For people with Bartonella and Lyme disease that struggle with burning pains in their hands and feet
by Greg Lee

Do you know what music teachers say about learning to play an instrument? “Practice, practice, practice.” My daughter is learning to play the clarinet. She is doing well follow along with the notes on the music sheet. Sometimes she enjoys making hilarious squeaks and some really loud honking sounds just for fun.

How is a squeaky, loud clarinet similar to the burning pains of a Bartonella / Lyme infection?

Similar to squeaky clarinet sounds, people with Bartonella and Lyme can have “loud” burning pains in their extremities
Patients diagnosed with Bartonella and Lyme disease often report a wide variety of painful symptoms including: joint pain^[1], muscle pain^[2], lymph node pain, abdominal discomfort^[3], and uncomfortable symptoms of polyneuropathy/nerve damage: weakness, tingling, prickling, awkward gait, and numbness^[4]. One of the most urgent and often debilitating symptoms that people report is burning pain in the hands, feet and extremities^[5]. Burning symptoms are often worse in the morning and may improve over time or with movement. One theory is that nerve damage is an underlying cause of these burning symptoms^[6]. Looking at other illnesses with similar burning pain sensations may provide new insights into relieving these hot, painful symptoms.

In addition to Bartonella, people with a condition called erythromelalgia report similar symptoms of burning pain in their hands and feet
“Erythromelalgia is a rare condition that primarily affects the feet and, less commonly, the hands (extremities). It is characterized by intense, burning pain of affected extremities, severe redness (erythema), and increased skin temperature that may be episodic or almost continuous in nature.^[7]” People with erythromelalgia reported their pain attacks being triggered by heat or exercise and relieved mainly by cooling methods^[8]. A large proportion of these pain attacks often do not involve a specific trigger. An important discovery connects a specific genetic mutation with enhanced pain sensitivity in people with erythromelalgia.

The intensity of burning symptoms in erythromelalgia patients is correlated with a mutation in a gene called SCN9A
The SCN9A gene affects the functioning of sodium channel called NaV1.7^[9]. This channel is a pathway for transmission of pain signals. Genetic mutations affecting NaV1.7 may blunt the ability to sense pain^[10] or dramatically increase pain sensitivity^[11]. Researchers are looking at tarantulas for a possible remedy for relieving the the burning pain sensations.

Green velvet tarantula venom contains a peptide that may help to reduce burning pains by affecting the NaV1.7 channel^[12]
In mouse experiments, this peptide was effective a reducing the pain sensations by blocking the NaV1.7 channel. Finding and testing at tarantula-based NaV1.7 medication will likely take years to develop.

What else may help with reducing burning hand and feet pain in people with Lyme disease and Bartonella?

A compound found in essential oils also blocks the pain signals in the NaV1.7 channel
There is a compound called methyl eugenol that was effective in inhibiting nerve signals in NaV1.7 channels in a lab experiment^[13]. In animal studies, this compound has demonstrated anesthetic and the ability to block pain signals^[14]. This compound is approved by the FDA for use as a flavoring agent that can be directly and safely added to food^[15]. Caution: rodent studies on methyl eugenol have produce cancer tumors in their livers^[16]. Processing these oils into a microparticle called a liposome may increase their ability to penetrate into nerve cells to enhance pain relief^[17]. All of these essential oils are classified as GRAS (generally recognized as safe) by the US FDA (Food and Drug Administration).

Burning Pain Relief Essential Oil #1: Sweet Basil
In lab studies, methyl eugenol content in basil essential oil varied from 1.5% – 78% depending upon the country of origin^[18]. Turkish sweet basil had the highest content of methyl eugenol. This essential oil is classified by the FDA as GRAS^[19]. In animal studies, this essential oil demonstrated analgesic effects on chronic non-inflammatory pain such as fibromyalgia^[20] and the ability to block pain signals^[21]. This herb has been used traditionally to treat nerve pain, convulsions and a variety of neurodegenerative disorders^[22]. In addition to basil, bay laurel essential oil has pain relieving properties.

Burning Pain Relief Essential Oil #2: Bay Laurel
This essential oil has been found to contain up to 9% methyl eugenol^[23]. In animal studies, this oil has demonstrated pain relieving effects^[24]. In other studies, bay laurel essential oil inhibits Staphylococcus aureus and it’s biofilms^[25] and Candida species and it’s biofilms^[26]. Bay Laurel essential oil has FDA GRAS status^[27]. In addition to bay laurel, rose essential oil also has pain relieving properties.

