Medical doctors rely on laboratory tests which can be contradictory or confusing. Traditional medical doctors can order testing for adrenal fatigue by blood tests; however under-diagnosing is a problem. Saliva testing, which is recognized by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the World Health Organization (WHO), is a very accurate test.
A saliva test is done four times in a day – morning, noon, early evening, and around midnight. The test is performed by simply spitting into a test tube. When you have completed a day of testing you mail the tube into the laboratory for analysis.
The saliva test measures the levels of your stress hormones and cortisol and how these levels have changed throughout the day you tested. This test can discover imbalances that can be the underlying reason for adrenal fatigue.
Because adrenal fatigue symptoms are very vague and so broad-based – from unrelenting fatigue yet you can’t sleep to sugar cravings and body aches, and so many in between – that getting diagnosed may be unlikely unless you, as the educated patient, request a saliva test from your doctor. You can download a free symptom matrix from http://jenbusch.com/readMore.htm
There are laboratories that will allow you to order your test directly from the them. You can search online for these labs. However, you need an experienced, qualified professional to help direct your treatment, and you should be looking for the tools to help your body heal itself because a medicated approach, over time, can backfire and cause adrenal fatigue to become worse.
Great post, Jennifer. Saliva testing is a very accurate method of steroid hormone measurement. You can order the test from ZRT Laboratory at http://www.zrtlab.com. The results come within 3-5 business days. I took my results to a doctor that specializes in BHRT to help me develop an individualized BHR treatment. I found my doc at http://www.abetterfeelingyou.com