Lyme Disease Care Near Troy, MI

Comprehensive Care for a Complex, Often Misdiagnosed Condition

Lyme disease is a stealth infection that can affect multiple systems in the body, leading to chronic pain, fatigue, neurological symptoms, and immune dysfunction. Unfortunately, it is also one of the most frequently misdiagnosed conditions, often mistaken for autoimmune diseases, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, or even psychiatric disorders​. Many patients go years without an accurate diagnosis, leaving them frustrated and searching for answers.

Early detection and proper treatment are critical to preventing long-term complications. However, Lyme disease often goes undiagnosed due to unreliable standard testing and its ability to evade the immune system​. When left untreated, Lyme can progress into a chronic, multi-system illness, impacting daily life and overall well-being. This is why a comprehensive, root-cause approach to Lyme disease care is essential for long-term recovery.

Expert Lyme Disease Treatment with Dr. Teresa Birkmeier-Fredal

Dr. Teresa Birkmeier-Fredal is a leading Lyme disease specialist serving patients in Troy, MI, and surrounding areas. At Restorative Medicine Center, she takes a functional and integrative approach to Lyme disease treatment, focusing on immune system restoration, advanced diagnostic testing, and comprehensive healing protocols.

Unlike conventional medicine, which often relies solely on antibiotics, Dr. Birkmeier-Fredal's approach includes:
✔ Comprehensive Testing – Utilizing advanced Lyme disease diagnostics to detect hidden infections and immune dysfunction.
✔ Personalized Treatment Plans – Addressing Lyme, co-infections, and toxin-related immune imbalances.
✔ Whole-Body Healing – Restoring immune function, nervous system balance, and detoxification pathways for lasting recovery​.

What Is Lyme Disease?

Lyme disease is an infectious illness caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi, which is transmitted primarily through the bite of an infected black-legged tick (deer tick). These ticks are commonly found in wooded, grassy, and suburban areas, making exposure possible for residents in Troy, MI, and surrounding regions.

One of the biggest misconceptions about Lyme disease is that it always causes a bull’s-eye rash, but in reality, many people never see a rash or even recall a tick bite. Ticks can be as small as a poppy seed, and their bites are often painless, making them easy to miss. If Lyme disease is not recognized and treated early, it can lead to chronic, multi-system illness​.

Acute vs. Chronic Lyme Disease Symptoms

Lyme disease can present in two primary stages—acute and chronic.

🔹 Acute Lyme Disease Symptoms (Early Stage)

Symptoms of early-stage Lyme disease typically appear days to weeks after a tick bite and may include:

• Flu-like symptoms – Fever, chills, fatigue, headaches, body aches.
• Bull’s-eye rash (erythema migrans) – This only appears in about 30% of cases.
• Joint stiffness and swelling, often in the knees.
• Nerve pain or tingling, especially in the arms and legs.

🔹 Chronic Lyme Disease Symptoms (Late-Stage or Persistent Lyme)

If Lyme bacteria evade treatment, they can hide within tissues, leading to persistent, recurring, and multi-system symptoms such as:

• Severe fatigue and brain fog – Often misdiagnosed as chronic fatigue syndrome.
• Joint and muscle pain – Commonly mistaken for fibromyalgia or rheumatoid arthritis.
• Neurological issues – Numbness, tingling, dizziness, migraines, and facial paralysis (Bell’s palsy).
• Cardiac symptoms – Irregular heartbeat (Lyme carditis), chest pain, and palpitations.
• Mood disorders – Anxiety, depression, irritability, and cognitive difficulties​.

Why Is Lyme Disease So Hard to Diagnose?

One of the biggest challenges in Lyme disease care is accurate diagnosis. Many cases go undiagnosed or misdiagnosed for years due to:

✅ Unreliable Standard Testing

• The ELISA and Western Blot tests frequently produce false negatives, particularly in early or chronic Lyme disease​.
• These tests only detect antibodies, but Lyme bacteria can suppress the immune system, meaning some patients don’t produce enough antibodies to test positive​.

✅ Stealth Pathogen Behavior

• Borrelia burgdorferi is a stealth pathogen, meaning it can hide inside tissues, suppress immune function, and shift into dormant forms, making it harder to detect.
• The bacteria often come with co-infections (such as Bartonella, Babesia, and Mycoplasma) that worsen symptoms and complicate diagnosis​.

✅ Symptoms That Mimic Other Conditions
Lyme disease symptoms overlap with many other chronic conditions, leading to frequent misdiagnosis, including:

• Fibromyalgia
• Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
• Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS)
• Autoimmune diseases (Lupus, Rheumatoid Arthritis)
• Anxiety, Depression, and Neurological Disorders

Our Approach to Lyme Disease Treatment

At Restorative Medicine Center, we go beyond conventional treatments to identify and address the root causes of Lyme disease and chronic infections. Lyme disease is a stealth pathogen that disrupts the immune system, burdens the body with toxins, and triggers chronic inflammation. A single round of antibiotics is often not enough—healing requires a comprehensive, multi-faceted approach.

Our treatment model is based on the Root Cause Triad, which helps patients achieve long-term recovery by addressing the underlying factors contributing to chronic illness.

