If You Think You Have a Thyroid Imbalance:  Medical and Alternative Testing:

The first step in investigating thyroid symptoms is standard thyroid labs.  Medical offices usually measure TSH, T3 and T4.  Thyroid Stimulating Hormone, TSH, is produced by the pituitary and stimulates the thyroid to produce hormones.  Although the interpretation of TSH can be complex, it is considered to be the best test for diagnosing hypothyroidism.

Most American laboratories have a normal TSH range of around .5 to 3.5   One problem that doctors have had in the past is that the range of  thyroid lab values considered “normal” is changing.  A person with a level of 2.5 is now considered borderline.  In the past, 2.5 was considered normal and doctors lost their licenses after prescribing thyroid hormone to symptomatic people with TSH values between 2.5 and 5.5. 

Alternative Evaluation of Thyroid Function:

In addition to hormone levels, many practitioners use basal body temperature to indicate thyroid function.  Low basal body temperature indicates that the metabolism is sluggish. It  is therefore often interpreted to indicate dysfunction of the master gland of metabolism, the thyroid.

Procedure:

• Shake down the mercury Basal Body Thermometer (do not use a digital thermometer) to below 95 F and place it by your bed before going to sleep at night.
• On waking, place the thermometer in your mouth for a full 10 minutes. It is important to make as little movement as possible. Lying and resting with your eyes closed is best. Do not get up until the ten minute test is complete.
• After 10 minutes, read and record the temperature time and date.
• Record the temperature for at least three days every 3 hours, 4 times a day, at the same time each day.
• If your morning temperature is between 97.6 and 98.2 degrees your thyroid is functioning properly.
• If your temperature is not in the normal range, calculate your average temperature and take your results to your health practitioner.

 **Menstruating women should perform the test on the second, third, and fourth days of menstruation.

Thyroid main

Thyroid treatment

Normal Labs but Symptoms of Hypothyroidism: