Greenville SC Thyroid Doctor Answers – Why is TSH Not The Best Indicator of Thyroid Problems?
In most cases when you go to your medical physician for help with a thyroid problem, they will give you a TSH test. This test will take a sample of your blood to determine how much of the “thyroid stimulating hormone” is actually present. After this, the results will be compared to a scale of “normal TSH levels” that your doctor uses. If your levels were outside of the normal ranges, then you would likely be provided with thyroid medications. While this test and thyroid medications can help many people, it’s not the right test for everyone because of how complex the thyroid is.
The Problem with TSH Tests
What’s important for you to know is that TSH is produced and released by the pituitary gland, not your thyroid. While it does affect your thyroid because it tells it when hormones need to be released, it is not always the most accurate indicator of a thyroid problem. For example, you could actually have a problem with your pituitary gland rather than your thyroid, but the TSH test won’t show that. It will only show the levels of TSH that you do have, and that’s the only indicator of a thyroid problem that most physicians use. You would need more comprehensive testing to get to the bottom of what’s really going on, and most medical doctors aren’t going to provide you with that.
Now it might be easier to see why so many people go to their regular care provider for help and end up not finding it because they only get a TSH test. Often times their test results come back as “normal”, so their doctors don’t do anything and they are left feeling the same symptoms day after day. Even some individuals who do receive medications don’t end up feeling better, and that’s generally because those don’t address the problems that are really going on. More accurate testing is what you will need in order to find out whether or not thyroid problems are present with your body. Fortunately for you, functional wellness practitioners offer comprehensive testing as their standard testing.
Finding the Root Causes
When you’re given comprehensive testing that looks at your total body health, you will be in a much better position to start on the path to feeling better. Your wellness practitioner will know the imbalances and dysfunctions that need to be addressed, and will then offer you natural solutions for those. Their goal will be to prevent additional damage from occurring, and to help heal your body in a holistic manner so your symptoms naturally start to go away. The end result may be finally finding the relief that you’ve been seeking, and feeling much better than you have in a long time.
While TSH tests are great for some people, they are not the best choices for everyone. By switching your care to a functional wellness practitioner, you’ll discover a new way to look at your health. They will give you comprehensive testing, and make sure you’re supported as you change your lifestyle to manage your health more effectively.
