme Links
- See page 7 for a story about one of Dr. Markowitz’ Lyme Patients
http://content.yudu.com/Library/A1wul1/0612/resources/index.htm?referrerUrl=http%3A%2F%2Ffree.yudu.com%2Fitem%2Fdetails%2F526278%2F06-12 - Michigan Lyme Disease Association
http://www.mlda.org/ - Michigan DNR
http://www.michigan.gov/emergingdiseases/0,1607,7-186-25890—,00.html