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Table of Contents

Diagnosis

Cause

Treatment

Coping

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In the past, Morgellons was erroneously thought to be apsychosomaticproblem, and patients were dismissed as not having an actual physical ailment. That is no longer the case, as further research has been conducted in recent years showing the disease to be real. One study notes that “MD is a true somatic illness associated with tickborne infection.”

Diagnosis of Morgellons Disease

Morgellons is diagnosed based on the following symptoms. Patients can present with one or all of these issues to be diagnosed with MD:

It’s important to note that patients with Morgellons disease may experience other symptoms of Lyme disease in addition to Morgellons symptoms. These include, but are not limited to, fever, headaches, joint pain, rashes, jaw pain and tightness, and brain fog.

Cause of Morgellons Disease

However, it’s also common not to know that you were bit. Deer ticks, the type that carry Lyme, can be incredibly small and scarcely the size of a pinprick. If you do not know that you were bit, and you do not receive treatment in a timely manner, you can develop a more serious and longer lasting version of Lyme known as post-treatment Lyme disease (PTLD) or chronic Lyme disease (CLD) that can be much more difficult to treat.

Treatment for Morgellons Disease

Antibiotics

There is a lot of controversy over how long antibiotics should be prescribed and how long Lyme symptoms may persist despite antibiotic treatment. So many people have issues treating and healing Lyme disease with conventional antibiotic methods that entire organizations, such as theLyme Disease Association, exist to help with patient advocacy and treatment access. An entire page of that website is dedicated to the varying controversies over Lyme Disease treatment.

Holistic, Eastern, and Alternative Treatments

Some patients who do not experience full relief of their symptoms of Lyme disease, which can include Morgellons disease, opt instead to try holistic, Eastern medicine, or alternative treatments to heal Lyme disease. There is significant controversy around many of these treatments.

That said, studies are emerging that show natural treatments for Lyme disease may be effective including plant remedies.Chinese medicine and acupuncture have also been shown to help potentially.Studies are underway for other alternative modalities, such as radio frequency and infrared therapies.

Supplemental Behavioral Therapy

Psychotherapycannot heal a disease, but it can help a person who is going through one. This is particularly true for someone who has experienced an illness where they may not have been believed about their symptoms. For decades, MD was dismissed as a psychosomatic condition and patients were treated as if their problems were purely in their minds.

In these situations, adding a form of psychotherapy to your treatment plan may help in healing. Even if providers believed that you were presenting with symptoms, therapy might still be wise. An illness is a difficult journey that can easily take a toll on your ongoing mental health and well-being.

Coping With Morgellons Disease

Because there is no specific treatment for Morgellons disease, and because it is only in recent years that providers have believed patients about their symptoms, living with this illness may be difficult. Here are steps you can take to cope with MD.

See a Lyme-Literate Medical Doctor

Lyme spirochetes are not visible under all forms of light, and false negatives are very common. A Lyme-literate doctor can get you the correct testing for an accurate diagnosis.

Find Community

Online communities for those with Morgellons disease, like that ofStuff That Works, can bring patients together to discuss treatment and coping mechanisms for MD. Engaging with others who also have MD may help you feel less alone, help you find treatment modalities, and can help normalize your illness as a part of your life, not something that defines you.

A Word From Verywell

Gender disparities exist in health care, and in recent years the medical community has begun to speak up about it, acknowledging that women often receive substandard care and are less scientifically studied than men.

If you are a woman, you may have to advocate harder and more persistently for your health and wellness than a man would for Morgellons disease, among other ailments and conditions.

10 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Middelveen MJ, Fesler MC, Stricker RB.History of Morgellons disease: from delusion to definition.Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol. 2018;11:71-90.  doi:10.2147/CCID.S152343Middelveen MJ, Bandoski C, Burke J, et al.Exploring the association between Morgellons disease and Lyme disease: identification of Borrelia burgdorferi in Morgellons disease patients.BMC Dermatol. 2015;15:1. doi:10.1186/s12895-015-0023-0Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Lyme disease home.Savely G, Leitao MM.Skin lesions and crawling sensations: disease or delusion?Adv Nurse Pract.2005;13(5):16–17.LymeDisease.org.Chronic Lime Disease can make patients profoundly debilitated.Lyme Disease Association.Controversy Archives - Lyme Disease Association.Feng J, Leone J, Schweig S, Zhang Y.Evaluation of natural and botanical medicines for activity against growing and non-growing forms of b. Burgdorferi.Front Med. 2020;7.Pacific College.Lyme treatment success with chinese medicine.Phifer K.Pulsed electromagnetic field therapy with square wave forms and artificial intelligence within the software interface for individualised, bespoke bio-electromagnetic therapy to treat symptoms of chronic lyme disease remaining after antibiotics treatment. clinicaltrials.gov; 2022.LymeDisease.org.Find a Lyme disease specialist.

