June 24, 2014

Big news: Hot tub soaks can help manage lingering symptoms from Lyme disease.

Lyme disease, caused by a deer tick bite, can come with symptoms that resemble other illnesses including rheumatoid arthritis.

Although most cases, when caught early, respond to antibiotics within a month, 10 to 20 percent of patients continue to suffer fatigue, pain, or aches in their joints or muscles for six months or more. The official name for this is Post-Treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome (PTLDS), although it’s also called “chronic Lyme disease.”

The Centers for Disease Control says PTLDS may result from damage to the immune system and to body tissue during the acute stage of Lyme disease. Studies show that continued antibiotic treatment can do more harm than good, so experts recommend managing the symptoms with diet, exercise, and rest. That’s where a  hot tub like a Hot Spring Spa can help.

Hot tub exercise is especially effective for people with these symptoms because the water’s warmth eases muscles while its buoyancy relieves pressure on joints. The water’s resistance also makes the exercise more efficient. And, of course, a good spa soak is restful and helps improve the quality of your sleep which is an important part of recovery.

Although it may take months, people with PTLDS eventually get back to their normal energy levels and lifestyles. The hot tub can help in the meantime – and go on making you feel better when you’re fully well! There are many anecdotal reports on online Lyme disease chat rooms that attest to the power of hot water and jets to cope with PTLDS.

As always, check with your doctor to make sure the symptoms aren’t coming from some other source and if hot tubbing for PTLDS is for you.

If you’ve suffered from chronic Lyme disease and used a hot tub regularly to relieve your symptoms and start on the road to recovery, please share your story.

As the Romans said it, Sanum per Aqua. Health through water.

MORE:

6 Ways a Hot Tub Makes Living With rheumatoid Arthritis Easier

Got Aches and Pains? A Hot Tub Can Help 

Hot Tub Exercise. Here’s a How-to Guide