In today’s world, diagnosis of thyroid malfunction is on the rise. Often times, those being treated continue to suffer with symptoms as the actual cause has not been addressed. It is important to know that in 90 to 95 percent instances, it is NOT the thyroid that is the problem, but something else malfunctioning. Doctors continue using the 50-year-old model of diagnosing and treating for thyroid and not looking for the something else.
    Out of the nine thyroid tests required in order to effectively diagnose what is causing malfunction, only two are commonly done. Listed below are multiple conditions which can be addressed by a healthcare provider who understands and uses inclusive thyroid testing, unveiling the complexities and implementing means to remedy them.

Autoimmune Conditions/Inflammation – Immune system attacks itself, cells/tissues. Symptoms include fatigue, achy muscles/joints, neuropathy, exacerbation of pain, fibromyalgia, systemic inflammation, brain fog.

Digestive System Malfunction/Leaky Gut – Heartburn, irritable bowel, bloating, burping, abdominal pain, gas, constipation or loose bowels. Digestive malfunction can also lead to increased inflammation, swelling, asthma, allergies, depression. 

Chronic/Acute Infections – History of candida/yeast infections; UTIs; viruses like hepatitis, Epstein Barr, herpes; parasites, bacteria. These will cause chronic inflammation due to increased immune response.

Liver Toxicity –     Fatigue; intolerance to high fat foods; abdominal pain hours after eating; dry, itchy skin; nausea; pitting edema; joint pain; easy bruising; diabetes; headaches. Liver is always involved due to the amount of toxins we are exposed to daily.

Anemia – Usually in the form of B12/ folate anemia/ pernicious anemia/ iron deficiency anemia. Fatigue and weakness due to low oxygen are common symptoms. If anemic, due to lack of oxygen in tissue, it is impossible to heal.

Blood Sugar Imbalance – Too low = irritable/lightheaded if meals missed; jittery/anxious if meals missed; poor memory; blurred vision; craving sweets; slow starter in the a.m. Too high = fatigue after eating; inability to lose weight despite low calorie diet; craving sweets; increased frequency of urination; increased thirst; high cholesterol.

Adrenal Malfunction – Fatigue, inability to deal with stress, feeling worn out, inability to lose weight, anxious, blood sugar issues, sleep issues (insomnia), muscle wasting/fat deposition, depression, tired upon waking even with long sleep, afternoon fatigue, weak nails, craving salt, dizziness when standing.

Thyroid Malfunction – Fatigue, depression, constipation, difficulty losing weight/weight gain, lack of motivation/mental sluggishness, thinning hair, dry hair/skin/nails, hair loss, cold hands/feet, etc.

Hormone Imbalances – Anxiety, depression, fat deposition, mood swings, hot flashes, headaches/migraines, loss of motivation or zest for life, PMS, etc.

Brain Malfunction – Brain fog, depression, poor memory, anxiety, chronic     fatigue.

Testing and Treatments
At Synergy Integrated Health and Medicine, Drs. Alexa and John Parker have a passion to educate and assist their patients into wellness, and that requires state-of-the-art know-how when it comes to testing, evaluation and diagnosis, ultimately revealing the ideal protocol to address all underlying issues. They leave no stone unturned in their quest to provide their patients with whole health, using not only nutritional remedials but metabolical and neurological treatments as well.

Sensitivity testing determines if there is a sensitivity to gluten (wheat, rye, oats, and barley), milk, eggs, yeast and soy. If you are sensitive to ANY of these food groups, it could be making your thyroid condition worse as it will increase inflammation in the brain and throughout the body. IF you suffer from Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, you need to be gluten-free…now! 

Specific blood tests, such as complete metabolic panel (CMP), lipid panel and complete blood chemistry (CBC) with auto differential, assess and address the adrenal glands, liver, kidneys, red/white blood cells and gut function to expedite healing. The CMP also checks blood glucose levels since glucose and oxygen are needed by the brain to function properly.
Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH): The message sent from the pituitary gland in the brain to the thyroid; Free T3–An important hormone produced by the thyroid gland, considered to be the more biologically active hormone of the thyroid; Free T4–Another important hormone produced by the thyroid gland.

Thyroid Binding Globulin (TBG): This test measures the amount of proteins in the blood that transport thyroid hormones to the cells. Elevated testosterone can lower TBG levels and elevated estrogen can raise TBG levels. Both can produce hypothyroid symptoms.

Thyroid Antibodies (TGB & TPO): In suspected cases of autoimmune thyroid disorders, how much total T4 hormone there is in the blood; Free Thyroxine Index (FTI) is an estimate of how much thyroxine is in the blood; Resin T3 Uptake test measures the unsaturated binding sites on the thyroid proteins.

Adrenal Stress Index (ASI): This is a salivary test much like DNA testing. The adrenal glands sit right above the kidneys and they are your “stress” organs meaning they react to stress. If the patient has been or is currently under stress, this test is a must. If the patient suffers from insomnia and/or diabetes, this test is a must. It will measure cortisol levels.

Immune Panels: An autoimmune thyroid is called Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis. Your immune system could be attacking your thyroid, thus why the immune panels are so important and not just the TPO and TGB thyroid antibodies. There are two parts to the immune system, TH1 and TH2. TH1 are T-cells, the army that attacks and cleans up afterward (helper T-cells, suppressor T-cells, NKC, regulatory T-cells, and macrophages). TH2 are B-cells. B-cells make anti-bodies. They tell T-cells what to kill. If the testing comes back with a high B-cell count, the patient is TH2 dominant.

Intestinal Permeability: This test is used to determine if the patient suffers from leaky gut syndrome, a condition of altered or damaged bowel lining caused by antibiotics, toxins, poor diet, parasites or infection, which can lead to increased permeability of the gut wall to toxins, microbes, undigested food, waste or larger than normal macromolecules. 

Hormone Panels: Hormone panels are examined to determine if there is low testosterone in males or low estrogen/progesterone levels in females. Symptoms related to decreased hormone levels may include depression, fatigue, mental fogginess, mood swings, hot flashes, sweating attacks, weight gain and decreased physical stamina.
    When all necessary tests have been run to determine the patient’s specific condition, they can be successfully treated via proper neurological and all-natural nutritional protocols.

Oxygen Therapy plus Pulsed Magnetic Healing. Oxygen is fuel for the brain and nervous system which need two things to survive—fuel and activation. Fuel comes in the form of oxygen and glucose. Oxygen accelerates healing. By using high powered pulsed magnetic therapy with oxygen, energy and healing will increase, helping many chronic conditions.

Synergy Integrated Health and Medicine is located at 4343 W. Henderson Blvd., Tampa. For appointment, call 813-254-5200. For more information and a gratis thyroid report, visit 
TampaThyroid.com. See ad page 5.