Dr. Zorba Paster: Chronic Lyme disease isn’t a thing, though consequences of infection can be lifelong

Dear Doc: I’m upset. I’m sad to see when it comes to chronic Lyme disease, you support the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, big pharma and big insurance.

My partner went through three years of unnecessary intense and expensive testing with no answers. Her doctor denied chronic Lyme, the Cleveland Clinic denies Lyme, even Yale Medical Center denies it.

We finally found a doctor who believed in it, treated it and helped ease the pain. You’re in the wrong camp. If you do a little research, you might learn something. – Avid reader and listener from Buffalo

Dear Reader: I don’t think the big guns you mentioned above are in cahoots when they deny chronic Lyme disease. I think they, as do I, simply find no proof that it exists.

Now I’m not talking about the consequences of getting Lyme disease, which can be devastating if not caught early. But what you’re referring to is the supposed chronic infection allegedly cured by expensive snake oil treatments.

There is no doubt the treatment of Lyme can be lifelong. A good rheumatologist can help alleviate symptoms, but buyer beware. If you look behind the curtain, you might find what Dorothy found when she searched for the Wizard of Oz.

Dear Dr. Zorba: I enjoy your weekly column in our local newspaper, but I have never read anything about viral nasal sinus disease.

Over the last two years, I have seen three doctors regarding this. They try and try to treat it, but it always seems to fail. When I cook, when I hike outside, when I play with my dog, I drip, drip, drip.

I’m going to the University of Pittsburgh Hospital for a fourth opinion. What’s yours? – C.W., from central Pennsylvania

Dear C.W.: Chronic nasal drip is a major problem for many people, and the reasons are not clear. The treatments are murky at best. My solutions are over-the-counter Flonase steroid nasal spray, two squirts twice a day; Zyrtec generic, two tablets in the morning; and Benadryl, 25 to 50 milligrams at bedtime. Add to that 300 milligrams of OTC Zantac at bedtime – it’s another type of histamine blocker.

Next is to use a Neti pot. But the usual Neti pot solution might not be strong enough. Try two or three packets of salt solution – it might burn a bit, but it just might get those mucous membranes to settle down.

Good luck. This is a chronic problem that doesn’t have a clear solution.

Dear Doc: Why would we need studies to validate and prove the fact that children who spend many hours in front of a computer or television tend to be overweight? Do you believe readers need to actually read this information to bring it to their attention?

Any semi-educated person with common sense should already realize this fact. And the people who don’t realize this are not the people who are reading the newspaper.

So I find articles on this a waste and an insult to us folks who purchase the newspaper. Parents need to be in control, stay in control and raise their children to be great citizens and good people. It all starts here. No one else or anything else is to blame.

I want articles on subjects with rare, interesting study data pertinent to new issues troubling our world such as research into the tragic and devastating results of our modern parenting skills that have caused a long list of childhood malfunctions. Thank you for your time. – K.L. from western New York

Dear K.L.: I wholeheartedly disagree with your rather snobbish letter. All sorts of people read the newspaper – not just highly educated people such as you so obviously consider yourself. And, by the way, having smarts doesn’t mean you take action.

Sometimes people need a nudge, and the goal of my column is to provide just that. If one person pulls the plug on the tube for their kid as a result of reading my column, I’ve done my job. Period. Stay well.