Lyme Disease Specialists
Lyme Disease specialist services offered in Jacksonville, FL
Lyme disease is a serious infection that may have debilitating consequences when left undiagnosed and untreated. Elyssa Blissenbach, MD, Lea-Anne Griffis, APRN, and the experienced team at Northeast Florida Internal Medicine in Jacksonville, Florida, specialize in diagnosing Lyme disease. Dr. Blissenbach is a Lyme literate medical doctor (LLMD) and can make sure you get the right diagnosis and care.
There is a reason Dr. Blissenbach and Dr. Griffis are among the leading Lyme disease doctors in Florida. To find out more about your treatment options, call the office or schedule an appointment online today.
Services Rendered by Our Florida Lyme Disease Doctor
Comprehensive expertise
Dr. Blissenbach specializes in Lyme disease treatment with almost 30 years of medical experience. She has and over a decade specifically and deeply focused on Lyme.
Customized treatment protocols
Uses a unique combination of antibiotics, herbals, and advanced therapies (including Dapsone) tailored to each patient's needs and tolerance.
Patient-centered approach
Strong emphasis on listening to patients, providing thorough evaluations, and creating personalized plans while acknowledging the complexity and individuality of Lyme disease presentations.
Experience with severe cases
Successfully treating patients with advanced or misdiagnosed conditions. This includes patients previously labeled with Parkinson’s, MS, or psychiatric disorders who were later found to have Lyme.
COVID-19 connection
Notes increased Lyme and co-infection reactivations after COVID, highlighting the need for vigilant and updated care.
Out-of-state support
Licensed to provide telemedicine treatment to patients across multiple states, supported by local labs and providers.
Innovative therapies
Among the few Lyme disease specialists in Jacksonville, FL using the Dapsone protocol. Our practice, offers IV therapies to help patients stabilize before oral treatments.
Holistic support
Incorporates gut health rebuilding, inflammation reduction strategies, supplements (including methylene blue), and supportive therapies like Myers cocktails to aid recovery.
Accessibility
Accepts insurance and keeps therapy costs reasonable, making advanced Lyme treatment more accessible.
Mission-driven practice
Driven by personal experience, professional passion, and a commitment to educating patients and continuously improving care.
If you think you have any of the symptoms of Lyme disease, it’s critical to see specialists who know the telltale signs. Visit our Lyme disease specialists in Jacksonville, FL today to learn more.
Get the Treatment You Need with Lyme Disease Specialists at Northeast Florida Internal Medicine
Lyme Disease Q&A
Lyme disease is no laughing matter. Here are some of the top insights, as provided by our specialized Lyme doctors in Florida:
What is Lyme disease?
Lyme disease is a bacterial infection transmitted to humans through the bite of a tick with the infection. Think of it essentially as a tick-borne illness. Deer ticks are the primary source of the bacteria that cause Lyme disease.
Lyme disease is primarily caused by the borrelia burgdorferi pathogen. This infectious disease is unfortunately easily transmitted via tick bite. However, once caught it is not contagious to those around you.
Anyone can get Lyme disease. But you’re at greater risk of getting an infectious tick bite if you spend a lot of time in grassy or woody areas. Ticks may bite and latch onto any part of your body but prefer hard-to-see spots like your scalp or groin. Infection usually occurs when the tick stays latched on for a few days.
Lyme disease symptoms vary, but when left untreated, the bacteria can spread to the heart, joints, and nervous system.
What are the symptoms of Lyme disease?
Lyme disease usually starts as a red rash at the site of the tick bite. This rash may appear 1-4 weeks after the bite. It starts small and expands, looking like a bull’s eye.
As the rash spreads, you may notice the onset of additional symptoms or complications in other parts of your body. Other symptoms of Lyme disease include:
- Muscle Aches (Fibromyalgia)
- Fatigue (chronic fatigue syndrome)
- Night sweats
- Brain fog
- Ringing in the ear
- Burning with urination
- Tingling and numbness
- Vertigo
- Feeling off balance
- Flu like symptoms
- Low-grade fever
- Low white blood cell count
- Irregular heart rhythms
However, it’s important to note that over 50% of people with Lyme disease do not develop a bull’s-eye rash. Moreover, some individuals may not experience any noticeable symptoms until many years later. This makes early diagnosis challenging.
Additionally, current testing methods—including ELISA, Western Blot, and PCR tests performed by major labs like Quest and LabCorp—have been shown to be only about 50% accurate.
When left untreated, the bacteria may cause neurological problems. This includes complications such as Bell’s palsy (paralysis of the facial muscles) or meningitis. Some people may even develop psychological symptoms like depression or anxiety.
Early diagnosis and treatment increase your chance of a full recovery from Lyme disease. It also helps to avoid the symptoms and detriments of long term or chronic Lyme disease, which can greatly impact your quality of life.
Should I be seen by Florida Lyme disease doctor?
If you have any of the above mentioned symptoms, it’s important to be evaluated by a medical professional. Our Lyme disease doctors in Florida are equipped with the expertise to ensure the care you need.
What tests do I need for a Lyme disease diagnosis?
The team at Northeast Florida Internal Medicine specializes in diagnosing Lyme disease through a comprehensive and individualized approach. Your evaluation begins with a thorough review of your symptoms and medical history, followed by a detailed physical examination. To accurately identify the presence of Lyme disease, the team uses advanced laboratory testing from trusted labs. This includes our partners at IGeneX, Galaxy Diagnostics, Vibrant Wellness, and T Labs.
In addition to testing for Lyme disease, they may also screen for other similarly symptomatic complications. This includes mold toxicity, reactivation of viruses such as Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), cytomegalovirus (CMV), and Mycoplasma pneumonia. Evaluation may also include testing for autoimmune disorders and immunoglobulin deficiencies. This methodology helps to ensure a complete understanding of your health status and guide an effective treatment plan.
What are the treatments for Lyme disease?
While any tick born disease is serious, treatments abound. And our team of Lyme disease specialists is equipped to deliver them with care and compassion.
The team at Northeast Florida Internal Medicine offers a comprehensive, individualized approach to treating Lyme disease. We use a combination of conventional and integrative therapies, including antibiotics, herbal remedies, and IVIG (intravenous immunoglobulin) therapy. For patients with more complex or chronic cases, we also offer the high-dose Dapsone Combination Therapy protocol.
The type and duration of your treatment will depend on the severity of your illness and how long you’ve had the infection. In some cases, more than one round of antibiotics may be recommended to fully eliminate the infection. Physical therapy may also be advised to help relieve persistent aches and joint pain.
All treatment plans are carefully tailored to each patient’s unique medical history, current condition, and response to therapy. We also partner with your primary care providers to ensure the care you receive matches your required care plan. With Northeast Florida Internal Medicine by your side, you don’t need to simply live with Lyme disease.
