Lyme disease is a common disease spread by ticks. Such diseases are referred to as vector-borne illnesses, of which Lyme disease is the most prevalent. Humans contract Lyme disease once they are infected with the bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi following a black-legged tick, also known as a deer tick, bite.
While Lyme disease is rarely, if ever, fatal, it can lead to significant health problems if not treated. Specifically, Lyme disease eventually spreads to the joints, the heart, and the nervous system. As a result, it can cause considerable permanent damage if left untreated.
Fortunately, Lyme disease is relatively easy to handle. Most cases can be resolved in a few weeks of antibiotic treatment. Also, it can be pretty easy to avoid contracting Lyme disease if you take the proper precautions regarding ticks.
Using bug/tick repellent, frequently checking for ticks after spending time in woods or tall grasses, and removing them quickly can all help you avoid contracting Lyme disease and other vector-borne illnesses spread by ticks.
Nearly 500,000 people are infected with Lyme disease annually in the United States. Ticks are most populous in the warmer months of spring and summer, and these times of year see the highest incident rates of Lyme disease.
The illness derives its name from Lyme, Connecticut, where it was first documented in the 1970s.1
Unfortunately, there are no vaccines available for Lyme disease, although efforts to develop one are underway.
What Causes Lyme Disease?
Lyme disease infection follows the transmission of the Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria. This transmission, however, occurs via black-legged tick bites.
The primary risk factors for contracting Lyme disease are exposure to black-legged ticks and the environments they populate most. Blacklegged ticks can be found throughout the eastern United States and the West, mainly California and the Pacific Northwest Coast. That is moist, dark areas with lots of tall grasses. So, spending time in dense woodlands increases your risk of exposure to ticks and, by extension, contracting Lyme disease.
Lyme Disease Signs & Symptoms
If you are experiencing Lyme disease, you may experience one or more of the following symptoms:
- Fever & chills,
- Headache,
- Severe fatigue,
- Aching muscles & joints,
- A characteristic bullseye rash, known as an Erythema migrans rash on the tick bite site.
If left untreated, however, Lyme disease symptoms may worsen significantly. In these cases, you may experience one or more of the following:
- Extreme headaches,
- Stiffness in neck and muscles,
- Several other bullseye rashes throughout the body,
- Bell's palsy (the drooping of one side of the face),
- Extreme pain and swelling of the joints and muscles,
- Palpitations of the heart,
- Difficulty breathing,
- Brain and spine inflammation,
- Nerve pain,
- Painful, numb, or tingling hands and feet.
How Cannabis Can Help Alleviate Lyme Disease
Some of Lyme disease's most significant and unpleasant symptoms are the pain and inflammation experienced in your muscles and joints.
The cannabinoids in cannabis interact with your body's endocannabinoid system and attach to cannabinoid receptors when consumed. The endocannabinoid system is involved in several bodily functions, including pain regulation and inflammation. So, when the cannabinoids in cannabis attach themselves to your endocannabinoid receptors, they can help spur the modulation and reduction of pain and inflammation.2
Medical cannabis cannot cure Lyme disease, nor should medical cannabis treatments ever be used as a substitute for antibiotics. Traditional antibiotics will take several weeks to clear your system of the Borrelia burgdorferi causing the condition.
In addition, there is currently no research that explicitly links the use of medicinal cannabis and the alleviation of Lyme disease symptoms. If you want to try using medicinal cannabis as a way to alleviate your Lyme disease symptoms while undergoing antibiotic treatments, consider the following.
One of the most debilitating aspects of Lyme disease is muscle, joint, and nerve pain. As such, it may be beneficial to use medical cannabis products rich in CBD. This cannabinoid, in particular, has shown the most promise regarding pain relief.3
Considering the pain experienced during Lyme disease is typically felt in specific areas, CBD balms and topicals may be your best bet, as you can apply them directly to the muscles or joints that are hurting.
CBD oil is another excellent choice and is particularly effective at alleviating the pain of the headaches or migraines that may come alongside a Lyme disease infection.
Legality and Doctor’s Recommendation
To determine if your state considers Lyme Disease to be a qualifying condition for medical cannabis, check out our Laws & Regulations section for the medical cannabis rules for your state.
If you find that your state recognizes Lyme Disease or its symptoms as a qualifying medical condition, you can seek a doctor’s recommendation to get your medical cannabis card in your state.
How NuggMD Can Help
NuggMD is the nation's leading medical cannabis technology platform, serving patients in 28 states and growing. We’ve connected over 1,300,000 patients with their new medical cannabis doctors face-to-face via our state-of-the-art telemedicine platform.
We believe that every human being has the right to explore the benefits of medical cannabis and are fully committed to helping each patient explore all their options in their journey to wellness. For further information on whether you qualify for medical cannabis, select your state.
Frequently Asked Questions About Cannabis & Lyme Disease
Can I smoke with Lyme disease?
Some patients may experience shortness of breath and dizziness during their infection, which may worsen with smoking. Therefore, if you want to try using medical cannabis to alleviate your Lyme disease symptoms, edibles, oils, topicals, or other non-smoking forms of cannabis may be a better alternative.
Can Lyme disease clear up on its own using cannabis?
No, Lyme disease requires a strict regimen of antibiotic treatments. If left untreated, symptoms will worsen, leading to permanent muscle, joint, and nerve damage and other serious health issues, such as an inflamed brain.
You should never use medicinal cannabis as a substitute for the antibiotic treatments necessary to clear the disease. Cannabis can potentially alleviate your symptoms, but it will not cure Lyme disease.
What are the best strains people use for Lyme disease?
When you have Lyme disease, you may be primarily concerned with alleviating the joint, muscle, and nerve pain experienced during your illness.
While there are no specific reports of strains that can help alleviate Lyme Disease symptoms, the following are generally regarded as helpful:
Do edibles help with Lyme disease?
Maybe. Edibles are probably preferable to other forms of medical cannabis products. First and foremost, medical professionals would likely recommend against smoking during your treatment, as it could worsen some respiratory or heart-related symptoms that typically accompany a Lyme disease infection.
Resources
- Elbaum-Garfinkle S. Close to home: a history of Yale and Lyme disease. Yale J Biol Med. 2011;84(2):103-108.
- Hill KP, Palastro MD, Johnson B, Ditre JW. Cannabis and Pain: A Clinical Review. Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research. 2017;2(1):96-104. doi:https://doi.org/10.1089/can.2017.0017
- Argueta DA, Ventura CM, Kiven S, Sagi V, Gupta K. A Balanced Approach for Cannabidiol Use in Chronic Pain. Front Pharmacol. 2020;11:561. Published 2020 Apr 30. doi:10.3389/fphar.2020.00561
The information in this article and any included images or charts are for educational purposes only. This information is neither a substitute for, nor does it replace, professional legal advice or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have any concerns or questions about laws, regulations, or your health, you should always consult with an attorney, physician or other licensed professional.
