Lyme Disease Treatment in Burlington, VT | Bendavid Clinic

Lyme & Tick-Borne Illness

Lyme Disease Treatment in Burlington, VT

Q: What is Lyme disease?

Lyme disease is a bacterial infection caused by Borrelia burgdorferi and transmitted through the bite of an infected blacklegged tick, commonly called a deer tick. Early symptoms often include an expanding rash, fever, fatigue, headache, and joint or muscle aches. Left untreated, it can progress to affect the joints, heart, and nervous system. Vermont has one of the highest rates of Lyme disease in the United States.

Comprehensive evaluation and individualized care for Lyme disease and other suspected or diagnosed tick-borne illnesses — including the complex and persistent symptoms that haven’t resolved after previous treatment. From licensed naturopathic doctors in Burlington, Vermont.

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What’s Included

What Lyme & Tick-Borne Care at Bendavid Includes

Whether you were bitten last week, tested positive years ago, or have been told your labs are negative while your symptoms say otherwise, care starts with a full evaluation of what’s actually going on — in Burlington, Vermont.

Lyme Disease Evaluation & Testing

A full history of your exposure, symptoms, and any previous testing, plus the lab work indicated for your presentation. Lyme testing is notoriously imperfect, so results are read alongside your clinical picture rather than in isolation.

Persistent Symptoms After Lyme Treatment

Some patients finish a course of antibiotics and don’t get better. We take that seriously and evaluate what’s still driving the fatigue, joint pain, and brain fog — rather than treating a completed prescription as the end of the conversation.

Tick-Borne Coinfections

Ticks carry more than Lyme. Evaluation for the other tick-borne infections seen in the Northeast — including Babesia, Bartonella, Anaplasma, and Ehrlichia — which frequently explain symptoms that Lyme treatment alone didn’t resolve.

Tick Bites & Early Lyme Assessment

Recent tick bite, an expanding rash, or a sudden summer flu that doesn’t fit? Early presentations are time-sensitive and worth a prompt visit. Call our Burlington office rather than waiting to see whether it passes.

Overlapping & Post-Infectious Conditions

Tick-borne illness commonly overlaps with mast cell activation, mold-related illness, and POTS and dysautonomia. One team evaluating all of them at once beats four specialists each seeing a fragment.

Ongoing Care & Symptom Support

Recovery from tick-borne illness is rarely linear, so the plan gets revisited as your symptoms shift — including IV nutrient therapy where absorption is a limiting factor.

Our Approach

Our Approach to Tick-Borne Illness

Naturopathic doctor with a Lyme disease patient during a consultation at Bendavid Clinic in Burlington, Vermont

Vermont has one of the highest rates of Lyme disease in the country, and we see the full range of it — the tick bite from last weekend, the positive test from six years ago, and the patient whose labs came back negative while their symptoms kept getting worse. We start with a complete history and the testing that’s actually indicated, then build a plan around your presentation rather than a protocol. This page is one part of complex and chronic illness care at Bendavid Clinic, and because we also provide primary care, the doctor managing your tick-borne illness can be the same one reading your bloodwork and coordinating with your infectious disease or rheumatology specialists. Visits are long enough to work through a complicated history rather than a single complaint.

Testing Read in Context

Lyme testing misses real infections, particularly early on. We read your results alongside your exposure history and symptoms instead of letting a single negative close the file.

We Don’t Stop at the Prescription

If you finished treatment and still feel unwell, that’s the beginning of an evaluation, not the end of one. Our licensed naturopathic doctors look for coinfections, overlapping conditions, and what else the infection left behind.

Vermont Rooted

Deeply connected to our local community, serving adults across the Burlington region.

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Your Path to Feeling Like Yourself Again

Getting started is simple. Here's what to expect from your first visit.

Schedule in-person or via telemedicine through our EHR platform. You'll provide basic personal and medical history during sign-up.

802-881-0424

Connect with a Physician

We match you with one of our experienced physicians and schedule your appointment at a time that works for you.

Diagnosis & Treatment

Your physician diagnoses your condition and prescribes medication or an integrative treatment plan tailored specifically to you.

Follow-Up & Ongoing Care

Check-in appointments keep your progress on track and allow your care plan to evolve as your health improves.

What Our Patients Say

“

Dr. Jackie’s greatest strengths as a primary care provider lie in her natural abilities to listen, to empathize without judgement or condescension, and to enthusiastically and collaboratively design an action plan with her patients. While none of these qualities should make Dr. Jackie so unique as a care provider, it’s the unfortunate reality that many of us, especially female-identifying folks, live in. In just two visits, she was able to diagnose and create an accessible, approachable treatment plan for a number of deficiencies that other providers failed to notice. The experience has been not only validating, but healing both literally and figuratively. Burlington is BEYOND lucky to call her one of our own.

— P.T.

