HYPERTHERMIA: A cure for Lyme Disease?

HYPERTHERMIA:The information summarised straight from the St Georg Klinik’s website in Bad Aibling Germany) http://www.kstg.net/e/therapies/hyperthermia/systemic_whole_body_hyperthermia.html and includes my information and opinion.

1. Introduction It is known malignant cells, cancerous tissues and microbes are heat sensitive and that under certain conditions they can be selectively destroyed by heat. Systemic whole body hyperthermia (SWBH) heats the whole body to a temperature of 41.6°C (106°F) and above. SWBH is used principally in advanced stages of cancer and is also used as a metastatic prophylaxis in high risk patients, e.g., young premenopausal women with breast cancer, lymph node involvement and negative hormone receptor status. SWBH also enhances the effects of an adjuvant chemotherapy or radiation treatment and has been found extremely useful in the treatment of Lyme Disease. SWBH can not be compared to the 'fever therapy', which is used in Natural medicine. During 'fever therapy' bacterial lysates are injected, which then induce the release of cytokines, which then brings about a fever reaction. This fever only reaches a maximum of 39°C (102°F), which is not sufficient to induce enough thermal damage within the cancerous tissue. It must however be stated that the immunological effect of this treatment can improve the general condition of the patient, resulting in a positive response.

1. What are the different types hyperthermia?  

2. Superficial hyperthermia: Specifically for small tumors located near the surface, which are often in-operable.

3. Local regional hyperthermia: involves heating a larger and more deep seated area of the body and is combined with chemotherapy.

4. Systemic whole body hyperthermia: heats the entire body to a core temperature of 41.6°C (106°F) using a specially developed device. 

Extensive hyperthermia and extreme hyperthermia are really the only forms of treatment which can be considered in oncological medicine and for use in Lyme Disease. Under sedation, oxygen saturation, pulse rate, blood pressure, core temperature as well as electrolyte and blood gases are strictly supervised and controlled. Thus allowing this treatment to be carried out either on a temporary inpatient or outpatient basis.

1. Extreme Hyperthermia: From 41.5°C-42.2°C (106°F-107°F) >>used in St Georg Klinik

2. Extensive Hyperthermia: Between 40.5°C-41.5°C (104°F-106°F)

3. High Hyperthermia: Between 39.5°C-40.5°C (103°F-104°F)

4. Medium Hyperthermia: Between 38.5°C-39.5°C (101°F-103°F)

5. Mild Hyperthermia: Between 37°C-38.5°C (98°F-101°F)

iii. How and why does whole body hyperthermia work for Lyme disease?

From my understanding and research there are two main reasons why hyperthermia works well for Lyme disease (and of course cancer). The obvious reason is that a whole body fever is beneficial in killing bacteria – in this case borrelia and co-infections (especially those that are bacterial). It is a know fact that borrelia bacteria die at 105 degrees Fahrenheit (40.5556 degrees Celsius) so to get maximum results the body’s core temperature must ideally reach this heat or above. At the St Georg Klinik  in Germany they use extreme hyperthermia which is 106-107+ degrees Fahrenheit (41.5-42.2 degrees Celsius) and i personally went to 107.8 degrees Fahrenheit (42.11111 degrees Celsius) as my top temperature. You are only at the top heat for about 10-20 minutes at most so thats why its important to go well above 105 degrees Fahrenheit so a significant amount of the treatment your body is hot enough to kill the borrelia, its co-infections and release the cysts. As the borrelia and other micro-organisms flee the heat the antibiotics in the blood stream assist in the destruction of the microbes. 

The second, and in my opinion, the most effective part of the whole body hyperthermia is the way it supercharges the antibiotics. The day before you have your hyperthermia you will fast and have a colonic irrigation. You will have an enema on the morning of your hyperthermia to ensure there is little food or waste in your digestive tract. You will be hooked up to monitoring equipment and a sedative administered through your temporary drip (you will also be hooked up to an antibiotic drip simultaneously). As your body temperature rises it looks for glucose to feed the cells and the brain but instead all it can find is the antibiotics so it draws the antibiotics into the cells, tissues and across barriers that antibiotics would not usually be able to penetrate. This is the same process that occurs with cancer except chemotherapy drugs are supercharged and can get into the tumour /cancer at a much more aggressive rate.

IV. Is whole body hyperthermia safe?

People always ask if it is safe (as did i when i was looking into going to St. Georg Klinik. Before any patient is accepted for systemic whole body hyperthermia, stringent physical examination controls are carried out, e.g. ECG, pulmonary function test, blood coagulation, blood count, blood gases, etc. The patient is only then accepted upon completion of these controls. SWBH is carried out in a specially developed unit (WBH 2000 – Onco Therm, Germany) with intensive care control. Together with fever stimulating substances (by injection), cytokines (Interferons, Interleukins) are introduced to modulate the immune system. Infrared A light (850 – 1300 nm wavelength) is introduced, which then brings the body temperature up to 41.6°C (106°F) and even higher. The patient' s head (outside the unit) is cooled. In addition to the thermal damage and PH-shift, the increased heat has been shown to enhance the effect of the drugs chemo drugs for cancer patients and IV antibiotics for Lyme patients without having to use high dosages. Thus the strong and often toxic side effects of these drugs can be overcome (when compared to regular chemotherapy treatment and long term antibiotic use in chronically ill Lyme disease patients) using SWBH.

It is important that your body is detoxing as well as possible before you come to ensure your body can tolerate the heat. You are very closely monitored and have a nurse with you 100% of the time. If your body is not adapting and tolerating the heat then the heat will not be increased any further, so it is a very safe and well monitored procedure.