When we talk about Functional Medicine Testing by the use of Pathology, then we are talking about the diagnosis and analysis of an entire organ or system rather than looking for a specific disease. There are several tests that can be done in this method of treatment. In this article, we will discuss only a few basic tests that everyone should get done.
Adrenal and reproductive hormone levels
You can learn a lot from this test. Cortisol is the stress hormone so it can be impacted by any factor which can vary from chronic pain and inflammation to imbalance in nutrition and sleep problems.
Fluctuations in the levels of reproductive hormones like estrogen and testosterone can cause a wide range of problems in both men and women. Some of the problems can be:
- Fatigue
- PMS
- Menopausal Symptoms (sleep and mood disturbance)
- Lack of libido
- Loss of muscle mass
- Gaining weight
Any major illness usually involves the dysfunction of the adrenal system so opt for pathology testing and practical medicine treatment.
Testing for heavy metals
Heavy metals in the system could be very damaging. This includes lead, mercury, and aluminum. They are called neurotoxins because they will affect a person’s psychological health. Most of the disorders today have their basis in the central nervous system, for example, Parkinson’s disease, MS, autism, and Alzheimer’s. Sometimes they affect the nervous system differently. An example of this would be Lyme disease.
You must get done with these tests as soon as possible because toxins like these in the body will affect the overall health of a person. If they do not cause disease then their presence alone can become the reason for the loss of focus and concentration, poor memory, and bad vision or hearing.
Food sensitivity testing
Food allergies are one of the most common problems nowadays. Many people have underlying food sensitivities that they are not aware of. Mostly, people are allergic to dairy products like eggs or milk. Other unexpected allergies sometimes surprise you like bananas or garlic. One man’s meat is indeed another man’s poison. One food that may be healthy for everyone, may not suit a specific individual.
One method to use pathology in functional medicine testing for allergies is to use the elimination and challenge test which is long and not many people have the patience for it. There is another test that is being used nowadays. It can assess around 90+ food groups at a time. Unlike the elimination test which checks IgE reactions, this test checks IgG reactions. These reactions are delayed, and gentle and range from simple fatigue to skin breakouts and headaches.
It may sound like allergies are not a big deal but living in ignorance is not going to do you any good. People only find out about their allergies after they have consumed a specific food that causes reactions to their skin. But after they find out, they know that they have to stay away from it and even ask their physicians about alternatives to the food they cannot eat.
