🐾 Bartonella: The Hidden Infection Behind Neurological & Vascular Symptoms
Posted by the Nurse Practitioners at Lowcountry Wellness Center | Whole You: The HO Member Blog
Bartonella is one of the most commonly missed — and most disruptive — stealth infections we see in patients with chronic symptoms. Sometimes called the “cat scratch bacteria,” Bartonella is much more than a mild zoonotic infection. It’s an intracellular pathogen that can affect the brain, blood vessels, nerves, skin, and even hormones.
Many of our patients have been told they have anxiety, ADHD, mast cell activation, POTS, mold illness, or fibromyalgia… but deeper testing and clinical history reveal Bartonella playing a key role.
🔍 What Is Bartonella?
Bartonella is a gram-negative, intracellular bacterium that can be transmitted through:
- Cat scratches or bites
- Flea or tick bites
- Blood transfusions
- Vertical transmission (mother to baby)
There are over 30 species of Bartonella — the most well-known being Bartonella henselae — but many aren’t detectable through standard labs.
Once inside the body, Bartonella can hide within endothelial tissue (lining of blood vessels), the brain, and even red blood cells, making it difficult to detect and even harder to eradicate without a strategic, layered approach.
🧠 Common Symptoms of Bartonella Infection
Bartonella often causes symptoms that affect both the nervous and vascular systems. Some of the most common include:
- Severe anxiety, panic attacks, or sudden-onset OCD
- Neuropathy (burning, tingling, stabbing pains)
- Muscle twitches or fasciculations
- Stretch mark-like rashes (red or purple, non-itchy)
- Headaches behind the eyes or temples
- Low blood pressure, dizziness, or lightheadedness
- Anger outbursts or “Lyme rage” episodes
- Sensitivity to lights, sounds, smells, or touch
- Neck and spine pain (especially the base of skull)
- Heart palpitations or unexplained chest pain
Bartonella can also cause or exacerbate PANS/PANDAS symptoms in children, often alongside mold or other tick-borne infections.
🧪 Why Bartonella Is Often Missed
Bartonella can be difficult to test for because it hides inside cells and often doesn’t trigger strong antibody responses — especially in immune-compromised patients. Traditional labs may miss it entirely.
At Lowcountry Wellness, we look at the full picture:
- Clinical symptoms + exposure history (cats, fleas, ticks)
- Specialty labs like Galaxy Diagnostics or TLab
- Microvascular signs (rashes, stretch marks, hypermobility)
- Nervous system dysregulation patterns
- Co-existing infections like Lyme, Babesia, or EBV
- Response to provocation or antimicrobial therapies
🌀 Bartonella and the Brain-Immune Connection
Bartonella can affect the limbic system and vagus nerve, leading to what many patients describe as emotional instability, “not feeling like myself,” or extreme irritability.
It may also disrupt blood flow to the brain and peripheral nerves, increasing the risk of symptoms like numbness, migraines, and neurovascular inflammation.
In children, Bartonella has been associated with:
- Behavioral changes
- Rage or defiance
- Tics or stimming
- Bedwetting or regression
- School avoidance or sensory issues
🧭 How We Approach Bartonella Treatment
Bartonella treatment is not one-size-fits-all. In fact, aggressive protocols can make symptoms worse if drainage and nervous system support aren’t in place first.
Our approach includes:
- Drainage and detox support(lymph, bowels, liver, mitochondria)
- Nervous system regulation(vagal tone, breathwork, limbic retraining)
- Immune modulation(avoiding flare triggers like mold, trauma, or over-exertion)
- Layered antimicrobials — botanical or pharmaceutical options may include Japanese Knotweed, Sida acuta, rifampin, or clarithromycin
- Mitochondrial and tissue repair to restore energy and function
Many of our patients improve significantly once Bartonella is identified and addressed, often noting calmer moods, better focus, more stable energy, and improved sleep.
🌟 You’re Not Crazy — and You’re Not Alone
Bartonella is a master of disguise — but we know what to look for. If you’ve been feeling emotionally off, physically reactive, and stuck in a confusing cycle of symptoms, this might be part of the answer.
Healing takes time, but with a trauma-informed, root-cause approach, full recovery is possible. You deserve to feel calm, clear, and fully yourself again.
To your healing,
Your Lowcountry Wellness Team
*This blog is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Please consult your healthcare provider before beginning any new health protocol, supplement, or therapy.
