Are Your Adrenals Tired?
by Ask a Healer
Related Information:
Adrenal Fatique Remedies
I decided to refresh my memory on adrenal exhaustion and other conditions that affect the adrenal glands after someone posted a response on my blog that a condition called adrenal fatigue could cause heart palpitations. As I began to read about this health challenge, I found heart palpitations listed as a symptom and, my goodness, dozens of other troubling symptoms were reported as well.
I also found found myself caught up in a familiar conflict ..... medical vs alternative health approaches to addressing health challenges. According to one of the most well-respected medical centers in the world, the Mayo Clinic, there is no doubt that the adrenals can become deficient in vital hormones. The term they have for this is adrenal fatique or adrenal insufficiency. Where the conflict arises is that that alternative health community believes this insufficiency can become a chronic health condition in it's own right and should be addressed specifically, not as part of an underlying condition, although underlying conditions may also be present.
Medically Unrecognized Syndrome Explored:
Adrenal insufficiency is diagnosed as an insufficient amount of adrenal hormones in the system as a result
of an underlying health condition and the glands themselves are not viewed as the thing to directly treat but
more as an indicator that there is another problem.
Adrenal fatigue is an alternative medicine term for what is considered to be a chronic health condition, quite often brought on by stress, that taxes the body in some of the same ways that other syndromes do .... with a set of symptoms that are rather general and not specific to a particular disease or condition. In other words, the set of symptoms which might signal adrenal fatique could be caused by a lot of different things instead of adrenal problems .... sleep problems, digestion problems, fatique, muscle aches and so on.
The premise held by the alternative medicine community is that persistent stress response which continually activates immune response, and fight or flight response, eventually weakens the ability of the adrenal glands to produce balancing hormones in sufficient amounts. This weakening can continue to the point where another health condition results, besides the medically recognized adrenal insufficiency.
Symptoms Specific to Adrenal Fatique:
Besides the nonspecific symptoms of adrenal fatique, those who believe they have this condition often report quite similar habits:
* Having a hard time getting up in the morning
* Experiencing fatique during times when there should be none
* Recognizing their body craving caffeine, sugar or other stimulants to get through the day
* Just always seeming to feel stressed out
Additional Adrenal Deficiency Symptoms:
Various resources I checked added other symptoms to the list, a broad range including:
* Recurrent bronchitis and/or respiratory infections
* Slow recovery time after being ill
* Thyroid problems
* Brain fog
* Overly acid ph levels
* Low levels of stomach acid
That's just a partial list.
Diagnosis of Adrenal Insufficiency:
What I read over and over, on blogs and forums from real people dealing with this condition, is how frustrating it can be to find good information on getting better.
Because the symptoms can be so broad, and because the medical profession does not recognize adrenal fatigue syndrome as a condition in it's own right, with a protocol specific to healing the adrenal glands, it can be challenging to decide which way to go for improvement.
However, the good news is that there are medical tests available that can diagnose, definitely, whether or not your adrenal glands are producing sufficient hormones.
Because there are medical tests that can diagnose adrenal insufficiency, that would be a good first step for anyone, whether deciding to pursue western medicine treatment options or alternative health approaches. Find out if that is really what is happening. Find out if your glands are deficient in adrenal hormones.
Part 2: Adrenal Fatique Treatments
Health Disclaimer: Even though my own choices are to pursue natural healing options rather than prescription drugs, I value medical testing and would advise anyone who suspects they may have adrenal fatigue or adrenal insufficiency to get tested. Arm yourself with the facts. Then, you are in a position to craft the best health regimen for your needs. This information is educational and not intended to replace the advice, treatments or evaluation of your doctor.
