Information Wellness Blog

Lyme disease and posttreatment Lyme disease syndrome (PTLDS) symptoms can feel like an unpredictable rollercoaster: bone-deep fatigue not matching up with your activity level, aching joints with migrating pains, brain fog with difficulty word finding and memory issues as well as sleep disruption can all take their toll.

Rife machines fit this bill as experimental adjunctive devices not guaranteed to help your case.

Symptoms

People suffering from chronic Lyme disease report experiencing various symptoms, such as fatigue, a non-itching red rash, headaches, joint pain, numbness and tingling sensations, memory loss, difficulty sleeping and feeling like their body is constantly shutting down. Unfortunately these issues can be difficult to recognize because their effects differ so significantly from what most other people experience; there is also the unfortunate stereotype that people suffering these problems are malingerers, obsessed with symptoms or hypochondriacs; such stereotypes create an unnecessary climate of distrust between people living with Lyme disease and those without it.

Many symptoms associated with Lyme disease result from immune system attempts at fighting off Lyme bacteria but becoming overwhelmed, leading to other reactions such as inflammation, mitochondrial dysfunction, past trauma, environmental triggers such as mold or nervous system responses to stress – among other contributing factors – which cause symptoms. Other such factors could also explain flare-ups or relapses experienced months or even years post initial infection.

Researchers have been exploring potential methods of inhibiting the Lyme disease-causing bacteria’s spread. A team from University of Massachusetts Amherst led by this work reported in March that they may have found one using an enzyme already utilized as cancer treatment therapy.

Many people who suffer from Lyme are also infected with other viruses, fungus and parasites which can reactivate for numerous reasons including immunosuppression caused by antibiotic use and changes to other immune-influencing factors recently discovered. These infections may resurface as Lyme symptoms worsen for various reasons such as immunosuppression due to antibiotic use or changes in other immune-influencing factors discovered through research studies.

If a frequency-based device provides any relief, it must be seen as one component in an overall strategy of healing. These tools may serve as useful additions to an advanced diagnostics and multifaceted Lyme treatment plan that includes herbs, food, refresh support, mind body practice, nervous system calming techniques and trauma-informed care – they may help with eliminating infections, balancing hormones, improving mood, soothing pain pathways and retraining immune systems.

Diagnosis

Rife machines (which resemble small boxes with knobs, digital displays and metal hand cylinders or foot plates), emit low-energy electromagnetic frequencies which some claim can target specific bacteria, viruses and parasites. According to theory, each microorganism has its own individual frequency which can be tuned in on to with similar vibrational force to an opera singer hitting just the right note and smashing glasses of wine; all without damaging cells since our tissues vibrate at different frequencies.

Unfortunately, no large-scale human trials exist that prove Rife machines’ effectiveness against Lyme disease. Most evidence supporting their efficacy comes in the form of testimonials–stories from people feeling better both instantly and temporarily.

People living with chronic Lyme and Post-Treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome (PTLDS) can find it challenging to access care, and the stigmatism surrounding their symptoms can be crippling. There’s often the assumption that those experiencing persistent pain and fatigue are malingerers or just overly worried. But these assumptions could not be further from the truth! People may assume those experiencing ongoing discomfort are either malingerers, obsessed with themselves, or just plain hypochondriacs.

PTLDS is especially difficult to diagnose and treat, taking years even after an infected tick bite and antibiotic therapy have been undertaken. Borrelia bacteria that cause Lyme disease have many ways of hiding within our bodies and must be completely expelled for symptoms to subside.

Therefore, it’s essential that people with Lyme disease visit a specialist who offers advanced diagnostics and multifaceted treatment plans consisting of herbs, supplements, food, refresh support, mind-body work, mold remediation and other tools to restore both body and brain health. Furthermore, it is crucial that practitioners communicate openly regarding these tools; Rife machines for instance should be described as adjunctive experimental tools rather than guaranteed aid; any practitioner, clinic or website promising that an Rife machine will cure Lyme infection is going beyond what current research supports; any such claims go well beyond what current research supports; that would be unethical as it would go against current research – which would make sense of course!

Treatment

Lyme disease and its related symptoms are generally treatable. Four or six weeks of antibiotics usually eliminates the bacterium; however, for some individuals these shorter courses don’t suffice – that’s why researchers are constantly searching for new ways to hinder its spread – including this device that targets one of Lyme’s enzymes.

Rife devices, also known as electro-magnetic frequencies devices, deliver electromagnetic pulses into your body. According to proponents, Rife frequencies may tune into microorganism’s natural frequency and disrupt molecular structures; unlike antibiotics which attack specific proteins directly. Instead, these frequencies supposedly weaken cells’ abilities for vital processes like protein synthesis and cell wall formation.

But there’s one catch: evidence supporting these devices’ effectiveness against Lyme is limited and mostly anecdotal. No large, well-designed human clinical trials have ever been done on these machines for this use, meaning they aren’t FDA cleared for that use either. Few websites that promote them claim they can eradicate bacteria but fail to mention they haven’t been proven as such in rigorous tests.

Another issue related to chronic illness and these devices is that those living with them often face ridicule from both doctors and non-doctor sources alike, often being accused of malingering or fixating on symptoms. Because of this, it’s vital for individuals who are sick to speak up and share their stories publicly.

IF YOU ARE A LYME PATIENT WHO HEARS OF THIS DEVICE, DON’T be intimidated to ask questions and do some research. You have every right to know exactly what is known (and unknown), where any risks lie, and whether this device fits in or not with a comprehensive treatment plan for chronic infections like Lyme. Such plans typically consist of advanced diagnostics in order to understand why symptoms arise; layers treatments like herbs, supplements, diet changes and detox programs; nervous system care with trauma-informed care – as brain threat response controls more of what goes wrong when symptoms surface; advanced diagnostics in order to identify what may be driving symptoms; advanced diagnostics to determine causes; layer treatments including herbs supplements diet changes diet changes detox strategies as well as nervous system/trauma informed care in case it affects any aspect of treatment plan implementation or not – making such plans essential in making decisions about decisions that affect both future plans.

Prevention

As a patient living with Lyme disease or suspecting you might have it, you deserve to be treated honestly. That means distinguishing marketing jargon from actual data. And currently, Rife devices do not hold up as proven aids against Lyme.

Experts increasingly agree that many patients claiming chronic Lyme may not even be infected with B. burgdorferi bacteria and that their symptoms could be the result of anything from fibromyalgia, lupus, mononucleosis, septic arthritis or even cancer. Even if someone does have Borrelia infection, prolonged antibiotic treatment has never shown success at resolving symptoms in human trials; furthermore extended use can pose significant health risks including bloodstream infections and heart tissue damage.

But before scientists can settle this debate over rife as an effective treatment option for Lyme disease, two critical questions need to be answered first: 1) can Lyme bacteria survive antibiotic treatment for months or years post-therapy? and 2) what measures can be taken to avoid symptoms altogether?

Rife machines may provide some relief, but they’re only part of the puzzle. Used as part of a comprehensive treatment plan with advanced diagnostics to determine what’s driving symptoms (not simply guesstimating), herbs, nutrition, refresh support and nervous system work are often recommended to provide greater relief from symptoms caused by strains of B. burgdorferi that cause them. Devices which provide some support for these other aspects could provide greater freedom from its strains that cause these issues.

Studies conducted thus far demonstrate that gentle electrical or electromagnetic input can often help the autonomic nervous system transition away from an emergency state and toward relaxation, and that can often reduce pain and other symptoms more significantly than usual. But these tools should only be considered experimental adjunctive therapies; not guaranteed solutions to Lyme disease.