Lyme Disease is so named because it is generally believed to have first been observed in and around Lyme, Connecticut in 1975. Before 1975 the Borrelia infection was also called tick-borne meningopolyneuritis, Garin-Bujadoux, Bannwarth Syndrome or sheep tick fever.

The disease was first documented as a skin rash in Europe in 1883. Over the years, researchers there identified additional features of the disease, including an unidentified bacterium that was treatable with penicillin, the role of the Ixodes, or wood, tick as its carrier, and symptoms that included not only the rash but additional ones that affected the nervous system

Five years ago I was diagnoised with Lyme Disease after 6 months of extensive tests to determine what was wrong. I had no energy, my joints hurt, I had a constant swollen throat, night sweats. The doctor had me take massive amounts of antibiotics.  

Four months later, I had a near-fatal horse accident. My left kidney had to be removed, I nearly bled to death. My left houlder was fractured, my left elbow fractured, my shoulder dislocated, rotar cuff completely torn apart with the ligaments and tendons pulled. The doctors said it was inoperable and I would have to learn to live with pain and a limited range of motion in my left arm.

I began Bikram Yoga two years ago. Within 4 months of doing yoga three times a week, my left arm was restored to full range of motion and all pain left. The lyme's disease, which reappeared throughout the years during times of  stress, also has disappeared.

Another interesting effect of doing the yoga has been that  the in the past two years I have not required any allergy medicines in the spring. For thirty years I've had to take pills and use inhalers during the spring. I now do Bikram Yoga 5 times a week and am in better shape than I've ever been in my life.

suhlmann@uhlmann.com