Are Diagnostic Tests Available to Measure Adrenal Insufficiency?
Because adrenal insufficiency often causes significant chronic symptoms, it is best to document it with diagnostic testing. In conventional medicine, adrenal gland blood hormone levels are measured. Another common test is the ACTH stimulation test where a shot of ACTH is given (the hormone that normally stimulates the adrenal gland) with subsequent measurement of blood cortisol levels. Natural Medicine Specialists utilize these tests, along with measurement of salivary hormone levels, because these will reveal the level of free hormones available to work and act in the body. This hormone fraction is important in such conditions as allergy, asthma, and chronic sinusitis. To increase the sensitivity of this latter test, salivary hormone levels are often checked at various times during the day in order to determine a full assessment of adrenal gland function. Top What Can Be Done for Adrenal Insufficiency? The adrenal gland is often called the stress gland. It secretes hormones in respons
