Lyme disease is a complex topic riddled with misinformation, and celebrities often find themselves at the center of this controversy. American supermodel Bella Hadid, for instance, has sparked debate with her Instagram posts about living with chronic illness. In one post from September 2025, she shared a slideshow of herself undergoing various treatments at a boutique medical facility, while another post from August 2023 showed her with an intravenous catheter. Hadid claims to have suffered from Lyme disease for over 100 days and 'almost 15 years of invisible suffering.' This post has garnered nearly three million likes and 19,000 comments, with many users expressing support and asking about chronic Lyme treatments.
Lyme disease is a recognized medical condition that can cause pain, fatigue, and muscle aches. However, some celebrities, including Hadid, Justin Timberlake, and Justin Bieber, who claim to have Lyme disease, seem to be describing a condition called chronic Lyme disease, which is not recognized by conventional medicine. This term is used by alternative practitioners to describe pain, fatigue, and neurological symptoms attributed to a persistent Lyme infection, often without a positive test result.
Despite the lack of scientific validation, identifying unexplained symptoms as chronic Lyme can provide a sense of relief and hope for patients. Dr. Paul Auwaerter explains that these patients are often seeking answers from their regular physicians or consultants, who may not fully understand their condition. However, experts warn that the private testing and treatment industry is largely unregulated and can pose serious risks.
Lyme disease is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi, transmitted through the bite of infected blacklegged ticks. Symptoms can include a rash, fever, fatigue, and joint aches. The disease is on the rise globally, including in Canada, due to climate change and increased public awareness. Most people who contract Lyme disease are cured with early antibiotic treatment, but some may experience lingering symptoms, known as post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome (PTLDS), which is still not fully understood.
The confusion surrounding Lyme disease may stem from the belief that the Lyme bacteria can persist in the body even after antibiotic treatment, requiring constant treatment. However, most medical experts disagree, stating that there's no evidence to support this theory. This belief can lead to people spending large sums of money on unproven treatments, which is a concern for immunologist Andrea Love, who warns about the lucrative wellness industry exploiting vulnerable individuals.
Testing for Lyme disease in Canada involves a two-step process, including blood antibody testing and confirmatory testing. While these tests are Health Canada-approved, they are not perfect and can produce false positives. Private clinics in Canada offer alternative tests that claim to be more accurate, but these may not be regulated and can be misleading. Some clinics even offer urine-based tests, which are not reliable for detecting Lyme bacteria.
The rise in celebrity claims about Lyme disease has fueled confusion about the risks and treatment options. Private clinics offer various treatments, including hyperthermia therapy, stem cell therapy, and plasma exchanges, which are not proven to help treat Lyme disease and can be dangerous. The idea of chronic Lyme disease can also lead to people pursuing long-term, high-intensity therapies, potentially causing them to miss out on proper diagnoses for other medical conditions.
The story of Feile O'Connell from Tofino, B.C., highlights the dangers of seeking unproven treatments. She almost died after undergoing an experimental treatment in Mexico, which was later found to be fraudulent. O'Connell's experience underscores the importance of seeking medical advice from qualified professionals and the need for more effective, long-term healthcare solutions for those suffering from chronic illnesses.
