Did you know chronic fatigue syndrome was officially coined as a diagnosis in 1996? If you wake up feeling unrefreshed always or most of the time, or feel worn out for six months or greater, this diagnosis is a strong possibility. Our last newsletter focused on chronic infections, adrenal and thyroid issues, and nutrient deficiencies as being common causes of chronic fatigue.
Here are some of the common tests we use in the world of functional medicine to get to the root of fatigue:
- Epstein Barr Virus Titer identifies if the virus is active and potentially the root cause of chronic fatigue.
- Adrenal Function Profile is a saliva-based hormone test that looks at levels of the hormones cortisol and DHEA. This gives us an idea of how much chronic stress is affecting the body.
- Comprehensive Thyroid Profile goes way beyond the narrow thyroid panels run in a traditional medial check up to give an in-depth look at thyroid function.
- Micronutrient Test is the best on the market to check for nutrient deficiencies. It will tell us if you are lacking fuel.
In most cases with these tests, we are able to get to the root cause of chronic fatigue and work toward correcting the underlying dysfunction that led to it. This is the beauty of functional medicine; it is more than just treating the symptoms.