10 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Middelveen MJ, Fesler MC, Stricker RB.History of Morgellons disease: from delusion to definition.Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol. 2018;11:71-90.  doi:10.2147/CCID.S152343Middelveen MJ, Bandoski C, Burke J, et al.Exploring the association between Morgellons disease and Lyme disease: identification of Borrelia burgdorferi in Morgellons disease patients.BMC Dermatol. 2015;15:1. doi:10.1186/s12895-015-0023-0Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Lyme disease home.Savely G, Leitao MM.Skin lesions and crawling sensations: disease or delusion?Adv Nurse Pract.2005;13(5):16–17.LymeDisease.org.Chronic Lime Disease can make patients profoundly debilitated.Lyme Disease Association.Controversy Archives - Lyme Disease Association.Feng J, Leone J, Schweig S, Zhang Y.Evaluation of natural and botanical medicines for activity against growing and non-growing forms of b. Burgdorferi.Front Med. 2020;7.Pacific College.Lyme treatment success with chinese medicine.Phifer K.Pulsed electromagnetic field therapy with square wave forms and artificial intelligence within the software interface for individualised, bespoke bio-electromagnetic therapy to treat symptoms of chronic lyme disease remaining after antibiotics treatment. clinicaltrials.gov; 2022.LymeDisease.org.Find a Lyme disease specialist.

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Middelveen MJ, Fesler MC, Stricker RB.History of Morgellons disease: from delusion to definition.Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol. 2018;11:71-90.  doi:10.2147/CCID.S152343Middelveen MJ, Bandoski C, Burke J, et al.Exploring the association between Morgellons disease and Lyme disease: identification of Borrelia burgdorferi in Morgellons disease patients.BMC Dermatol. 2015;15:1. doi:10.1186/s12895-015-0023-0Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Lyme disease home.Savely G, Leitao MM.Skin lesions and crawling sensations: disease or delusion?Adv Nurse Pract.2005;13(5):16–17.LymeDisease.org.Chronic Lime Disease can make patients profoundly debilitated.Lyme Disease Association.Controversy Archives - Lyme Disease Association.Feng J, Leone J, Schweig S, Zhang Y.Evaluation of natural and botanical medicines for activity against growing and non-growing forms of b. Burgdorferi.Front Med. 2020;7.Pacific College.Lyme treatment success with chinese medicine.Phifer K.Pulsed electromagnetic field therapy with square wave forms and artificial intelligence within the software interface for individualised, bespoke bio-electromagnetic therapy to treat symptoms of chronic lyme disease remaining after antibiotics treatment. clinicaltrials.gov; 2022.LymeDisease.org.Find a Lyme disease specialist.

Middelveen MJ, Fesler MC, Stricker RB.History of Morgellons disease: from delusion to definition.Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol. 2018;11:71-90.  doi:10.2147/CCID.S152343

Middelveen MJ, Bandoski C, Burke J, et al.Exploring the association between Morgellons disease and Lyme disease: identification of Borrelia burgdorferi in Morgellons disease patients.BMC Dermatol. 2015;15:1. doi:10.1186/s12895-015-0023-0

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Lyme disease home.

Savely G, Leitao MM.Skin lesions and crawling sensations: disease or delusion?Adv Nurse Pract.2005;13(5):16–17.

LymeDisease.org.Chronic Lime Disease can make patients profoundly debilitated.

Lyme Disease Association.Controversy Archives - Lyme Disease Association.

Feng J, Leone J, Schweig S, Zhang Y.Evaluation of natural and botanical medicines for activity against growing and non-growing forms of b. Burgdorferi.Front Med. 2020;7.

Pacific College.Lyme treatment success with chinese medicine.

Phifer K.Pulsed electromagnetic field therapy with square wave forms and artificial intelligence within the software interface for individualised, bespoke bio-electromagnetic therapy to treat symptoms of chronic lyme disease remaining after antibiotics treatment. clinicaltrials.gov; 2022.

LymeDisease.org.Find a Lyme disease specialist.

Naveed Saleh, MD, MS

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