About Dr. Lehman
Dr. Erica Lehman is an Integrative Physician, Tick-Borne Disease Specialist, Board Certified Ophthalmologist, Cornea Specialist, and Eye Surgeon.
Dr. Lehman received her undergraduate education from Northwestern University as part of the Honors Program in Medical Education (HPME), an accelerated six year medical program. She received her medical degree from Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. After receiving her MD she completed her internship at USC in internal medicine. She then did her residency in Ophthalmology at University of Chicago. This was followed by a two year surgical fellowship in Cornea, Refractive Surgery, and Anterior Segment Surgery at Louisiana State University. At LSU she participated in laboratory and clinical research. She was part of the FDA Excimer Laser team for the Phase IIB trials. She has worked for 25 years in private practice offices in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, San Leandro, San Francisco, Santa Clara, Chicago, New Orleans and at the Palo Alto Medical Foundation collaborating with Stanford faculty. Her publications include chapters on Corneal Topography, Refractive Surgery, Keratitis Sicca and several Ophthalmology Journal publications.
With a holistic practice stemming from traditional Western, Eastern, and Homeopathic methodologies, Dr. Lehman’s focus lies in treating tick-borne diseases and related conditions such as infections from Bartonella, Babesia, Anaplasma, Rickettsia, parasites, mold, MARCoNS, and viruses. Additional focus includes thyroid disease, adrenal fatigue, and gastrointestinal disturbances.
Dr. Lehman reaches a diagnosis through symptom analysis, physical findings, and conventional and speciality lab results. She utilizes research from the most advanced technologies and practices available, while weighing her years of real patient experience.
The goals of her practice are to remove pathogens, increase nutritional and metabolic balance, boost organ health, raise immunity, and maintain optimal, integral health post-treatment.
Credentials
Executive Board Member:
LymeDisease.org
College:
Honors Program in Medical Education
Northwestern University, B.S.
Medical School:
Northwestern University Medical School, M.D.
Medical Internship:
Los Angeles County Hospital
University of Southern California
Residency:
Ophthalmology Residency
University of Chicago/Michael Reese Hospital
Fellowship:
Cornea and Refractive Surgery
Louisiana State University
Certification:
National Board of Medical Examiners
American Board of Ophthalmology
Licensure:
California, Illinois, Louisiana
Refractive Surgery Research Group, LSU Eye Center
Excimer Laser Course Instructor, LSU Eye Center
Languages:
Fluency in English, Spanish
Publications:
Click here for a list of publications
Lyme Disease: Introduction by Dr. Erica Lehman – MD, Tick-borne Disease Specialist
Justin Bieber: Seasons - Interview with Erica Lehman, MD
Dr Erica Lehman is a special guest on LATV for an episode of Latina Wellness. Watch now
Misconceptions Debunked by Dr. Erica Lehman – MD, Tick-borne Disease Specialist
Preventative Measures Against Lyme Disease by Dr. Erica Lehman, MD
2019 LymeDisease.org Board of Directors featuring Erica Lehman, MD
Press
"“When a tick bites you, it has an anesthetic in its saliva that actually numbs the surface of your skin so you don’t feel the bite, and that’s why people don’t know that a tick is latched onto them and is biting them,” says Dr. Erica Lehman, a tick-borne disease specialist.
"If bitten, early symptoms include headaches, nausea, numbness, muscle aches, extreme fatigue and Bell’s palsy,” Lehman says of the manifestations on the more minor side of the spectrum. Severe symptoms include dementia and arthritis. It can affect people physically, cognitively and psychologically.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over 25,000 Americans were diagnosed with Lyme disease in 2013, but Lehman says this number is “significantly underestimated” due to factors such as imperfect testing and symptoms that mimic those of Parkinson’s, multiple sclerosis and lupus."
Methylene blue–a new/old drug for treating Lyme disease
LymeDisease.org –
March 27,
2024
By Dr. Erica Lehman
Excerpt: “This revolutionary medication has gained a positive reputation in the world of tick-borne diseases, similar to when disulfiram was repurposed for Lyme disease in 2016. I have found clinical success in using MB for many symptoms of Lyme disease, including fatigue, depression, brain fog, anxiety and much more. With its antimicrobial properties, using MB has enabled me to minimize the use of antibiotics and therefore avoid their potential side effects.”
Read more
"Dr. Erica Lehman, a California-based physician and tick-borne disease specialist says that as Lyme goes untreated, there are a host of frightening and debilitating symptoms reported by patients, including “swollen glands, light sensitivity, sound and smell sensitivity, heart palpitations, muscle and joint stiffness, psychological manifestations such as depression, panic attacks, anxiety, and suicidal ideations, twitching of muscles, Bell’s palsy, brain fog, forgetfulness, poor short term memory disorientation, word finding problems, tremors, seizures, blurry vision, vertigo, tingling, numbness, stabbing sensations, chronic cough, sweats, weight loss, weight gain, hormone imbalances, poor digestion, changes in bowel habits, chronic yeast infections, and poor immune function.”"
“Integrative physician Erica Lehman, MD, is another practitioner who now treads more softly in her treatment of Lyme patients. “A decade ago, I was more heavy-handed with antibiotics,” she recalls. But a retrospective analysis of her patients’ outcomes has made her rethink her approach.
She still uses antibiotics, including IV treatment to reduce the load of infection, but then she switches to lower doses and herbs as soon as possible. “Slow and steady wins the race,” Lehman says.
Years of experience have helped her recognize patient clusters: those with neurologic disease versus illness that hits the gut, the endocrine system, joint tissue, and more. Each cluster has a different treatment protocol and separate path to wellness; though their problem may have started with a tick-borne disease, they face other issues now. (Much of her approach is informed by MyLymeData, a patient-powered Lyme-disease research project.)
Because no two chronic-Lyme patients are the same, treatments must be highly individualized.”