lyme disease: blood-brain-barrier

Anatomy & Physiology: Is antibiotic treatment for the chronic effects of tick-borne infection doomed to failure? 

Those of us, who have scoured the Internet and every other resources for help for chronic Lyme disease, have heard the term, blood-brain-barrier but perhaps, don’t really know what it means. 

I think this will help: 

The blood-brain-barrier is a feature of our anatomy and physiology. There are specialized cells in our bodies that act as a blocking wall or filter, which prevents many substances from getting into our brains and spinal cord. The blood-brain-barrier makes it impossible, or at least very tough for medications to reach the brain (which is mostly a good thing—we don’t want chemicals in our brains!). Cancer researchers seek development of drugs to treat brain tumors.

Throughout our bodies, we have capillaries (our smallest blood vessels), which have a lining of specialized cells (endothelial). 

These endothelial cells are tightly fitted together to form a filter, which protects the brain by preventing large molecules from passing through to it. 

Your blood-brain-barrier can be weakened by various illnesses, radiation, infection, and trauma. Antibiotic molecules are typically too large to cross the blood-brain-barrier. 

If they do get through, it is thought that they cannot penetrate in large enough quantity to have the desire effect. This makes infections of the brain difficult to treat. 

Although weakening of the blood-brain-barrier may make it possible for some antibiotics to break through, it is highly questionable whether it is safe for them to get there, or not! 

Perhaps you’ve been told that herbal remedies such as teasel, cat's claw, or samento, where good for Lyme. While some people have found them symptomatically helpful, their molecules cannot cross the blood-brain-barrier either.

The blood-brain-barrier is NOT a factor when it comes to natural bio-energetic immune support. 

We are not trying to get chemical agents into the brain. Our treatment approach is designed to support your body such that your immune system enables you to naturally overcome illness. 

If you have been on antibiotics for years, in an effort to recover from Lyme, perhaps you will want to consider this information wisely. If Lyme Borrelia bacteria, as well as Bartonella, Ehrlichia, Babesia, Toxoplasma and other microbes are living in your brain, can antibiotics likely kill them? This question does not even consider the antibiotic resistant nature of many bacteria species.

Ultimately, it is a highly-functional immune system that kills micro-organisms in the brain. Something to think about.

It's simple: Give the Liebell Clinic a call at (757) 631-9799 to find out how we can support your quest to improve your health. Wellness promotion is not just our practice; it is our way of life! Thanks for letting us share it with you!   - Dr. Don & Sheila Liebell