In recent years, alternative therapies have received greater attention in the popular press as a means of either supplementing or replacing more traditional medical interventions, e.g., acupuncture, herbs, etc. The efficacy of these alternative therapies has been the subject of much debate in the scientific community and are not proven to be effective treatment strategies, and in some cases are considered outright dangerous. This is for information purposes only, and in no way is intended to advocate the use of any of these therapies.

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy:

Patient enters an enclosed chamber having a high concentration of oxygen and increased atmospheric pressure. It has been postulated that increased oxygen levels could debilitate Bb and that increased atmospheric pressure could also enhance antibiotic action by facilitating deeper tissues penetration. It has been proposed that overall immune functioning is enhanced, increasing a patients ability to recuperate from Lyme disease.

Malariotherapy:

Chronic Lyme patients have infected themselves with the parasite that causes malaria believing that the high fevers associated with this illness will ultimately kill the spirochetes in the body.

Hydrotherapy:

As with malariotherapy, patients try to raise their temperatures through hot baths to kill spirochetes.

Immunotherapy:

A small amount of Bb antigen — not the whole organisms but just fragments of it — is used to reduce an overactive immune response to the spirochete. This treatment is said to cause the immune system to become accustomed, or "desensitized," to the material and therefore not overreact to it.

Other unproven and potentially dangerous therapies include: injecting patients with the vaccine for dogs; administering the "transfer factor," e.g., using a serum obtained from the milk of a vaccinated cow that was injected with Bb and had developed immunity; the use of heavy metals such as silver and mercury; and homeopathic medicine and nutrition therapy.