Greenville SC Thyroid Clinic Answers - Is A TSH Test Enough?

By: Our Team

12/26/2023

Hypothyroidism is a subject that can be difficult to understand. This is why most individuals will go to their traditional care provider for help, but is that enough? In most cases, it’s not. Many traditional physicians just don’t administer the tests that are needed to determine what’s really going on. 

In fact, most only use one test to check thyroid hormone levels, which only helps a small number of low thyroid patients. If you’re looking for more comprehensive care, then seeing a functional wellness practitioner is well worth considering.

Why Are More Tests Needed?

Simply said, the one TSH test that most physicians give their low thyroid patients just isn't enough. This is because it will not detect all the potential thyroid hormone problems that could be affecting you. This test solely measures the amount of thyroid stimulating hormone within the body. 

If the number shows within normal range, then most care providers will say that a thyroid problem isn’t there. Unfortunately this allows the root cause of the issue to continue to get worse because it’s never identified or addressed.

While a simple TSH test might be adequate for a small number of low thyroid patients, others are left wondering what’s really going on with their health. Many patients who take medications don’t ever feel better, and that’s because they need comprehensive testing that looks at the health of the whole body. 

Fortunately functional wellness practitioners provide this type of testing because their priority is to uncover all imbalances, deficiencies, and deficits that are contributing to your slowed thyroid.

Shifting Focus From TSH

Rather than only looking at a TSH test, Thyroid Stimulating Hormone, functional wellness practitioners will give you a full range of tests and exams. This will shift the focus to what’s really going on, whether that’s an autoimmune condition such as Hashimoto’s disease or a nutrient deficit. 

Because there are so many different things that can affect the functionality of the thyroid, this testing is something that’s necessary. Although it might take longer, it’s well worth it because it provides wellness practitioners what they need to create a personalized wellness plan for you.

Addressing Your Health

Once you begin working with a functional wellness practitioner, you will find that there are many drug-free solutions that can help heal your body. In time they may help your body so it can begin functioning properly. In turn this may mean fewer or less intense low thyroid symptoms and a return to health for many patients. 

Even if you’ve already had a TSH test in the past, it’s not too late to receive in-depth testing. By meeting with a functional wellness practitioner you can finally be on the path towards effective solutions.

* All information subject to change. Images may contain models. Individual results are not guaranteed and may vary.