The Root Cause Triad: A Deeper Approach to Healing

✅ Microbes (Infections & Co-Infections)
Lyme disease is rarely an isolated infection. Many patients also suffer from co-infections, which complicate treatment and worsen symptoms, including:

• Bartonella – Causes neurological symptoms, anxiety, vascular inflammation, and immune suppression.
• Babesia – A malaria-like parasite that leads to severe fatigue, night sweats, and air hunger.
• Mycoplasma & Chlamydia pneumoniae – Persistent infections that trigger inflammation and mimic autoimmune diseases​.

Lyme and co-infections suppress the immune system, making them difficult to eradicate with conventional treatments alone.

✅ Toxins (Biotoxins & Environmental Burdens)

• Lyme bacteria (Borrelia burgdorferi) and co-infections release biotoxins, leading to:
  
  • Brain fog & cognitive dysfunction
  • Chronic inflammation & immune dysfunction
  • Detoxification impairments & chemical sensitivities
• Many patients also experience mold exposure, heavy metals, or chemical sensitivities, which worsen symptoms and slow recovery​.

✅ Stress Response (Nervous System Dysfunction)
Chronic infections and toxins overload the nervous system, placing the body in a constant fight-or-flight mode, which leads to:

• Adrenal exhaustion and hormonal imbalances
• Sleep disturbances, anxiety, and mood disorders
• Digestive issues and nutrient malabsorption

Advanced Testing Methods for Lyme Disease

Lyme disease is frequently misdiagnosed because standard tests fail to detect chronic infections. At Restorative Medicine Center, we use cutting-edge diagnostic tools to accurately identify Lyme disease and its co-infections, including:

✔ Expanded Lyme Disease Panels – Detects Borrelia and co-infections with greater sensitivity.
✔ Immune & Inflammatory Biomarkers – Identifies chronic inflammation, immune suppression, and nervous system dysfunction (VEGF, MMP-9, C4a, TGFB1)​.
✔ Co-Infection Testing – Screening for Bartonella, Babesia, Mycoplasma, and other stealth pathogens that complicate recovery.
✔ Biotoxin & Heavy Metal Testing – Evaluating mold exposure, chemical sensitivities, and heavy metal toxicity, which can slow healing​.

Comprehensive Lyme Disease Treatment Plans

✔ Herbal & Pharmaceutical Antimicrobials
We tailor treatment to each patient’s microbial burden, using:

• Herbal antimicrobials (Japanese Knotweed, Cryptolepis, Artemisinin) for targeted bacterial and parasitic support.
• Pharmaceutical antibiotics (if appropriate), used strategically to prevent resistance.
• Antiparasitic & antifungal protocols to address co-infections and hidden infections.

✔ Immune System Modulation
Lyme disease disrupts immune function, so we restore balance by:

• Immune-modulating therapies (Low-Dose Immunotherapy, Transfer Factors).
• Nutrient optimization (Vitamin D, zinc, glutathione, mitochondrial support).
• Reducing chronic inflammation to support immune recovery.

✔ Detoxification & Mold/Mycotoxin Evaluation
Since toxins contribute to chronic illness, we integrate:

• Far infrared sauna therapy for deep detox support.
• Liver detox protocols (glutathione, NAC, binders) to eliminate Lyme biotoxins.
• Mold and mycotoxin testing to remove hidden environmental triggers.

✔ Nervous System Regulation for Long-Term Healing
Lyme overactivates the nervous system, keeping the body in a chronic inflammatory state. Our strategies include:

• Vagus nerve stimulation & breathwork exercises to reset the nervous system.
• Red light & near-infrared therapy for pain relief and mitochondrial support.
• Adrenal support protocols to restore sleep, energy, and hormonal balance.

How to Get Started with Lyme Disease Treatment

If you’ve been dealing with chronic symptoms, an unresolved Lyme disease diagnosis, or ineffective treatments, now is the time to take charge of your health. Dr. Teresa Birkmeier-Fredal and the team at Restorative Medicine Center are here to provide comprehensive, root-cause-focused care to help you recover.

📅 Steps to Book an Appointment

✅ Step 1: Contact Our Office
📞 Call us at 248-289-6349 or visit Restorative Medicine Center to schedule your consultation.

✅ Step 2: Complete New Patient Forms
After scheduling, you’ll receive intake forms that will help us understand your medical history, symptoms, and past treatments so we can tailor your care.

✅ Step 3: Prepare for Your Appointment

• Track your symptoms and any changes over time.
• Gather past lab results and any previous Lyme-related testing.
• Write down your questions and concerns to ensure a productive discussion with Dr. Birkmeier-Fredal.

✅ Step 4: Choose Telemedicine or In-Person Care
We offer both in-office visits in Rochester Hills, MI and virtual consultations for patients who prefer remote care.

💡 Take Control of Your Health Today

Lyme disease is complex and often misunderstood, but with the right diagnostic approach and targeted treatment, recovery is possible. At Restorative Medicine Center, we focus on uncovering the root causes of illness to develop a personalized plan that supports your immune system, detoxification pathways, and nervous system balance.

📢 Contact Restorative Medicine Center Today to Start Your Healing Journey!

📞 Call 248-289-6349 or visit our website to schedule your consultation with Dr. Teresa Birkmeier-Fredal today. You deserve real answers, real solutions, and lasting recovery.