“

At the first appointment I instantly felt the warmth her office and whole self brings, it’s the most comfortable space and she offers the most inviting presence to be able to open up to and receive the kind of advice that is not only extremely helpful, but shows that she truly cares about her patients. I am so grateful I have found Dr. Jackie. Thank you so much for your inviting presence and everything you have taught me thus far!

— G.T.

“

I’ve had chronic health issues for years and Dr. Jackie is everything. Never felt so heard and seen and cared for by a primary care physician as much as I do with her! Thank you for truly caring about what you do and making the world a better place.

— H.P.

Find Us

Our Location

Address 305 St. Paul St., Suite 324
Burlington, VT 05401
Corner of Kilburn St. and St. Paul

Phone / Fax 802-881-0424 · Fax 802-352-8745

Hours Mon – Fri 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Parking Instructions
Parking available in the lots located on Kilburn St. Street parking also available. Handicap parking in 2 spots near the clinic entrance.

Insurance & New Patients

Lyme Disease Care Cost & Coverage

Coverage varies by plan and by service. Office visits for Lyme and tick-borne illness are generally billed as medical visits, while some specialty or coinfection testing may not be covered. Call our Burlington, Vermont office at 802-881-0424 and we’ll help you confirm what your specific plan covers before your first visit.

We're currently accepting new patients and welcome referrals.

FAQ

We're Here to Answer All Your Questions

Have something on your mind that isn't covered here? Give us a call — we're always happy to chat.

Call Us: 802-881-0424

What is Lyme disease?

Lyme disease is a bacterial infection caused by Borrelia burgdorferi and transmitted through the bite of an infected blacklegged tick, commonly called a deer tick. Early symptoms often include an expanding rash, fever, fatigue, headache, and joint or muscle aches. Left untreated, it can progress to affect the joints, heart, and nervous system. Vermont has one of the highest rates of Lyme disease in the United States.

What are the symptoms of Lyme disease?

Early Lyme disease commonly causes an expanding “bull’s-eye” rash, fever, chills, fatigue, headache, and muscle or joint aches — though many people never notice a rash or a tick bite at all. Later symptoms can include migrating joint pain and swelling, facial palsy, heart palpitations, nerve pain, and cognitive difficulty often described as brain fog. Symptoms vary widely between patients, which is part of why Lyme is missed.

How is Lyme disease tested and diagnosed?

Standard Lyme testing uses a two-step blood test that looks for your immune system’s antibody response to the infection rather than the bacteria itself. Because antibodies take a few weeks to develop, testing done soon after a bite can come back negative even when infection is present, so early Lyme is often diagnosed clinically from the rash and exposure history. At Bendavid Clinic in Burlington, Vermont, test results are read alongside your full history rather than in isolation.

What are tick-borne coinfections?

Coinfections are other infections carried by the same ticks that transmit Lyme disease, and a single bite can transmit more than one. In the Northeast the most common are Babesia, Bartonella, Anaplasma, and Ehrlichia. They can cause symptoms Lyme treatment alone won’t resolve — drenching night sweats, air hunger, or unusual neurological symptoms — which is why unresolved cases are worth evaluating for coinfection rather than assumed to be treatment failure.

Why do some people still have symptoms after Lyme treatment?

Roughly one in ten people treated for Lyme disease continue to experience fatigue, pain, or cognitive symptoms for months afterward — a presentation known medically as post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome, and often called chronic Lyme by patients. The cause is still debated and may involve immune activation, unresolved coinfection, or lasting tissue effects. Bendavid Clinic evaluates persistent symptoms as a real clinical problem rather than treating a completed course of antibiotics as the end of the conversation.

What should I do after a tick bite in Vermont?

Remove the tick promptly with fine-tipped tweezers, grasping as close to the skin as possible and pulling straight out without twisting, then clean the area. Note the date. Watch for an expanding rash, fever, or flu-like symptoms over the following weeks, and be seen if any appear — or sooner, if the tick was attached more than about 36 hours. Vermont is a high-incidence state for Lyme disease, so a tick bite here is worth taking seriously. Call our Burlington office at 802-881-0424.

Do I need a positive test or a referral to be seen?

No. You don’t need a referral or a positive Lyme test to be seen at Bendavid Clinic — we see patients with confirmed diagnoses and patients whose testing has been negative or inconclusive while their symptoms persist. We also welcome referrals from other providers and coordinate with your existing specialists. Call our Burlington, Vermont office at 802-881-0424 to schedule.

Does insurance cover Lyme disease treatment?

Coverage varies by plan and by service. Office visits for Lyme and tick-borne illness are generally billed as medical visits, while some specialty or coinfection testing may not be covered. Call our Burlington, Vermont office at 802-881-0424 before your first visit and we’ll help you confirm what your specific plan covers.

Ready to Get Answers About Lyme?

Whether you were bitten recently, tested positive years ago, or have been searching for an explanation that fits, it starts with a full evaluation at our Burlington, Vermont clinic. We’re currently accepting new patients.

Schedule a Visit

802-881-0424 · 305 St. Paul St., Suite 324, Burlington, VT