Investigations
Identifying the cause is the first step in understanding why your health has been affected. At The Burghwood Clinic we use a variety of tests, each recommended according to the specific needs of the individual. Some are carried out during the consultation, others requires samples to be sent to specialist laboratories. We use hospital or independent accredited laboratories, who have devised innovative tests that are not yet widely used in daily practice. Some of our tests are currently available only in a few academic centres. In our era, it is possible to see in great detail the inner structure or the membrane of the living cell, yet very little of this information, if any, is generally available to clinicians. The aim is to find the underlying causal factors for the symptoms and with this understanding we can formulate a management with the best chances to address your health problem; this might empower you to take control of your own health and well-being.
Investigations available
- Allergy tests - specific IgE screens ("RAST") for foods or inhalant allergies, Skin Prick Tests
- Vitamins, important minerals, essential fatty acids - to assess anti-oxidant defences and cell chemistry; iodine assay (a common but undiagnosed deficiency in the West)
- Detailed stool analyses - information on healthy bacteria, bacterial (SIBO) or fungal overgrowth, amoebas and inflammatory markers e.g. calprotectin, lysozyme or sIgA
- Helicobacter and clostridium difficile - associated with multiple pathologies and mental problems
- Food reactivities - usually involving Th1 & Th2 lymphocytes
- Test for fructose/sugar intolerance
- Urine metabolites of infectious agents; assays of heavy metals
- A range of tests to assess chemical load - from metals, food & environmental chemicals, VOC's or silicones, depending on history
- Hormone profiles - female, male (oestrogen, DHEA, testosterone, cortisol), thyroid, growth hormone (HGH), adrenal stress
- Tests to assess mitochondrial performance, ATP, free-radicals attached to DNA ("epigenetic" changes), metal burden, cell defences (Glutathione, SOD-ase), mitochondrial membrane
- Cardio-vascular risk assessment
- Virology profiles - mycoplasma, Epstein-Barr virus, Lyme's (borellia), CMV, helpful in many so-called "auto-immune" conditions and their management
- Mold tests
- Indoor air-contaminants, water purity
Clients living away from the Clinic can be provided with appropriate containers for various samples collection locally.