 |
Click HERE to Find Out How You Can Achieve Thyroid Levels within a Short Period of Time |
Uncovering
a long standing infection could offer a real solution to solving your thyroid
disorder. Did you know chronic infections can easily masquerade as
hypothyroidism?
In
fact, there’s often an overlap between hypothyroidism and symptoms triggered by
a lingering viral infection.
This
article discusses testing for viral infections. Long standing infections that
are active in the body are linked to chronic fatigue syndrome.
Chronic
fatigue syndrome,
aka myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) is a disease of the immune system.
There
is a vast amount of research to demonstrate infections are the most likely
cause of chronic fatigue syndrome.
How to Test For Viral Infections
There
is no single test to diagnose a chronic viral infection, or even multiple viral
infections. For this reason medical practitioners usually screen a patient for
the main viruses which tend to cause long term problems. Your medical
practitioner will also take into account your symptoms and health history.
Antibody Tests Are Usually Used To Check For Long Standing Viral
Infections
Termed
antibody tests, these types of blood tests are the obvious place to start the
search for chronic infections.
Antibodies
are molecules produced by the immune system to fight an infection. By doing specific
antibody tests you can detect the presence of antibodies to a particular viral
infection. When antibodies are discovered it will also reveal whether you were
infected recently or in the past.
A
stable positive result indicates past infection. In contrast, a high antibody
load indicates recent infection, or reactivation of a past infection. The most
consistent marker of progression of an infection within the body is a rising
antibody titre. This term is used to describe the amount of antibodies that are
measured within a blood sample.
Active
viruses travel through the blood. These microscopic viruses are ‘non-living’
and they lack the ability to replicate on their own. To ensure their survival
these viruses must take hold within the host cell. Left unchecked by the immune
system they have the ability to integrate themselves into many cells of the
body.
The
two leading viruses that trigger chronic fatigue symptoms are Epstein – Barr
virus (EBV) and cytomegalovirus (CMV).
Medical
practitioners often test for these two viruses when a patient has fatigue
issues. These two viruses often target the central nervous system and liver
causing problems.
The
tests listed here will help diagnose an infection with the viruses most
commonly associated with chronic fatigue symptoms.
·
Cytomegalovirus
(CMV) antibodies
·
Epstein-Barr
virus (EBV) antibodies
·
Hepatitis
B virus (HBV)) antibodies
·
Hepatitis
C virus (HCV) antibodies
·
Herpes
simplex virus (HSV) antibodies
·
Varicella
Zoster virus antibodies
A Viral Infection Can Give Rise to a Diverse Range of Symptoms
A
virus lodged within the cell continues to replicate and by integrating itself
deep within the cell it avoids detection by the immune system. The immune
system therefore does not make antibodies to viruses that have become hidden
within organs and other tissues of the body.
This
makes identifying a viral infection a real challenge. It is possible to have a
significant intracellular infection, but still show relatively low antibody
levels when you take an antibody test.
A
chronic viral infection can cause a range of diverse symptoms depending on the
original infection involved. When a virus takes hold in the central nervous
system, or enters an organ such as the liver or digestive tract it gives rise
to a range of complaints such as fatigue, liver tenderness and neurological
problems.
Your
medical practitioner may also request a white cell count (WCC) and liver
function test (LFT).
Watch
this Video below - How are viral infections diagnosed and treated
Read
the following related articles:
Author Bio:
Louise O’ Connor,
the author of The Natural Thyroid Diet –The 4-Week Plan to Living Well, Living Vibrantly, who
is a specialist in Thyroid Health. She is a highly regarded Australian
Naturopath and founder of Wellnesswork.
The Natural Thyroid
Diet goes beyond diet advice and offers practical and effective ways to achieve
healthy thyroid levels within just a short period of time. For more details,
Click on
The-Natural-Thyroid-Diet.com
