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Last Updated: Oct 23, 2019
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Home Remedies For Ehrtichiosis

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Dr. A.A KhanGeneral Physician • 25 Years Exp.MBBS, Diploma in Cardiology
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Some of the home remedies for ehrlichiosis include the use of ginger, licorice, and other anti-bacterial products and foods. However, studies consistently argue that medical attention is by far the best solution for curing ehrlichiosis, so be sure to contact a medical professional if you think you are suffering from ehrlichiosis. From there, the home remedies can be used in conjunction with formal treatment, if advised.

Ehrlichiosis is a bacterial infection that is transmitted by the bite of a tick. This condition primarily affects dogs, because they are frequently in wooded areas and brush against reeds and plants where ticks commonly live. However, it can also be transmitted to humans. The intracellular bacteria that infects the body attack white blood cells, which significantly weakens the immune system. If you find a tick on your body, it is best to carefully remove it with tweezers, trying not to squash it, since the bacteria in its body can get onto your skin. Also, make sure that the mouth parts are removed from your skin as well.

Symptoms of ehrlichiosis

The symptoms of ehrlichiosis include fatigue, nausea, muscle aches, high fever, and severe joint and muscle pain. This is common for autoimmune diseases that destroy your white blood cells, because your body tries to show you that it is ill in as many ways as possible at the same time. The immune disruption is the direct cause behind the majority of the symptoms.

The symptoms usually appear 1-2 weeks after the initial bite occurs, which is why it can be difficult to identify, because the tick might have dropped off or died by the time you start seeing symptoms. A rash can sometimes appear faster than other symptoms, but every case seems to be different.

If you are diagnosed with ehrlichiosis, then the best course of action is to consult a medical professional and begin treatment with doxycycline and minocycline, which are used in the vast majority of cases. For people allergic to that class of drugs, there are other pharmaceutical options that can quickly clear up the symptoms. Certain cases are chronic, and this presents a long-term problem for those sufferers, since their immune system being compromised can be ideal for opportunistic infections, like candidiasis. Herbal and natural remedies should be used in conjunction with allopathic remedies, not in place of them.

Home remedies of ehrlichiosis

Ginger and licorice: These two foods have been peripherally connected with ehrlichiosis because they can help to boost the immune system and increase the count of white blood cells in your body. While this is not a cure for the bacterial infection, it can certainly make the symptoms less serious. When taken in conjunction with doxycycline, this can speed up the healing process and get you back on your feet quicker. Licorice and ginger tea is probably the easiest method of adding these to your diet, but there are other dietary applications of those foods, as well.

Tick awareness: Since doxycycline is the primary remedy for this condition, there isn’t much more to say about treatment. However, prevention is also very important. If a tick is found and removed within 36 hours, then there is a drastically diminished chance of contracting ehrlichiosis. After leaving a “tick area”, be sure to thoroughly check your clothes and skin. Also, do a second check at the end of the day, in case the ticks were transferred in your hair or some other object you had with you. If you find a tick, gently squeeze the mouth parts of the tick with tweezers and gently pull it off you skin, being careful not to jerk or tear the mouth parts out. From there, you can either kill the tick in an alcohol solution or save it for a doctor in case you begin to develop symptoms from the bite.

A final word of warning: While this condition is usually not life-threatening, if left untreated, the infection can become quite serious and can then develop into a chronic case of ehrlichiosis, which can be very difficult to eliminate. Therefore, be aware and vigilant of your personal space and how your body feels, particularly after spending time in wooded or “tick-friendly” areas. Many people try to avoid allopathic remedies in lieu of an herbal remedy, but when it comes to a specific bacterial infection like this, taking doxycycline is the fastest, easiest, and safest solution.

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