Adrenal fatigue is getting more and more common as people work overtime and there's no relief in sight.
They just et more and more worn out -- until they can hardly make it out of bed anymore in the morning -- after having spent their nights staying wide awake.
Read on about the challenge of getting a decent diagnosis.
If you report symptoms of excessive fatigue in the presence of emotional trauma, your doctor may order blood tests to determine the levels of hormones like hydrocortisone, aldosterone, epinephrine, and ACHT in your blood, urine, or plasma.
That's if your doctor is good.
There are also other tests for adrenal fatigue that involve injecting substances into the bloodstream that modify the production of a specific hormone.
For example, in the ACHT challenge test, where the hormone ACHT is injected, there should be an increase in adrenal output - if not, adrenal fatigue is highly likely.
If your doctor suspects an adrenal disease, he or she may also order imaging studies to rule out the presence of adrenal calcification, tumors, atrophy, or megaly of the gland.
The most common imaging techniques include abdominal x-rays, MRI, CT scan, arteriography, radionuclide scanning, and an IV scan of the kidneys along with an IV dye.
Your doctor will use the results of your blood tests and any imaging scans performed to come to a diagnosis of adrenal fatigue.
Unfortunately, most regular doctors don't really diagnose adrenal fatigue at all unless the adrenals are completely exhausted.
Hopefully, you haven't waited that long and it's not quite as bad.
Instead of taking your chances with a regular doctor, you may want to go to an alternative health care practitioner first, who might help you restore your adrenals to good functioning before they give out altogether.