Burning Pain Relief Essential Oil #3: Rose
Rose essential oil may contain up to 3.5% methyl eugenol^[28]. In human studies, rose essential oil provided pain relief in patients with dysmenorrhea^[29] and renal colic^[30]. In a lab study, rose oil demonstrated antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and, Staphylococcus aureus^[31]. Rose essential oil has FDA GRAS status^[32]. Clary sage essential oil also contains methyl eugenol.

Burning Pain Relief Essential Oil #4: Clary Sage
Clary sage essential oil may contain up to 2% methyl eugenol. This oil was effective at reduce labor pains in a human study^[33]. A combination of clary sage with other essential oils helped to reduce menstrual cramps^[34]. In lab studies, clary sage essential oil was effective against Staphylococcus clinical strains resistant to antibiotics^[35] and in combination with juniper essential oil demonstrated anti-yeast properties^[36]. Clary sage is classified as FDA GRAS^[37]. Lemon balm essential oil also contains methyl eugenol.

Burning Pain Relief Essential Oil #5: Lemon Balm
Lemon balm essential oil may contain up to 1% methyl eugenol^[38]. In animal studies, this essential oil was effective at reducing neuropathy pain^[39] and inflammation^[40]. Lemon balm oil is also effective against Candida albicans^[41], herpes simplex virus type 1 and type 2^[42], cutaneous leishmaniosis^[43], Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Salmonella enterica, and Listeria monocytogenes^[44] in lab studies. Lemon balm essential oil is classified at FDA GRAS^[45]. Multiple essential oils may help with reducing how patients feel burning pain by disrupting signals transmitted along the NaV1.7 pathway.

These five essential oils may help to reduce burning pain caused by Bartonella and Lyme disease
People with Lyme disease and Bartonella and Lyme disease that report burning pains in their hands, feet, and extremities may be helped by research into a similar painful illness called erythromelalgia. Just like getting a child to play their instrument at a harmonious level, these essential oils contain a compound called methyl eugenol that may help to reduce the intensity of burning pains by blocking the pain signals along the NaV1.7 pathway. Some of these remedies may also help with reducing inflammation and other types of pain. Processing these essential oils into microparticle liposome remedies may enhance their ability to penetrate inside of nerve cells and improve pain relief. Since formulating essential oils into liposomal remedies requires special knowledge and equipment, work with a Lyme / liposomal literate natural remedy practitioner to develop a customized, safe, and effective treatment plan for your condition.

– Greg

Next step: Come to the Getting Rid of Lyme Disease evening lecture on Monday May 1st at 6pm in Frederick, Maryland to learn more about essential oils, herbs, and treatments for healing Bartonella and Lyme disease burning pain, co-infections, and inflammation symptoms.

https://goodbyelyme.com/events/get_rid_lyme

Also learn about effective remedies and treatments for relieving persistent symptoms of Lyme and co-infections including: cold laser, Frequency Specific Microcurrent, cupping, LED therapy, moxabustion, acupuncture, liposomal herbs, essential oils, bee venom, and more!

P.S. Do you have experiences where remedies or treatments helped you to reduce burning pains from Bartonella and Lyme disease? Tell us about it.

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^[2] Garakani, Amir, and Andrew G. Mitton. “New-Onset Panic, Depression with Suicidal Thoughts, and Somatic Symptoms in a Patient with a History of Lyme Disease.” Case Reports in Psychiatry 2015 (2015): 457947. doi:10.1155/2015/457947.  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25922779

^[3] Mazur-Melewska, Katarzyna, Anna Mania, Paweł Kemnitz, Magdalena Figlerowicz, and Wojciech Służewski. “Cat-Scratch Disease: A Wide Spectrum of Clinical Pictures.” Advances in Dermatology and Allergology/Postȩpy Dermatologii I Alergologii 32, no. 3 (June 2015): 216–20. doi:10.5114/pdia.2014.44014.  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4495109/

^[4] “Polyneuropathy.” Wikipedia, April 10, 2017. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Polyneuropathy&oldid=774727139.

^[5] Horowitz, Richard. Why Can’t I Get Better? Solving the Mystery of Lyme and Chronic Disease. Macmillan, 2013.  P. 75.

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^[12] Flinspach, M., Q. Xu, A. D. Piekarz, R. Fellows, R. Hagan, A. Gibbs, Y. Liu, et al. “Insensitivity to Pain Induced by a Potent Selective Closed-State Nav1.7 Inhibitor.” Scientific Reports 7 (January 3, 2017): 39662. doi:10.1038/srep39662.

