You can tell a lot about someone’s health from their symptoms, physical appearance and a simple physical exam. But sometimes getting more data is critical to unearthing the right diagnosis. Luckily, we live in an era in history where the technology exists to delve deeper into a situation. We can make a phone call from a small wallet-sized phone from almost anywhere; we can send a letter in a few seconds to a person who lives on the other side of the world; and we can test our blood, saliva or even our urine for hints to our health.
I see a lot of patients who have ongoing health issues that somewhat improve with simple lifestyle adjustments, but don’t completely go away. It’s these cases where I find laboratory testing most useful. Obtaining more information as to what is going on inside the body can be so helpful in guiding diagnosis and treatment.
Let’s take the case of hormone balance. Hormones are important for so many things- fertility, feelings of wellbeing, energy, memory, sex drive, muscle function, etc..., the list goes on. Symptoms alone can often tell the doctor what needs to happen in order to reinstate hormone balance - but sometimes testing a woman’s hormone level at a particular time in her cycle is critical for making the right changes to her hormonal milieu to achieve balance. One symptom might look like estrogen deficiency, but really be related to adrenal fatigue or thyroid imbalance. For example, some women experience hot flashes when they are low in cortisol, while others are simply low in estrogen. Let’s take another symptom- hair loss in a woman. Initially you might think thyroid. But when you test you find her thyroid is normal, it’s her high testosterone that is causing the hair loss.
Hormones work together in a symphony of sorts, playing off of and complementing one another for health and harmony. But when one hormone suffers, the others do, too. The data and information we gather from testing, is invaluable in creating wellness and vitality in individuals. Fortunately, we have the technology!
Elise Schroeder, ND
I see a lot of patients who have ongoing health issues that somewhat improve with simple lifestyle adjustments, but don’t completely go away. It’s these cases where I find laboratory testing most useful. Obtaining more information as to what is going on inside the body can be so helpful in guiding diagnosis and treatment.
Let’s take the case of hormone balance. Hormones are important for so many things- fertility, feelings of wellbeing, energy, memory, sex drive, muscle function, etc..., the list goes on. Symptoms alone can often tell the doctor what needs to happen in order to reinstate hormone balance - but sometimes testing a woman’s hormone level at a particular time in her cycle is critical for making the right changes to her hormonal milieu to achieve balance. One symptom might look like estrogen deficiency, but really be related to adrenal fatigue or thyroid imbalance. For example, some women experience hot flashes when they are low in cortisol, while others are simply low in estrogen. Let’s take another symptom- hair loss in a woman. Initially you might think thyroid. But when you test you find her thyroid is normal, it’s her high testosterone that is causing the hair loss.
Hormones work together in a symphony of sorts, playing off of and complementing one another for health and harmony. But when one hormone suffers, the others do, too. The data and information we gather from testing, is invaluable in creating wellness and vitality in individuals. Fortunately, we have the technology!
Elise Schroeder, ND
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