THYROID GLAND

Conventionally accepted medical approaches of assessment for this condition may include testing your reflexes. Your healthcare provider may also examine the palms of your hands and the soles of your feet for evidence of carotene, an orange substance deposited as a result of the disease. Your provider may draw blood and may also want you to take a radioactive iodine uptake test. For this, you drink a liquid containing radioactive iodine. X rays will show whether large amounts of the iodine settle in your thyroid gland.

Under the concepts of naturopathic medicine, assessment is oriented toward determining what is impeding your body's ability to function normally. While some of the conventional medical approaches may help in this determination, they may not necessarily apply to a naturopathic approach to get to the root cause of the problem.

Your naturopathic doctor will determine which assessment tools are most helpful in establishing a treatment strategy specific to your health needs. We provide the following tests for thyroid issues and related hormone issues:

1. Comprehensive Thyroid Assessment - An impressive and sensitive test that evaluates thyroid function much more precisely and thoroughly than it was possible ten years ago. Comprehensive Thyroid Assessment is a comprehensive analysis of thyroid hormone secretion and metabolism, including central thyroid regulation and activity, peripheral thyroid function, and thyroid autoimmunity (includes reverse T3 and T4 testing). This serum test allows the practitioner to pinpoint commonly occurring imbalances that underlie a broad spectrum of chronic illness.

2. Bone Resorption Assessment is a simple, direct urinary assay of pyridinium crosslinks and deoxypyridinoline, useful in identifying current rate of bone loss, lytic bone disease, and efficacy of bone support therapies. Hyperthyroidism can increase bone loss as well increase risk of osteoporosis.

3. Adrenocortex Stress Profile is a salivary assay of cortisol and DHEA, imbalances of which are associated with ailments ranging from obesity and menstrual disorders to immune deficiency and increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

4. Saliva Hormone Profile analyzes four saliva samples over a day period for the levels of progesterone, and testosterone, DHEAS and cortisol through the day. Saliva testing is an easy, painless, and reliable way to measure bio-available hormone activity. Saliva hormone levels best approximate the amount of hormone actually working at the cell level because hormones must pass through cells of the saliva gland before entering saliva. Blood testing, on the other hand, measures both bio-available and unavailable (protein-bound) hormone, and may not reflect the actual activity of the hormones. Thyroid hormone production is quite often affected by changes in reproductive and stress hormones and vice versa.

5. Food intolerance / sensitivity and allergy testing - The Food and Environmental Antibody Assessment is a test that checks for intolerances / sensitivities to various food groups ranging from various seeds, milks, fruits, vegetables, meats, nuts and spices. Thyroid and hormone conditions are very much affected by diet and lifestyle factors as these can add stress to the body, which in turn can affect the thyroid hormone production. This particular test allows us to narrow down foods that may be working against your health and stressing your thyroid.

6. Toxic Metal and Elemental Analysis examines blood or hair samples for levels of toxic and nutrient elements. Toxicities and nutrient insufficiencies are identified, allowing for targeted interventions. The Toxic Element Exposure Profile evaluates a hair sample for levels of 21 toxic elements.

• Previous
• Next