^[13] Wang, Ze-Jun, Boris Tabakoff, Simon R Levinson, and Thomas Heinbockel. “Inhibition of Nav1.7 Channels by Methyl Eugenol as a Mechanism Underlying Its Antinociceptive and Anesthetic Actions.” Acta Pharmacologica Sinica 36, no. 7 (July 2015): 791–99. doi:10.1038/aps.2015.26.  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26051112

^[14] Dallmeier, K., and E. A. Carlini. “Anesthetic, Hypothermic, Myorelaxant and Anticonvulsant Effects of Synthetic Eugenol Derivatives and Natural Analogues.” Pharmacology 22, no. 2 (1981): 113–27.  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7208593

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^[17] Tadicherla, Sujatha, and Brian Berman. “Percutaneous Dermal Drug Delivery for Local Pain Control.” Therapeutics and Clinical Risk Management 2, no. 1 (March 2006): 99–113.

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^[21] Venâncio, Antônio Medeiros, Alexandre Sherlley Onofre, Amintas Figueiredo Lira, Péricles Barreto Alves, Arie Fitzgerald Blank, Angelo Roberto Antoniolli, Murilo Marchioro, Charles dos Santos Estevam, and Brancilene Santos de Araujo. “Chemical Composition, Acute Toxicity, and Antinociceptive Activity of the Essential Oil of a Plant Breeding Cultivar of Basil (Ocimum Basilicum L.).” Planta Medica 77, no. 8 (May 2011): 825–29. doi:10.1055/s-0030-1250607.

^[22] Singh, Varinder, Aditi Kahol, Inder Pal Singh, Isha Saraf, and Richa Shri. “Evaluation of Anti-Amnesic Effect of Extracts of Selected Ocimum Species Using in-Vitro and in-Vivo Models.” Journal of Ethnopharmacology 193 (December 4, 2016): 490–99. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2016.10.026.

^[23] “Essential Oils | Oxford Biosciences.” Accessed April 30, 2017. https://oxfordbiosciences.com/essential-oils/.

^[24] Sayyah, M., G. Saroukhani, A. Peirovi, and M. Kamalinejad. “Analgesic and Anti-Inflammatory Activity of the Leaf Essential Oil of Laurus Nobilis Linn.” Phytotherapy Research: PTR 17, no. 7 (August 2003): 733–36. doi:10.1002/ptr.1197.

^[25] Merghni, A., H. Marzouki, H. Hentati, M. Aouni, and M. Mastouri. “Antibacterial and Antibiofilm Activities of Laurus Nobilis L. Essential Oil against Staphylococcus Aureus Strains Associated with Oral Infections.” Pathologie-Biologie, December 4, 2015. doi:10.1016/j.patbio.2015.10.003.

^[26] Peixoto, Larissa Rangel, Pedro Luiz Rosalen, Gabriela Lacet Silva Ferreira, Irlan Almeida Freires, Fabíola Galbiatti de Carvalho, Lúcio Roberto Castellano, and Ricardo Dias de Castro. “Antifungal Activity, Mode of Action and Anti-Biofilm Effects of Laurus Nobilis Linnaeus Essential Oil against Candida Spp.” Archives of Oral Biology 73 (January 2017): 179–85. doi:10.1016/j.archoralbio.2016.10.013.

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^[29] Uysal, Murat, Hatice Yılmaz Doğru, Emrah Sapmaz, Ufuk Tas, Bülent Çakmak, Asker Zeki Ozsoy, Fatih Sahin, Safiye Ayan, and Mehmet Esen. “Investigating the Effect of Rose Essential Oil in Patients with Primary Dysmenorrhea.” Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice 24 (August 2016): 45–49. doi:10.1016/j.ctcp.2016.05.002.

^[30] Ayan, Murat, Ufuk Tas, Erkan Sogut, Mustafa Suren, Levent Gurbuzler, and Feridun Koyuncu. “Investigating the Effect of Aromatherapy in Patients with Renal Colic.” Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine (New York, N.Y.) 19, no. 4 (April 2013): 329–33. doi:10.1089/acm.2011.0941.

^[31] Ulusoy, Seyhan, Gülgün Boşgelmez-Tinaz, and Hale Seçilmiş-Canbay. “Tocopherol, Carotene, Phenolic Contents and Antibacterial Properties of Rose Essential Oil, Hydrosol and Absolute.” Current Microbiology 59, no. 5 (November 2009): 554–58. doi:10.1007/s00284-009-9475-y.

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^[34] Ou, Ming-Chiu, Tsung-Fu Hsu, Andrew C. Lai, Yu-Ting Lin, and Chia-Ching Lin. “Pain Relief Assessment by Aromatic Essential Oil Massage on Outpatients with Primary Dysmenorrhea: A Randomized, Double-Blind Clinical Trial.” The Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Research 38, no. 5 (May 2012): 817–22. doi:10.1111/j.1447-0756.2011.01802.x.

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